Author: Stuart George
WightLink Fastcat Timetable Changes Throw Out Island Line Connections
Monday, 23rd March, 2009 at 4:20 pm, Isle of Wight
Many thanks to Stuart George from the Isle of Wight Bus Users Group for sending through changes to the FastCat services. Sounds like those hoping to use the Island Line train to and from Ryde Pier Head will have their journey lengthened. Ed
Wightlink have unilaterally decided to make major changes to the Ryde – Portsmouth FastCat timetable from next Monday, 30 March. They blame the recession for this decision.
Instead of the FastCat leaving Ryde at 15 mins past each hour, they will generally be leaving at 45 mins past each hour, with some exceptions.
From Portsmouth the Cat will generally be leaving at 15 mins past each hour instead of 45 mins past.
Island Line connection also thrown out
This will cause serious problems with connections on the Island side.
In the evenings those returning from the mainland will have to wait 35 mins, for the Island Line train instead of the present 5 mins.
In addition, throughout the day, the Rail Link bus from Ventnor will connect with an Island Line train that will no longer connect with the catamaran at Ryde.
Island Line are considering revising their service to connect with the FastCats again but this can’t be done until the current timetable expires in mid-May.
image: JZjr
Related posts:
- WightLink FastCat Timetable Changes From Monday
WightLink launch their new FastCat timetable from Monday 21st September.... - Change to Island Line Timetable
Island Line catch up with timetable changes instigated by Wightlink... - Island Line Timetable Shortens
Anyone missing the Island Line timetable that used to go... - Disruption to WightLink Fishbourne Timetable
More trouble at Wightlink... - WightLink Fastcat Services Affected Tuesday
Beware of some delays on the FastCat services tomorrow....
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Good old Wightlink – gearing up to nicely present a slick Island connection for the(hopefully)many visitors escaping the recession on the mainland.
I’m sure this will generate the odd profit in their port cafes though!
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It is worth noting that currently if the boat is delayed by 5 minutes, you miss the train at Ryde.
On the new timetable, you only have to wait 30 minutes, rather than 45.
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I assume you are referring only to the hourly service that operates between midday and about 4pm? Otherwise the service is half-hourly with a 15 minutes past AND a 45 minutes past service every hour from both sides. The afternoon service, according to Wightlink’s website, will change to half-hourly after April 1st, as usual.
So … could Mr George please clarify? Are Wightlink to reduce their entire service to an hourly one with the times as detailed above? I’m a little confused.
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The only connections that I can see that mean there is a long wait at the pier, is after 9pm. (2108 at the pier, and later). Earlier than this, and it’s exactly the same as it is now.
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To answer some of the comments:
(1) From Ryde the hourly service currently operates between 1215 & 1615. On the new timetable there will be an hourly service between 0915 & 1615 (with a couple of exceptions). In the evening the service from Portsmouth currently becomes hourly after 2045, with the new timetable it’s hourly after 1915.
(2) The 2015 sailing from Portsmouth does connect with a train but the train only goes as far as Ryde St.Johns.
(3) Also the last sailing from Portsmouth becomes 0015 instead of 0105.
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Thank you Stuart – that makes more sense now.
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Thanks, and the new timetable is available as a printable pdf from the Wightlink site – http://www.wightlink.co.uk/timetables/portsmouth—ryde/30-march—20-september-2009.aspx
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