SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) has announced the reopening of the Island Line will face a delay due to challenges with the delivery of the new fleet of class 484 trains. Rolling stock manufacturer Vivarail had been set to deliver the trains to the Island before Easter, but complex software issues mean the fully refurbished trains are yet to be delivered. As soon as the trains can be delivered to the Island, SWR says it can begin the extensive process of operational testing, safety assurance and training required to bring them into service. As a result, Island Line s reopening date has been pushed back until this summer, although SWR says it is too early to provide a firm date.
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Delivery Of Isle Of Wight s New Island Line Trains Delayed
By Jamie White
The roll-out of new Island Line trains on the Isle of Wight has been delayed by around six weeks.
South Western Railway (SWR) has said that the coronavirus pandemic has led to unforeseen challenges to the delivery of the £26m Island Line upgrade.
SWR said the nationwide lockdown has added to the complexity of the project as teams have had to work hard to navigate changing restrictions on movement and colleagues have been required to form work bubbles on the Isle of Wight, to ensure sites are COVID Secure.