A private company is making a sensational bid to bring back a popular land-train service to the Isle of Wight seaside town of Ryde, more than a decade after the original trains were cancelled due to council budget cuts. Ryde on Tyme Ltd plans to reintroduce an all-electric version of the Ryde 'dotto' train, which once carried holidaymakers and residents along the seafront and up the hill to the town's shops.
Private Management and No Cost to Taxpayers
Unlike the previous service, which was axed by Isle of Wight Council due to increased maintenance costs, the proposed new train would be privately managed and supported through ticket sales and sponsorship, with no ongoing cost to local taxpayers. The company is preparing a bid for a Central Government Strategic Regeneration Grant to fund the train, and residents are being asked to show their support ahead of the September funding application process.
A company spokesperson said the bid aims to "reintroduce the popular seafront attraction more than a decade after the original trains disappeared from the town." If funding is secured, the money will be used to manufacture new carriages using marine carpentry and engineering trades on the island.
Vintage Design with Modern Technology
The new train will feature a vintage timber steam engine cowling and flush-mounted solar roof skins. The spokesperson explained: "This train will smoothly carry residents and visitors up the hill, dropping them directly outside retailers on Upper High Street and Union Street. The train would support local shops and act as a traffic calming measure, operating at speed of just 10mph."
Ryde on Tyme Ltd said the service would support families and mobility-impaired residents without cutting off their independence and would offer a discount for local residents.
History of the Dotto Trains
The hugely popular Dotto trains previously ran in the summer seasons in the Isle of Wight resorts of Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin but were axed by Isle of Wight Council due to increased maintenance costs. According to a report in the local Island Echo, a public campaign has now been launched ahead of the September funding application, with residents being encouraged to show their support for the proposal.
As previously reported in the Island Echo in 2023, members of the public hoped to see the return of the Dotto Train. However, at the time, Ryde Town Council announced that budget pressures facing the council meant the plans could not be executed.
