Hi Pauljanaway.
I can see the Isle of Wight from my house. Sometimes using binoculars, I can see the trains at Ryde Pier. Needs a clear day for that, though.
You were lucky. Although it may have seemed like all night, the trains stop running at 23:13 in the evening and don't start again until 05:36 in the morning, weekdays (later if you're away from Ryde, shorter times at weekends). That gave you at least 6 hours undisturbed beauty sleep!
Timetable is here:
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/pdfs/ttApril08/PTT24Apr08.pdf