Farnborough (Main) (FNB)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Farnborough is a stop on the South Western Main Line in Hampshire betwen Brookwood and Fleet. It is the town's main station and is officially called Farnborough (Main) to distinguish it from the nearby Farnborough North though this suffix is not used on signage.

Information
Type:	National Rail (South Western Main Line)
Station code:	FNB
Opened:	1838
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the London & Southampton Railway in 1838, later becoming a London & South Western Railway station. Originally the station had just two lines through it with an island platform inbetween. When the line was quadrupled in the early 1900s new platforms were added on the outer lines and the original island platform removed. The demolition of the original platform means there is a wide gap between the two through lines.

The station is served by four trains an hour in both directions by South Western Railway.

SWR 444 004 passes through

Station frontage

View down the platform towards London

Two SWR 450s pause at Farnborough on a South bound service

Footbridge

Alton (AON)

Alton is the terminus of the Alton Line in Hampshire but also one of the termini of the preserved Mid-Hants Railway (also known as the Watercress Line). The station is shared between National Rail and the preserved railway with platforms 1 and 2 being used by NR and platform 3 for the preserved line.

In South West Trains days, 450 031 and friend wait at Alton

Information
Type:	National Rail (Alton Line) & Preserved Railway (Mid Hants Railway)
Station code:	AON
Opened:	1852
Platforms:	3

The station was opened by the London & South West Railway in 1852 though moved to its current site (immediately adjacent to the old site which now forms the car park) in 1865. Under the guise of the Southern Railway the line from Woking was electrified down to Alton in 1937. The station is nowadays managed by South Western Railway.

The Mid-Hants Railway was a separate line built by the Mid-Hants Railway Company from Winchester in the 1860s, it opened in 1865 and shared the same Alton station as the line from Woking. The line was closed by British Rail in 1973 after a long period of decline (the lack of electrification meaning that through-trains were not possible) but re-opened as a preserved line in 1977 as far as Alresford. However, services were not restored through to Alton until 1985.

BR 9F 92212 arrives at Alton on the Mid-Hants Line

View down the National Rail platform

View across from the heritage line platform

Heritage line platform

SWT 450 001 and friend at Alton, the footbridge in the background offers interchange between the platforms

Bentley (Hampshire) (BTY)

Bentley is a stop on the Alton Line in Hampshire (there is also a Bentley station in South Yorkshire) between Farnham and Alton.

SWR 450 055 at Bentley

Information
Type:	National Rail (Alton Line)
Station code:	BTY
Opened:	1854
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the London & South Western Railway in 1854. The line through the station was doubled in 1901, the station gaining canopies at this time [1]. In 1905 the Bentley & Bordon Light Railway was built linking Bentley to a military camp at Bordon, a bay platform being added for the new branch line. This line was closed to passengers in 1957 and closed completely in 1966.

The line to Alton was singled in 1985 though a passing loop has been installed for operational flexibility. Most trains, in either direction, use platform 1 which is where the main station building is situated. A footbridge allows access for when platform 2 is in use, which is usually during peak hours. The station is managed by South Western Railway. The station usually has an hourly service in both directions. Not all services on the line stop at Bentley.

Station building

The platforms are not long enough for a double rake of Class 450s

Footbridge

A Class 450 approaches

At the station

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Woking to Alton (Middleton Press, 1988) Fig. 82

Blackwater (BAW)

Blackwater is a stop on the North Downs Line in Hampshire between Sandhurst and Farnborough North.

GWR 165 111 arrives with a Redhill bound service

Information
Type:	National Rail (North Downs Line)
Station code:	BAW
Opened:	1849
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Reading, Guildford & Reigate Railway as Blackwater & York Town in 1849 [1]. Early on the station was advertised as being the stop for the nearby Royal Military College at Sandhurst (though Sandhurst later had it's own station).

The station had a fine station building with some rather ornate brickwork, a cattle dock and other goods sidings controlled by a signal box. All these were gone by the early 1970s as Blackwater became an unstaffed station with bus shelters for waiting passenger comfort. Access between the stations is via a road bridge which crosses the line. Great Western Railway nowadays serves Blackwater with up to two trains an hour between Reading and Redhill or Gatwick Airport.

Station view from the road bridge

Preparing to depart

Basic facilities

Platform shelter

GWR 165 104 departs

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Reading to Guildford (Middleton Press, 1988) Fig. 60

Farnborough North (FNN)

An updated version of this station profile can now be found on our dedicated railway station website

Farnborough North is a stop on the North Downs Line in Hampshire between Blackwater and North Camp. It is close to, though unconnected to, Farnborough (Main). 

The other Farnborough station is within walking distance

Information
Type:	National Rail (North Downs Line)
Station code:	FNN
Opened:	1849
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Farnborough by the Reading, Guildford & Reigate Railway in 1849, the station later being part of the South Eastern Railway. Under Southern Railways ownership the name was changed to Farnborough North in 1923 [1]. The station has two platforms now though for a time had a bay platform for troop trains. The station had a goods yard which closed in 1961.

The station is managed by Great Western Railway who maintain an hourly service most days (with extra peak time services) from Reading to Redhill or Gatwick Airport.

Platform sign

Shelter

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Reading to Guildford (Middleton Press, 1988) Fig. 68

Portsmouth Harbour (PMH)

Portsmouth Harbour Station is situated on a pier in Portsmouth Harbour in between Gunwharf Quays and the Royal Navy Historic Dockyard. The station is at the end of the Portsmouth Direct Line from London Waterloo and has interchange with ferries to the Isle of Wight (and the Island Line of course) and Gosport. It is also the terminus of the West Coastway Line and services from Cardiff Central.

Southern 377 161 at Portsmouth Harbour

Information
Type:	National Rail (Portsmouth Direct Line)
Station code:	PMH
Opened:	1876
Platforms:	4

The station was opened in 1876 as the terminus of the Portsmouth Direct Line from London Waterloo. Services from Waterloo still form the bulk of traffic though there are also regular services from Cardiff and along the coast. South Western Railway, Southern and Great Western Railway currently serve the station which has four active platforms (and one disused).


The station was rebuilt in 1936-7 [2], however this new station did not last long. The station's proximity to military targets meant it suffered badly in the Second World War from German bombs in early 1941. The station was badly damaged in a raid on the night of January 11th which saw thirteen cars from stabled EMUs destroyed and the platform structures burnt out. One platform was restored to use but the rest of the station remained unavailable until 1946 [1].

Southern 377 153 and SWT 450 105

FGW 158 953

Two SWT trains

377 161 arrives

[1] David Brown, Southern Electric Vol 2 (Capital Transport, 2010) p. 47

[2] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Woking to Portsmouth (Middleton Press, 1985) Fig. 117

Burghclere

Burghclere was a station in Hampshire on the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway between Highclare and Litchfield. 

Information
Type:	National Rail (Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway)
Opened:	1885
Closed:	1960
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Sydmonton, which is a village closer to the station than Burghclere, in 1885. The station became part of the Great Western Railway. Burghclere was closed in 1942 but re-opened the following year. The station closed again in 1960 this time for good though freight continued to use the line until the mid-1960s.

The station had twin platforms and a small goods yard including some private sidings and a cattle dock. The main station building is now a private dwelling.

Burghclere station (KD collection)

Itchen-Abbas

Itchen-Abbas was a stop on the Alton-Winchester Line in Hampshire between Alresford and Winchester.

Along the platform (KD Collection)

Information
Type:	National Rail (Alton-Winchester Line)
Opened:	1865
Closed:	1973
Platforms:	2 (1 at closure)

The station was opened by the Alton, Alresford & Winchester Railway in 1864, later becoming part of the London South Western Railway. The station was built with two platforms but one was taken out of use in the 1930s.

The station continued to be gradually run down, becoming unstaffed after 1967. It was finally closed in 1973 along with the rest of the line. The line was reopened as the Watercress Line (Mid-Hants Railway) but re-opening from Alton went only as far as Alresford. The station building has now been demolished and new houses built on the former track bed.

Alresford

Alresford was a stop on the Alton, Alresford & Winchester Railway between Ropley and Itchen Abbas, nowadays it is the Western terminus of the Watercress Line which runs from Alton.

45379 runs around it's train before returning to Alton

Information
Type:	Preserved Railway (Watercress Line)
Opened	1865 (Closed 1973)
Re-Opened:	1977
Platforms:	3

The station was opened by the Alton, Alresford & Winchester Railway in 1865 and later became part of the London & South Western Railway. The station was closed in 1973 by British Rail but re-opened as the Western terminus of the Mid Hants Watercress Line four years later.

The station has two platforms which have been extended so they can accomodate four coach trains, the former cattle dock can also be used for shorter trains (two coaches) during galas.

Station view from the footbridge

Alresford signal box

Footbridge

Storage sidings extend beyond the station

45379 at Alresford

Ropley

Information
Type:	Preserved Rail (Mid-Hants Railway)
Opened:	1865 (Closed 1973)
Re-Opened:	1977
Platforms:	2

Ropley was originally opened by the Mid-Hants Railway in 1865 and later leased and then owned by the LSWR and the Southern Railway. It was closed by British Rail in 1973.

It was re-opened 4 years later by the preserved Mid-Hants Railway (also known as the Watercress Line) and is one of the intermediate stops on their re-opened line between Alton and Alresford. Ropley is the engineering centre of the preserved railway with the line's main locomotive shed and workshops next to the station. Ropley has footbridges at either end of the station, one of the bridges allows access to the workshop area.

The line is home to preserved steam and diesels like 33 053

Main station building, the workshops can be seen behind

View of the station from one of the footbridges

Ropley signalbox

British Railways 9F 92212 brings an Alton bound train in