The Mid Hants Heritage Steam Railway
On the Watercress Line, Mid Hants Railway, you can travel by Steam or
Heritage Diesel train through 10 miles of beautiful Hampshire countryside between Alresford and Alton stations.
The heritage steam railway is operated almost entirely by volunteers, working alongside
a small number paid staff, the railway has become one of Hampshire's major
visitor attractions.
The railway runs 10 miles from Alresford to Alton, on the way visiting Ropley and Medstead & Four Marks.
The Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway Company, which later became
the original Mid Hants Railway, opened the line in 1865.
It started from Alton where it connected with the London and South
Western Railway line to Guildford and later to London via
Pirbright Junction and Woking.
The line became known as the Watercress Line as it was used to transport the locally grown Hampshire watercress up the line to market in London.
There were three intermediate stations, at Ropley, Alresford and
Itchen Abbas. A fourth station, Medstead and Four Marks, was added later.
The other end of the line connected with the LSWR main route from London
to Southampton, at Winchester Junction, north of Winchester City Station.
In 1923 the line formed part of the Southern Railway, which became the Southern Region of British Railways
at nationalisation in 1948.
The Winchester and Alton Railway, later to become the present Mid Hants
Railway, was formed with the intention of re-opening the whole line under
independent ownership.
Unfortunately financial constraints forced the
section west of Alresford to Itchen Abbas and Winchester Junction to be
abandoned. However, the line was re-opened between Alresford and Ropley
four years later in 1977. After the lifted track was reinstated services
were re-established to Medstead in 1983 and to Alton in 1985.
The Mid Hants Railway hosts a wide variety of special events such as Real Ale Trains,
Luxury Dining trains, Thomas The Tank Engine, Santas Special, and events such as War on the line (see picture far right), you can even book up to drive an engine.
The Watercress Line has a range of steam locomotives in operation for enthusiasts to enjoy including:
- British Railways Standard Class 9F (No 92212)
- SR Lord Nelson Class 'Lord Nelson' (No 850)
- LMS Black 5 (No 45379)
- SR West Country Class 'Wadebridge' (No 34007)
- SR U Class (No 31806)
- Thomas the Tank Engine (No 1)
Visit the Watercress Line official website, for more details.
