Royal Esplanade Hotel Live Cam

History

The story of Ryde Pier and Ryde Esplanade stations is inseparable from the ambitious Victorian vision of linking the Isle of Wight to the expanding railway network of southern England. Ryde Pier station was inaugurated in 1864 as part of the Isle of Wight Railway, its wooden platforms built atop the extension of the pier that had first welcomed paddle steamers in 1814. The pier itself—one of the world’s oldest—was extended in stages to reach the deeper water channel, allowing larger steamers to dock and bringing the promise of rail travel within easy reach of sea voyagers. Trains ran directly onto the pier, depositing passengers mere steps from ships bound for Portsmouth and Southsea, turning Ryde into a vital transport interchange.