On a stunning September day, Hover Travel's Island Express lifts off from Ryde for the 10 minute hop over the Solent to Portsmouth (Southsea). This superb service remains the olny scheduled hovercraft service in the world! Date: 12 Sept 09

Even the new stuff is old! This view shows a two car train of ex 1938 LT stock departing Ryde for the south, on 12 Sept 09

The tiny ex-LT underground looks somewhat incongrous as it rattles along the pier at Ryde on 12 Sept 09. The ironwork in the foreground once supported the trackbed for a diesel railcar that shuttled between the pier head and the town station.

GH 2142 departing from Portsmouth Southsea on 12 Sept 09 on its way back to Ryde.

A timeless scene... Inside the tiny Ryde depot, the VEC/TIS cars undergo maintenance. Note the signwriter at work in the background

Unit 042 peeps out from Ryde depot in the early 80s view.

A somewhat confusing image! Just north of the Ryde depot, 485 043 passes unit 043 in the depot siding. With only a limited number of trans available, and precious few spare parts, several units were split and cannibalised to keep others running

It always seemed a bit odd to be riding on ex London Underground trains, in open countryside, but welcome all the same. 485 043 heads south towards Sandown.

Cannibalism was inevitable to keep the 1923 vintage units running. This unit sits silently in a forgotten siding at the rear of Ryde depot.

rarely seen and even more rarely photographed, Hunslet 97 803 was Ryde depot's sole locomotive. It was used on the island for shunting stock and engineers trains

485 043 at Shanklin, the southernmost end of the rail line at the eastern end of the island

1923 unit 044 at the rearof the depot at Ryde. Note the BR double arrow logo

A general view of the depot at Ryde, with 1923 unit 034 in the foreground,and 97 803 behind

In full BR livery, 485 043 prepares for the off at Ryde Pier Head

Another timeless scene. Unit 042 won't be overloaded at all with just a handful of passengers prepare to join at Ryde Esplanade

With morning sea mist obscuring Portsmouth, 043 rattles along the pier at Ryde

As well as 20s vintage stock, there was still semaphore signalling with 3rd rail electrification. 485 031 heading south.

In this view, 485 043 is heading south through the outskirts of Ryde.