Sign up to our weekly newsletter, RAIL Briefing

Island Line trains suffer wheelset problems

Class 484s on the Isle of Wight

South Western Railway’s Vivarail Class 484 electric multiple units on the Isle of Wight have been suffering severe wheelset issues, allegedly caused by the track on the 8 ½-mile line between Ryde and Shanklin.

The units, converted from London Underground D78 stock that dates from the early 1980s, only entered traffic in November 2021, replacing Class 483s that dated from 1938.

484001 is reported not to have worked since last summer. Replacement wheelsets are being sourced.

The trains’ supplier, Vivarail, went into administration in December 2022, hampering the availability of spare parts.

RAIL digital products

Every Wednesday, RAIL Briefing brings you the most important stories, analysis of the biggest issues and critical scrutiny from leading industry experts which will put you at the heart of a successful British railway.

Registering and logging into the site also gives you access to gated content on the RAIL website.

SIGN UP NOW

Comment as guest


Login  /  Register

Comments

No comments have been made yet.

RAIL is Britain's market leading modern railway magazine.

Download the app

Related content