127-596: The Meon Valley Railway was a cross-country railway in Hampshire , England, that ran for 22 miles (36 km) between Alton and Fareham , closely following the course of the River Meon . At its northern (Alton) end, it joined with the Alton Line from London. It was conceived as an additional main line to the area around Gosport , and it was opened in 1903. It never fulfilled its planned potential, and remained
254-596: A calcareous grassland habitat, important for wild flowers and insects. A large area of the downs is now protected from further agricultural damage by the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The River Test has a growing number of otters as, increasingly, does the Itchen, although other areas of the county have quite low numbers. There are wild boar kept for meat in the New Forest , which
381-587: A central geographical feature. Various place-names identify locations as Jutish, including Bishopstoke ( Ytingstoc ), the River Itchen ( Ytene ) and the Meon Valley ( Ytedene ). There in fact appear to be at least two Jutish folklands in Hampshire: one established along the River Itchen and one along the River Meon . Evidence of an early Germanic settlement has been found at Clausentum , dated to
508-532: A cross-country train via the Meon Valley. West Meon and Tisted are mentioned as two of the stations that the poet passes through on his journey. Shortly after the final closure of the MVR in 1968, the section of line between Alton and Farringdon was used for the filming of a television commercial for Cadbury Milk Tray chocolates. The 'action man' character jumps onto the roof of a moving train that consisted of
635-574: A crucial military role due to its ports. The Saxon settlement at Southampton was known as Hamtun , while the surrounding area or scīr was called Hamtunscīr . The old name was recorded in the Domesday book as Hantescire , and it is from this spelling that the modern abbreviation "Hants" derives. From 1889 until 1959, the administrative county was named the County of Southampton . It has also been called Southamptonshire . Hampshire
762-485: A diesel locomotive and two carriages. Library footage at the beginning of the clip shows a third-rail electrified section elsewhere. The clip may be viewed on YouTube. Hampshire Hampshire ( / ˈ h æ m p ʃ ər / , /- ʃ ɪər / ; abbreviated to Hants. ) is a ceremonial county in South East England . It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to
889-486: A diesel passenger service over the Guildford to Reading route, which uses the original SER running powers section from Ash Junction to Aldershot South Junction. The London and Southampton Railway opened its main line throughout in 1839. The company changed its name to London and South Western Railway (LSWR) in 1840. In 1845 a branch line to Guildford from Woking was opened, and it was extended to Godalming in 1849. To
1016-413: A difficult business partner. As its route to London was extremely roundabout, it reduced its fares considerably, and for a time a damaging rate cutting war took place. In 1858 a pooling arrangement was agreed. Developments on the Guildford to Alton line were slow. The major army base at Aldershot was established from 1854 and for a time Ash Green station handled the arrival of construction materials, until
1143-450: A flying junction in conjunction with the widening of the main line. Alton station was built as a terminus, but three routes were built, connecting to it from the west. The Mid-Hants Railway was promoted independently to form a line from Alton to Winchester. It was hoped that this would be a main line to compete with the LSWR main line, but its steep gradients and single line meant that this
1270-535: A line was promoted to connect the Great Western Railway at Basingstoke to Portsmouth , in part using the Meon Valley. The agricultural district through which it was to run was not prosperous, and the northern part of the area is rather poor for farming, but the promoters urged the idea of national defence, requiring rapid connection with Portsmouth in the event of war. The cost of the line would be £2,000,000. The incumbent railways at Portsmouth were
1397-521: A local line through sparsely populated agricultural areas, and it closed to passenger services in 1955; some local goods services continued until total closure in 1968. The name does not refer to an independent company; it was constructed and run by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR). By the last decade of the nineteenth century, the railway map of Great Britain was already mature, and there were few gaps waiting to be filled by speculators. In 1852
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#17327938713251524-429: A platform face. The name of the halt was changed to Knowle Halt in 1942. In the 1950s it had the distinction of being illuminated by two electric lights, powered from the hospital's internal supply, when the neighbouring Botley station continued to depend on oil lamps. One of the sidings adjoined this platform; the other, which served a large brick works, was situated about half-way between Knowle and Fareham. Subsequently
1651-412: A population of 1,547,000. Cities and towns by population size: (2001 census) The table below shows the population change up to the 2011 census, contrasting the previous census. It also shows the proportion of residents in each district reliant upon lowest income and/or joblessness benefits, the national average proportion of which was 4.5 per cent (August 2012). The most populous district of Hampshire
1778-458: A population of 875 in 1851, but the military establishment caused a massive increase in the civilian population in addition to the troops: in the 1861 census there were 7,755 civilians and 8,965 military personnel recorded in Aldershot. Yet the town and the army garrison were isolated, two miles from Tongham station. A number of proposals for a branch line had not gained any traction, and the LSWR
1905-448: A private siding was made for the purpose at Tongham. The track between Ash Green and Tongham was doubled some time after August 1855, because of the military construction. The second track was a long siding from Ash Green at first. Official records say that the second line opened between Ash Green and Farnham Junction on 4 June 1884. The second line between Farnham Junction and Farnham station opened on 2 May 1870. The town of Aldershot had
2032-742: A series of castles and forts was constructed along the coast of the Solent to defend the harbours at Southampton and Portsmouth. These include the Roman Portchester Castle which overlooks Portsmouth Harbour , and a series of forts built by Henry VIII including Hurst Castle , situated on a sand spit at the mouth of the Solent, Calshot Castle on another spit at the mouth of Southampton Water, and Netley Castle . Southampton and Portsmouth remained important harbours when rivals, such as Poole and Bristol , declined, as they are amongst
2159-508: A short curve near Ash enabling trains from Guildford to reach Aldershot, opening in 1879. This formed an Aldershot loop that by-passed part of the original line, from Ash Junction through Tongham to Farnham Junction. Although the Tongham section retained a train service, the Aldershot route became dominant. In 1937 many of the lines in the area were electrified, but the Tongham section was closed to passenger traffic. Three routes extended from
2286-540: A short time. The last standard gauge vehicle to run on any part of the Meon Valley Railway was an Austin Mini -based railcar owned by him. During March 2014, the former railway line was cleared of all trees and shrubs as the former track bed is to be turned into an express cycle way and bridleway between Wickham and West Meon as part of a £5 million investment in a network of core cycling routes in and around
2413-405: A similar service from the northern end only from Alton to Farringdon . The southern section to Droxford was closed completely on 30 April 1962 after the passage of an enthusiasts' railtour. The goods service to Farringdon was maintained until 5 August 1968, when the final part of the Meon Valley Railway was closed to all traffic. From 6 May 1973 the deviation line, now only used by Romsey trains,
2540-624: A special military freight train, hauled by a Drummond 700 class locomotive , was stabled for the night at Tisted, with the crew receiving instructions to stay with the engine and be ready to depart instantly in an emergency; the train was carrying 48 mines . The MVR had a brief spell of intensive use during the build-up to D-Day when huge numbers of men and equipment had to be moved to the south of England, kept in readiness and finally transported to ports. Large numbers of tanks were moved by rail to Mislingford goods yard where they were dispersed to local hard-standings for temporary storage. Mislingford
2667-562: A special train at Droxford station for a conference at the nearby HQ of U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Supreme Allied Commander, at Southwick House . The train was formed from part of the Royal Train of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway . The station had an exceptionally long siding and was close to a deep cutting. It was considered that if threatened by an air raid, the train could be pushed into
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#17327938713252794-529: A third siding was added to serve an abattoir. During the First World War the Meon Valley line was used for troop trains bound for the docks and France, but during this time the Waterloo to Gosport through services were suspended, and they were never fully restored. The LSWR was incorporated into the new Southern Railway in 1923 as part of the process known as the grouping of the railways, following
2921-511: A through line to connect with the Great Western Railway at Basingstoke. It was built as a light railway, and joined the Mid-Hants line at Butts Junction, two miles west of Alton, opening on 2 June 1901. The line from there to Alton had been doubled in preparation, opening on the same day. The line was never a success and was closed in 1917 to release track materials for war work in France. It
3048-696: A trailer or tail traffic, and it did not have normal railway couplings and buffers, so that in the event of failure could not be rescued; and its rubber tyres would not operate track circuits. In 1937 the Portsmouth No 1 Electrification scheme was implemented; this was an ambitious project of electrifying the lines to Portsmouth from Woking (for London) and Alton. It was implemented on 4 July 1937, when an intensive regular interval service started between London and Alton via Aldershot. The steam service from Guildford via Tongham to Farnham ceased to run, and an electric shuttle ran to Aldershot (only). In general at
3175-427: A two-year extension for completion of the line (to Alton) on 26 June 1849, but shareholders at a general meeting on 25 October 1850 demanded cessation of work in the prevailing financial climate. Brassey had agreed to reduce his price, and by making these last nine miles, from Farnham to Alton, single for £3,500 per mile, the cost of the whole line would be only £30,000 above that to abandon them. Against vocal opposition,
3302-726: A well documented practice of deliberately settling Germanic tribes to strengthen Roman defences. Portus Adurni was a Roman fort situated at the north end of Portsmouth Harbour . It was part of the Saxon Shore , and is the best-preserved Roman fort north of the Alps. Around an eighth of the fort has been excavated. A Norman keep was added in the Middle Ages , now known as Portchester Castle . The Romans withdrew from Britain in 410. Two major Roman roads, Ermin Way and Port Way , cross
3429-619: Is New Forest District . At the 2011 census, about 89 per cent of residents were white British, falling to 85.87 per cent in Southampton. The significant ethnic minorities were Asian at 2.6 per cent and mixed race at 1.4 per cent; 10 per cent of residents were born outside the UK. 59.7 per cent stated their religion as Christian and 29.5 per cent as not religious. Significant minority religions were Islam (1.46 per cent) and Hinduism (0.73 per cent). The Church of England Diocese of Winchester
3556-494: Is known for its ponies and herds of fallow deer , red deer , roe deer , and sika deer as well as a small number of muntjac deer . The deer had been hunted for some 900 years until 1997. An unwelcome relative newcomer is the mink population, descended from animals that escaped or were deliberately released from fur farms since the 1950s, which cause havoc amongst native wildlife. Farlington Marshes , 125 ha (310 acres) of flower-rich grazing marsh and saline lagoon at
3683-422: Is little doubt that in 1955 the Meon Valley was unsustainable as a passenger railway." On the following day, Sunday, a special train called 'The Hampshireman', organised by a rail enthusiasts' group, ran along the full length of the line – the last train to do so. It was hauled by two T9s double-heading. From 7 February 1955 goods services were to continue with a once-a-day service from Fareham to Droxford only, and
3810-572: Is not recorded, but evidence of burning is seen in Winchester dated to around that period. For most of the next three centuries southern Britain enjoyed relative peace. During the later part of the Roman period most towns built defensive walls; a pottery industry based in the New Forest exported items widely across southern Britain. A fortification near Southampton was called Clausentum , part of
3937-589: The Army , Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force respectively. The county also includes several market towns : Alresford , Alton , Andover , Bishop's Waltham , Lymington , New Milton , Petersfield , Ringwood , Romsey and Whitchurch . At the 2001 census the ceremonial county recorded a population of 1,644,249, of which 1,240,103 were in the administrative county, 217,445 were in the unitary authority of Southampton, and 186,701 were in Portsmouth. The population of
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4064-716: The Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway was built under the Light Railways Act 1896 , obtaining the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway Order 1897 and opening on 1 June 1901. So far as the Fareham connection was concerned, the LSWR progressed a scheme for a railway down the Meon Valley; it was successful in Parliament and the South Western (Meon Valley) Railway Act 1897 ( 60 & 61 Vict. c. xxxv)
4191-675: The Battle of Alton in 1643, where the commander of the Royalist forces was killed in the pulpit of the parish church, and the Siege of Portsmouth in 1642. By the mid-19th century, with the county's population at 219,210 (double that at the beginning of the century) in more than 86,000 dwellings, agriculture was the principal industry (10 per cent of the county was still forest) with cereals, peas, hops, honey, sheep and hogs important. Due to Hampshire's long association with pigs and boars, natives of
4318-463: The Domesday Book of 1086 which are in present-day Hampshire and part of Sussex. From the 12th century, the ports grew in importance, fuelled by trade with the continent, wool and cloth manufacture in the county, and the fishing industry, and a shipbuilding industry was established. By 1523 at the latest, the population of Southampton had outstripped that of Winchester. Over several centuries,
4445-830: The English Channel and the Solent , facing the Isle of Wight . It is the largest county in South East England and remains the third largest shire county in the United Kingdom despite losing more land than any other English county in all contemporary boundary changes. At its greatest size in 1890, Hampshire was the fifth-largest county in England. It now has an overall area of 3,700 km (1,400 sq mi), and measures about 86 km (53 mi) east–west and 76 km (47 mi) north–south. Hampshire's geology falls into two categories. The north and centre are
4572-545: The Hamble , Meon , Beaulieu and Lymington rivers. The Hampshire Avon , which links Stonehenge to the sea, passes through Fordingbridge and Ringwood and then forms the modern border between Hampshire and Dorset. The northern branch of the River Wey has its source near Alton and flows east past Bentley . The River Loddon rises at West Ham Farm and flows north through Basingstoke. Hampshire's downland supports
4699-450: The Isle of Wight has at times been part of Hampshire, it has been administratively independent for over a century, obtaining a county council of its own in 1890. The Isle of Wight became a full ceremonial county in 1974. Apart from a shared police force , no formal administrative links now exist between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, though many organisations still combine Hampshire and
4826-530: The Itchen and Test flow south into Southampton Water , a large estuary. In the south-east are Portsmouth Harbour , Langstone Harbour , and the western edge of Chichester Harbour , three large rias . The south-west contains the New Forest , which includes pasture, heath , and forest and is of the largest expanses of ancient woodland remaining in England. Settled about 14,000 years ago, Hampshire's recorded history dates to Roman Britain , when its chief town
4953-454: The Lambeth , Thames and Bracklesham Groups . In the south, along the coast is the " Hampshire Basin ", an area of relatively non-resistant Eocene and Oligocene clays and gravels which are protected from sea erosion by the Isle of Purbeck , Dorset , and the Isle of Wight . These low, flat lands support heathland and woodland habitats , a large area of which forms part of
5080-523: The London and South Western Railway had reached Alton, from Brookwood on the London to Southampton main line , and the Mid-Hants Railway was opened in 1865, continuing from Alton to Winchester . There were a number of proposals for railways in the Meon Valley in the middle and late 19th century; its south-westerly orientation suggested a direct line to an area west of Portsmouth, but successive schemes came to nothing. Nevertheless in 1895
5207-471: The New Forest . The New Forest has a mosaic of heathland, grassland , coniferous and deciduous woodland habitats that host diverse wildlife . The forest is protected as a national park , limiting development and agricultural use to protect the landscape and wildlife. Large areas of the New Forest are open common lands kept as a grassland plagioclimax by grazing animals, including domesticated cattle, pigs and horses, and several wild deer species. Erosion of
Meon Valley Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
5334-534: The Pacerailer . This was essentially a bus-style vehicle; it used road-vehicle style pneumatic tyres on its drive wheels and flanged steel wheels at each end to guide it. As well as the MVR itself, a special steep-gradient section of track was built for testing at Droxford. A company called Sadler Vectrail Ltd was established in 1966 to re-open the Ryde to Cowes railway on the Isle of Wight using Sadler Rail Coaches and
5461-478: The Railways Act 1921 . By then passenger train services on the line had been much reduced: there were now six or eight services a day, mainly formed of two- or three-coach trains hauled by Drummond M7 tank engines, with LSWR T9 class engines remaining for faster services. Goods services remained important, with a twice-daily service pick-up train service. The junction at Alton between the Meon Valley line and
5588-449: The Saxon Shore forts, traditionally seen as either defences against maritime raids by Germanic tribes, or as a settlement area of Germanic tribes, which receives support from archaeological finds. Artefacts of a Germanic style have been found in burials, while there is also evidence of the presence of early Saxon settlement in southern England and the northern coasts of Gaul around Boulogne-sur-Mer and Bayeux . This, in turn, could mirror
5715-549: The South Eastern Railway (SER), used part of that line by running powers. When the Aldershot Garrison and associated camps opened, suddenly Aldershot had a large population, both civilian and military, and the LSWR built a line from Pirbright Junction, on the Southampton main line. As well as serving Aldershot, this line gave a more direct route from London. It opened in 1870. It was complemented by
5842-619: The South-western (Aldershot) Railway Act 1865 ( 28 & 29 Vict. c. ciii) was passed on 19 June 1865; authorised share capital was £160,000. The line was referred to as the Farnham, Aldershot and Pirbright Junction branch. The spur to North Camp SER was omitted, but a short curve to Ash on the SER was substituted, giving access from Aldershot towards Guildford; however it was not built for some years. A flying junction for up trains to cross
5969-616: The University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University (formerly Southampton Institute), Portsmouth to the University of Portsmouth , and Winchester to the University of Winchester (formerly known as University College Winchester; King Alfred's College). The northeast of the county houses the Blackwater Valley conurbation, which includes the towns of Farnborough , Aldershot , Blackwater and Yateley and borders both Berkshire and Surrey. Hampshire lies outside
6096-419: The green belt area of restricted development around London, but has good railway and motorway links to the capital, and in common with the rest of the south-east has seen the growth of dormitory towns since the 1960s. Basingstoke , in the northern part of the county, has grown from a country town into a business and financial centre. Aldershot, Portsmouth, and Farnborough have strong military associations with
6223-527: The Alton-Fareham only were firstly Adams 4-4-2 Radial Tanks - the engines were turned on the triangle at Gosport and at Alton a turntable was provided. The Meon Valley line joined the original Gosport branch of the former London and Southampton Railway at Knowle Junction to reach Fareham station. That line passed through Knowle Tunnel, which had given extraordinary trouble during the earlier construction. The tunnel continued to present difficulties, and as
6350-662: The English People in the early eighth century: Those who came over were of the three most powerful nations of Germany—Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. From the Jutes are descended the people of Kent, and of the Isle of Wight, and those also in the province of the West Saxons who are to this day called Jutes, seated opposite to the Isle of Wight. They initially settled Hampshire under Visigothic authority sometime after 476 AD, forming several distinct folklands organized around
6477-514: The GWR actively encouraged the proposals, but in any case the parliamentary bill failed in the House of Lords on the grounds that the scheme was too costly in relation to its benefit. Nevertheless, fearing that a modified scheme might soon be put forward by some party supporting the GWR, the LSWR responded by undertaking to connect Alton with Basingstoke and Fareham. As part of the measures to fulfil that,
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#17327938713256604-456: The Isle of Wight. In the 1970s, local government reorganisation led to a reduction in Hampshire's size; in 1974, the towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch were transferred to Dorset . Hampshire is bordered by Dorset to the west, Wiltshire to the north-west, Berkshire to the north, Surrey to the north-east, and West Sussex to the east. The southern boundary is the coastline of
6731-486: The LSWR main line at Pirbright Junction was included in the authorisation, but it was not built as part of the works. It was later provided in connection with the main line widening, on 30 June 1901. The line was 8 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles long, and during construction suffered a number of earthslips during extremely difficult weather. Col Yolland inspected it on 22 April 1870 and it opened on 2 May 1870. There were stations at North Camp & Ash Vale, and Aldershot. In
6858-593: The London and South Western Railway and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR). These companies had established main line connections between London and Portsmouth, and after a period of intense mutual hostility, had formed a working arrangement that suited them and which they did not want to have disturbed. A line that would give the Great Western Railway access to Portsmouth was greatly undesirable to them. There are conflicting reports whether
6985-474: The Meon Valley Line was intended as a first class main line, a deviation line avoiding the tunnel was in the course of construction. On 2 October 1904 the deviation was brought into use for up trains (going away from Fareham), and the line through the tunnel was singled, being used only by down trains (towards Fareham). Double track was laid on the deviation line, and from September 1906 all trains used
7112-486: The Mid-Hants line was called Butts Junction ; the signal box was abolished in 1937, and subsequently the two lines up to Alton were operated as two parallel single tracks. During the Second World War the line was used lightly compared to other railways in the region, although there was an increase in goods traffic supplying the naval dockyard at Portsmouth. A few troop trains used the line late at night. In 1941
7239-646: The New Forest was the site of several group B finishing schools for agents operated by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) between 1941 and 1945. (One of the trainers was Kim Philby who was later found to be part of a spy ring passing information to the Soviets.) In 2005, a special exhibition was established at the Estate, with a video showing photographs from that era as well as voice recordings of former SOE trainers and agents. Although
7366-516: The South Downs National Park. In January 2019, Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying the line was listed as Priority 2 for reopening. Priority 2 is for those lines which require further development or a change in circumstances (such as housing developments). The poem Autumn Journal by Louis MacNeice , published in 1938, includes a description of a pre-First World War journey from Hampshire to London on
7493-410: The UK average at 9.8 to 12 °C (49.6 to 53.6 °F), average rainfall at 640–1,060 mm (25–42 in) per year, and holds higher than average sunshine totals of around 1,750 hours of sunshine per year. For the complete list of settlements see List of places in Hampshire and List of settlements in Hampshire by population . Hampshire's county town is Winchester, a historic city that
7620-659: The Vikings and stabilised the region in the 9th century. A scholar as well as a soldier, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , a powerful tool in the development of the English identity, was commissioned in his reign. King Alfred proclaimed himself "King of England" in 886 AD; but Athelstan of Wessex did not officially control the whole of England until 927 AD. By the Norman conquest, London had overtaken Winchester as
7747-560: The West End, Charing Cross and the City (Cannon Street)... fast trains performing the journey in about 80 minutes'. The LSWR had been given reciprocal powers from Aldershot South Junction (the apex of the curve nearer Guildford) and North Camp, but it never used them. From the opening of the Ash curve, the LSWR diverted most passenger trains away from the Tongham line so as to serve Aldershot, using
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#17327938713257874-529: The administrative county grew 5.6 per cent from the 1991 census and Southampton grew 6.2 per cent (Portsmouth remained unchanged), compared with 2.6 per cent for England and Wales as a whole. Eastleigh and Winchester grew fastest at 9 per cent each. Southampton and Portsmouth are the main settlements within the South Hampshire conurbation, which is home to about half of the ceremonial county's population. The larger South Hampshire metropolitan area has
8001-415: The administrative region of "Hampshire" seems to appear - the name is attested as Hamwic and "Hamtunscir" in 755 AD - and suggests that control over the Solent was the motivating factor for establishment of the settlement. Wessex, with its capital at Winchester, gradually expanded westwards into Brythonic Dorset and Somerset . A statue in Winchester celebrates the powerful King Alfred , who repulsed
8128-503: The architect T. P. Figgis with leanings towards the Arts and Crafts movement , including the provision of stained-glass door windows and tiled interiors. Relfe & Son of Plymouth were awarded the construction contract. The LSWR's engineer in charge of the works was W. R. Galbraith ; Henry Byer was the resident engineer. Construction began in 1898, with the first sod being cut just south-east of Farringdon . A problem during construction
8255-555: The area is required to achieve these objectives, which has been opposed by environmental groups. Natural England identifies a number of national character areas that lie wholly or partially in Hampshire: the Hampshire Downs , New Forest , South Hampshire Lowlands , South Coast Plain , South Downs , Low Weald and Thames Basin Heaths Hampshire contains all its green belt in the New Forest district, in
8382-468: The area; the line stayed open for goods traffic including serving the gas works. By the early 1950s the goods service was very sparse and British Railways decided that from 21 November 1954 the section from Tongham to Farnham junction would be closed making the Ash Junction end the only access to the route. By 1960 the goods service was further reduced, and the gas works had closed down so that the line
8509-531: The army camp, operational from 1890; a junction on the LSWR line was built specially. The act of Parliament authorising the Aldershot line had authorised a curve to Ash connecting the Aldershot line to the SER line and the SER had running powers to Aldershot station. The spur was built in 1879 and on 1 May 1879 the SER then started to exercise the powers to Aldershot. A bay platform was provided for them at Aldershot. The SER ran eleven weekday and five Sunday trains each way, and improbably advertised them as “direct to
8636-655: The army training ranges on Salisbury Plain and the Isle of Purbeck . Supermarine , the designers of the Spitfire and other military aircraft, were based in Southampton, which led to severe bombing of the city in World War II . Aldershot remains one of the British Army 's main permanent camps. Farnborough is a major centre for the aviation industry. During World War II, the Beaulieu estate of Lord Montagu in
8763-546: The cities of Southampton (269,781) and Portsmouth (208,100). In the north-east, the Farnborough / Aldershot conurbation extends into Berkshire and Surrey and has a population of 252,937. The next-largest settlements are Basingstoke (113,776), Andover (50,887), and Winchester (45,184). The centre and south-west of the county are rural. For local government purposes Hampshire comprises a non-metropolitan county , with eleven districts, and two unitary authority areas: Portsmouth and Southampton. The county historically contained
8890-425: The clays to the south. The hills dip steeply forming a scarp onto the Thames valley to the north, and dip gently to the south. The highest village in Hampshire at about 240 m (790 ft) above sea level is Ashmansworth , located between Andover and Newbury . The Itchen and Test are trout rivers that flow from the chalk through wooded valleys into Southampton Water. Other important watercourses are
9017-717: The county have been known as Hampshire hogs since the 18th century. In the eastern part of the county the principal port was Portsmouth (with its naval base, population 95,000), while several ports (including Southampton, with its steam docks, population 47,000) in the western part were significant. In 1868, the number of people employed in manufacture exceeded those in agriculture, engaged in silk, paper, sugar and lace industries, ship building and salt works. Coastal towns engaged in fishing and exporting agricultural produce. Several places were popular for seasonal sea bathing. The ports employed large numbers of workers, both land-based and seagoing; Titanic , lost on her maiden voyage in 1912,
9144-533: The county's downlands : a gently folded succession of sedimentary rocks dating from the Cretaceous and Palaeogene periods. The lower (early) Cretaceous rocks are sandstones and mudstones whilst those of the upper (late) Cretaceous are the various formations that comprise the Chalk Group . Overlying these rocks in some areas are less consolidated Palaeogene clays , sands , gravels and silts of
9271-629: The county, and the South Downs National Park embraces parts of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex; they are each overseen by a national park authority . Hampshire has a milder climate than most areas of the British Isles , being in the far south with the climate stabilising effect of the sea, but protected against the more extreme weather of the Atlantic coast. Hampshire has a higher average annual temperature than
9398-458: The deviation, and the tunnel was closed temporarily while major repairs were carried out. On 2 June 1907 a single line only was opened through the tunnel to carry all up and down Meon Valley trains, and all connections at Knowle were removed. Trains to and from the Romsey direction used the deviation line and Meon Valley trains went through the tunnel. Knowle Junction ceased to be a true junction as
9525-459: The early years arriving passengers at Aldershot could be taken to any part of the town by omnibus for sixpence. It was built as a double track from Pirbright Junction to Aldershot, and single from there to Farnham Junction, where it converged with the Tongham line. This formed a significant bottleneck as traffic developed, and on 10 March 1875 the line from Aldershot to Farnham Junction was doubled. The War Department built siding connections into
9652-427: The east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, Dorset to the west, and Wiltshire to the north-west. The city of Southampton is the largest settlement. The county has an area of 3,769 km (1,455 sq mi) and a population of 1,844,245, making it the 5th-most populous in England. The South Hampshire built-up area in the south-east of the county has a population of 855,569 and contains
9779-469: The existing LSWR network was doubled in 1901. The line was constructed two tunnels, Privett Tunnel, 1,056 yards, and West Meon Tunnel, 539 yards, and a viaduct at West Meon , with four wrought iron lattice arches of 56 feet span. The summit of the line was 519 feet above sea level. As the emphasis was on aligning the railway as a through route, several of the stations were some distance from the settlements they were to serve. However they were well-designed by
9906-580: The fact that BR planned to sever the connection with the Eastleigh to Fareham line , meant that plans for a preserved railway came to nothing. After the closure of Knowle Junction in 1970 the southern section of the line was cut back as far as the A32 road bridge north of Wickham. Ashby therefore had use of the line between that point and Droxford station. He used two small Ruston-Hornsby diesel shunters and two ex-BR carriages to operate private-charter trains for
10033-586: The few locations that combine shelter with deep water. Mayflower and Speedwell set sail for America from Southampton in 1620. During the English Civil War (1642–1651) there were several skirmishes in Hampshire between the Royalist and Parliamentarian forces. Principal engagements were the Siege of Basing House between 1643 and 1645, and the Battle of Cheriton in 1644; both were significant Parliamentarian victories. Other clashes included
10160-470: The fifth century and likely the Visigothic center of power in the area, either independently or in conjunction with powerful Romano-British trading ports. Nevertheless, Visigothic authority waned after 517 A.D and the settlements were gradually encroached upon by South Saxons . The West Saxons moved south in the late seventh century and incorporated Hampshire into their kingdom. Around this period,
10287-423: The junction connections at Knowle were reinstated so that main-line trains from either direction could use the old line. In 1907 the single track tunnel route was provided with a halt for passengers and two private sidings, serving the mental hospital at Knowle . The halt was known as Knowle Asylum Halt. It was alongside the Meon Valley single track, although the double track Romsey line was alongside, but without
10414-481: The largest city in England and after the Norman Conquest, King William I made London his capital. While the centre of political power moved away from Hampshire, Winchester remained an important city; the proximity of the New Forest to Winchester made it a prized royal hunting forest; King William Rufus was killed while hunting there in 1100. There were 44 hundreds , covering 483 named places, recorded in
10541-515: The line also became home to the Southern Locomotive Preservation Company Limited (SLP) which came to an agreement with Mr Ashby to store some of their stock at Droxford. To this end, they moved several locomotives, including ' USA ' tank engine no. 30064, as well as rolling stock, to Droxford. The locomotive arrived at Knowle Junction from Salisbury on 7 January 1968. However, a fire at the site, and
10668-439: The main line from Basingstoke. It opened in 1878 and was extended to join the Aldershot line at North Camp on 2 June 1879. North Camp was on the line from Pirbright Junction to Aldershot; the station was later named Ash Vale. The line between Ash Green and Farnham Junction on the Tongham line was doubled on 4 June 1884. In 1891 Wanborough station was opened. Sir Algernon West had requested it; he lived at Wanborough Manor and
10795-687: The majority of the county, parish councils or town councils at the local level. Aldershot and Alton lines of the LSWR The Aldershot and Alton lines of the LSWR (the London and South Western Railway ) were railways developed from 1849 onwards in the region in Surrey and Hampshire , England, between the Southampton main line and Guildford . First was a line from Guildford to Farnham , soon extended to Alton in 1852. The Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway, an affiliate of
10922-469: The meeting authorised the work, and the completed single line opened on 28 July 1852 between Farnham and Alton. The LSWR was not opposed to the connection with the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway, when the running powers were inserted into its own act of Parliament, for the LSWR hoped that some traffic to and from Reading would come to it. In addition it might get access via Reigate to areas in
11049-469: The north end of Langstone Harbour , is a nature reserve and an internationally important overwintering site for wildfowl. In a valley on the downs is Selborne ; the countryside surrounding the village was the location of Gilbert White 's pioneering observations on natural history . Hampshire's county flower is the Dog Rose . Hampshire contains two national parks ; the New Forest is wholly within
11176-710: The north of the county connecting Calleva Atrebatum with Corinium Dobunnorum , modern Cirencester , and Old Sarum respectively. Other roads connected Venta Belgarum with Old Sarum, Wickham and Clausentum. A road presumed to diverge from the Chichester to Silchester Way at Wickham connected Noviomagus Reginorum , modern Chichester , with Clausentum. Records are sparse for the next 300 years, but later chroniclers speak of an influx of Jutes – an amalgam of Cimbri , Teutons , Gutones and Charudes called Eudoses , Eotenas , Iutae or Euthiones in other sources - and recorded by Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of
11303-546: The northwest corner of the county, bordering Berkshire, and there are some 20 other hills exceeding 200 m (660 ft). Butser Hill , at 271 m (889 ft), where the A3 crosses the South Downs , is probably the best known. In the north and centre of the county the substrate is the rocks of the Chalk Group , which form the Hampshire Downs and the South Downs . These are high hills with steep slopes where they border
11430-502: The original connection between the MVR and the Eastleigh to Fareham Line was removed. The MVR now used an independent single-track line through the tunnel to Fareham station. One disadvantage of this arrangement was that the section of the original line between Fareham and Knowle was only accessible from the Fareham end, so that the private sidings on it could not be easily reached from the main line. The deviation line had severe gradients which heavy up freight trains had to surmount. In 1921
11557-544: The prototype vehicle appeared briefly at an Island Industries Fair, but the scheme was unsuccessful. Ashby also purchased an LBSCR 'Terrier' tank engine no. 32646 for £750, which he brought to Droxford in 1964, but in May 1966 this was sold to Brickwoods, the Portsmouth-based brewer, for display outside a public house on Hayling Island and it was moved, by road, for this purpose on 16 May 1966. The southern portion of
11684-471: The relative safety of the cutting. The Southern Railway was nationalised in 1948, becoming part of British Railways. The rise of private car ownership and the major shift of local goods traffic from rail to road caused the Meon Valley line to become increasingly uneconomical to operate, and services were gradually run down. After the last timetabled service on Saturday 5 February 1955 the Meon Valley Railway closed to passenger traffic. Course comments that "There
11811-400: The running powers form Ash Junction to Aldershot South Junction. In the 1860s there had been a constant stream of proposals to connect Ascot , on the LSWR line to Wokingham , and Aldershot. These had all failed to be built, but the LSWR finally arranged to build such a line, from Ascot through Camberley to Frimley Junction and with a curved spur to Sturt Lane Junction, facing Woking on
11938-426: The second half of the second century BCE, with many being abandoned. Probably around that period the first recorded invasion of Britain took place, as southern Britain was largely conquered by warrior-elites from Belgic tribes of northeastern Gaul, but whether those two events were linked to the decline of hillforts is unknown. By the time of the Roman conquest the oppidum at Venta Belgarum , modern-day Winchester,
12065-507: The south-east of England. The RG&RR was worked by the South Eastern Railway, and was absorbed by it in 1852. The SER started operating from Redhill to Shalford on 20 August 1849. On the same day the SER started operation from Reading to Guildford. The LSWR Godalming extension, on which the SER was to rely between Shalford and Guildford, was not yet ready. It opened on 15 October 1849. The South Eastern Railway proved
12192-569: The southwest of the county, from the boundary with Dorset along the coastline to Lymington and northwards to Ringwood . Its boundary is contiguous with the New Forest National Park . The Hampshire portion was first created in 1958. Its function is to control expansion in the South East Dorset conurbation and outlying towns and villages. The highest point in Hampshire is Pilot Hill at 286 m (938 ft), in
12319-605: The subject of a major study by archaeologist Barry Cunliffe . By that period the people of Britain predominantly spoke a Celtic language , and their culture shared much in common with the Celts described by classical writers. The town of Bitterne ( Byterne in a reference from the late 11th century. ) shares the same root as the River Erne , suggesting the name refers to the Iverni . Hillforts largely declined in importance in
12446-505: The towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch , which are now part of Dorset, and the Isle of Wight. Undulating hills characterise much of the county. A belt of chalk crosses the county from north-west, where it forms the Hampshire Downs , to south-east, where it is part of the South Downs . The county's major rivers rise in these hills; the Loddon and Wey drain north, into the Thames , and
12573-459: The undulating terrain made a ruling gradient of 1 in 100 unavoidable. The formation and structures would be made for double track, but only a single line would be laid, with passing loops at the stations. Long platforms, at 600-foot (183 m) capable of handling ten-coach trains, would be provided. In anticipation of the development of a new, and busy, main line, the Farnham to Alton section of
12700-671: The weak rock and sea level change flooding the low land has carved several large estuaries and rias , notably the 16 km (9.9 mi) long Southampton Water and the large convoluted Portsmouth Harbour . The Isle of Wight lies off the coast of Hampshire where the non-resistant rock has been eroded away, forming the Solent . A 2014 study found that Hampshire shares significant reserves of shale oil with other neighbouring counties, totalling 4.4 billion barrels of oil , which then Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said "will bring jobs and business opportunities" and significantly help with UK energy self-sufficiency. Fracking in
12827-404: The west end of Alton station, the first being the Mid-Hants Railway in 1865. All three were conceived as important trunk routes and none fulfilled that potential. All were closed, the last closing in 1973. The electrified network, Guildford via Aldershot to Farnham and Alton, and Pirbright Junction to Aldershot and Farnham Junction, continue in busy passenger use at the present day, together with
12954-404: The west of Guildford lay Farnham and Alton, both important in the brewing industry, and transporting their product to London and other population centres by road to the railhead at Winchfield , and a branch line to serve that traffic was an attractive proposition. In addition there was potential for useful quarrying at Alton if a railway connection were provided. An authorising act of Parliament
13081-512: Was Venta Belgarum (now Winchester). The county was recorded in Domesday Book as divided into 44 hundreds . From the 12th century, the ports settlements grew due to increasing trade with the European mainland resulting from the wool and cloth, fishing, and shipbuilding industries. This meant by the 16th century, Southampton had become more populous than Winchester. In 20th century conflicts, including World War One and Two , Hampshire played
13208-426: Was a departure point for several groups of colonists who left England to settle on the east coast of North America during the 17th century, and many inhabitants of Hampshire settled there, naming the land New Hampshire in honour of their original homeland. The region is believed to have been continuously occupied since the end of the last Ice Age about 12,000 BCE. At that time sea levels were lower and Britain
13335-468: Was a director of the LSWR. A gas works had opened, just within the Aldershot council boundary on the Ash Road. Coal for the gas process was delivered by horse and cart nearly a mile from Tongham station. In 1898 a branch line was opened, running due north from Tongham station. The branch was worked by the gas company's own locomotive. On 30 June 1901 the junction at Pirbright Junction was converted to
13462-642: Was a major inlet by 8000 BCE, although Britain was still connected to Europe by a land bridge across the North Sea until 6500 BCE. Notable sites from this period include Bouldnor Cliff . Agriculture was being practised in southern Britain by 4000 BCE and with it a neolithic culture. Some deforestation took place at that time, although during the Bronze Age , beginning in 2200 BCE, it became more widespread and systematic. Hampshire has few monuments to show from those early periods, although nearby Stonehenge
13589-578: Was a major port. The Romans invaded Britain again in 43 CE and Hampshire was incorporated into the Roman province of Britannia very quickly. It is generally believed their political leaders allowed themselves to be incorporated peacefully. Venta became the capital of the administrative polity of the Belgae, which included most of Hampshire and Wiltshire and reached as far as Bath. Whether the people of Hampshire played any role in Boudicca's rebellion of 60–61
13716-417: Was also authorised on the same day (16 July 1846), and it was given running powers over the LSWR line, between Shalford Junction, south of Guildford, through Guildford and as far as Ash. The engineer was Joseph Locke and Thomas Brassey was awarded the contract for construction, for the sum of £143,667. There were no major engineering works on the route, although considerable embankment and cutting work
13843-583: Was also the site of a temporary wooden platform to serve the large number of Canadian troops who were encamped in the Forest of Bere . A final meeting took place on 2 June 1944 in connection with the Normandy landings (D-day). The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill , the Prime Ministers of Canada and South Africa, William Lyon Mackenzie King and Jan Smuts , and other Allied leaders arrived in
13970-431: Was beyond the grasp of the company. It opened on 2 October 1865. Alton station had been built as a terminus, and was reconstructed a short distance further west as a through station for the Mid-Hants services. It was never commercially successful, and it was closed in 1973. The LSWR felt under pressure to build a north-south railway from Basingstoke to Alton, for fear that if they did not, Portsmouth interests would build
14097-402: Was built in several phases at some time between 3100 and 2200 BCE. In the very late Bronze Age fortified hilltop settlements known as hillforts began to appear in large numbers in many parts of Britain including Hampshire, and they became more and more important in the early and middle Iron Age ; many of them are still visible in the landscape today and can be visited, notably Danebury Rings ,
14224-481: Was closed completely after 31 December 1960. In May 1932 the Southern Railway tested a Michelin pneumatic tyred railcar between Ascot, Aldershot and Alton. It was an articulated unit, with accommodation for 24 passengers. The trial was not considered successful, despite the excellent acceleration and braking performance, and good economy. The passenger accommodation was very limited and it could not pull
14351-454: Was completely closed and partly used for the M27 motorway. British Railways had secured money for the further rebuilding and strengthening of the tunnel line, in exchange for the use of the avoiding land. After the 1962 closure of the southern portion of the line, Charles Ashby purchased Droxford station and a section of line. He used it for testing a design of railbus that he had developed called
14478-580: Was crewed largely by residents of Southampton. On 16 October 1908, Samuel Franklin Cody made the first powered flight of 400 yd (370 m) in the United Kingdom at Farnborough , then home to the Army Balloon Factory. Hampshire played a crucial role in both World Wars due to the large Royal Navy naval base at Portsmouth, the army camp at Aldershot , and the military Netley Hospital on Southampton Water, as well as its proximity to
14605-599: Was founded in 676AD and covers about two thirds of Hampshire and extends into Dorset. Smaller parts of Hampshire are covered by the dioceses of Portsmouth , Guildford and Oxford . The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth covers Hampshire as well as the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands . With the exceptions of the unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton, Hampshire is governed by Hampshire County Council based at Castle Hill in Winchester, with eleven non-metropolitan districts beneath it and, for
14732-421: Was given on 16 July 1846. The LSWR had proposed two lines; one from the main line at Pirbright and the other from Guildford. The two routes would converge at Ash Green and continue to Alton. However Parliament authorised only the second, for the 19 mile line from Guildford through Wanborough , Ash, Tongham, Bentley and Froyle to Alton. The estimated cost was £300,000. The Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway
14859-513: Was incorporated, with other large companies, into the new Southern Railway as part of the process known as the Grouping, following the Railways Act 1921 . In 1926 the Southern Railway implemented some rationalisation schemes. The double track between Ash Junction and Farnham Junction was reduced to single track on 9 February 1930. The passenger service on the Tongham route was discontinued on 4 July 1937, following electrification of other routes in
14986-469: Was necessary. The financial recession in October 1847 slowed the progress of the work. The line opened on 20 August 1849 from Guildford as far as Ash Junction, for the Reading, Guildford and Reigate trains, and on 8 October 1849 from there on to Farnham. It was a double line from Guildford to Ash Junction, and then single for the rest of the route. At this stage Alton was not attempted. Parliament granted
15113-441: Was obtaining a water supply for locomotive use, and for concreting, since the geology of the area is chalk . The line opened for traffic on 1 June 1903. There was no public ceremony, but anyone was allowed a free one-way trip to the adjacent station. The total cost of construction, including the Fareham deviation line, was £399,500. Waterloo to Gosport through trains were mostly hauled by Adams "Jubilee" Class 0-4-2 locomotives and
15240-534: Was once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Wessex and of England until the Norman conquest of England . The port cities of Southampton and Portsmouth were split off as independent unitary authorities in 1997, although they are still included in Hampshire for ceremonial purposes. Fareham , Gosport and Havant have grown into a conurbation that stretches along the coast between the two main cities. The three cities are all university cities, Southampton being home to
15367-539: Was opened on 11 December 1905. It served an army garrison in Woolmer Forest . It was authorised by the Bentley and Bordon Light Railway Order 1902 . The demands of the military encouraged experimentation with heavier locomotives, not all of them successful. The regular passenger service was withdrawn on 16 September 1957 and the line closed completely on 4 April 1966. In 1923 the London and South Western Railway
15494-572: Was passed on 3 June 1897. It was to run from a junction west of Alton to another junction north of Fareham, joining the Gosport branch of the original London and Southampton Railway there. The line was conceived as a main line, and the Directors stated that it would be designed so as to be suitable to carry express trains from London via Aldershot to Southampton, Gosport and Portsmouth. Accordingly it would be designed with moderate curvature, but
15621-631: Was reopened in 1924, but road competition was fierce and the line closed in 1932 to passengers and completely in 1936. Motivated by the wish to exclude the Great Western Railway from the area, the Meon Valley Railway was promoted by the LSWR to make a railway from Alton to Fareham; it was said by the LSWR to form the shortest route from London to the Isle of Wight , using the steamer pier at Stokes Bay . It ran from Butts Junction to Fareham and opened on 1 June 1903. The anticipated heavy through traffic never developed, and closed to passengers in 1955 and completely in 1968. A branch line from Bentley to Bordon
15748-468: Was seen as dilatory in the matter. An independent scheme was developed locally and a Farnham, Aldershot and Woking Junction Bill was prepared, to build a line from Farnham to Pirbright on the LSWR Southampton main line, passing through the centre of Aldershot on the way. This was to be presented to Parliament in 1864. The LSWR was now alarmed at the idea of an independent line, especially as it
15875-521: Was still attached by a land bridge to the European continent and predominantly covered with deciduous woodland. The first inhabitants were Mesolithic hunter-gatherers . The majority of the population would have been concentrated around the river valleys. Over several thousand years the climate became progressively warmer and sea levels rose; the English Channel, which started out as a river,
16002-618: Was the de facto regional administrative centre; Winchester was, however, of secondary importance to the Roman-style town of Calleva Atrebatum , modern Silchester , built further north by a dominant Belgic polity known as the Atrebates in the 50s BCE. Julius Caesar invaded south-eastern England briefly in 55 and again in 54 BCE, but he never reached Hampshire. Notable sites from this period include Hengistbury Head (now in Dorset), which
16129-419: Was to make junctions along its route with the South Eastern Railway at North Camp and also near Ash: if running powers were granted over the LSWR main line, this could give the SER access to large parts of the LSWR system. The LSWR persuaded the promoters to withdraw their bill; the LSWR would pay their expenses and promised to present its own bill for a similar line in the following session. This they did and
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