Читать книгу Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain - Julian Holland - Страница 28

A great day out for all the family to the city of Portsmouth, for a chance to visit its historic naval ships and take a trip to the top of the 560-ft Spinnaker Tower with its far-reaching views across the harbour and the Solent. Trains leave Basingstoke in a westerly direction to Worting Junction before heading south through Micheldever to the historic cathedral city of Winchester. Leaving the city behind, the railway follows the course of the lush Itchen Valley through Shawford before arriving at the railway junction town of Eastleigh. The railway works here still clings to life but is a shadow of its former self which built thousands of steam locomotives for the London & South Western Railway, Southern Railway and British Railways.

At Eastleigh, trains for Portsmouth branch off the mainline to Southampton and head southeast through Hedge End to Botley. Here the line becomes single track for the next 5¼ miles to Fareham, passing through Tapnage and Fareham No. 2 tunnels en route. At Fareham, trains join the West Coastway Line and head east through Portchester and Cosham before branching off in a southerly direction to Portsmouth. Journey’s end is at Portsmouth Harbour station. Built on a wooden pier alongside the city’s harbour and opened in 1876, the station is still an important interchange for bus, ferry and railway passengers. From here it is but a short walk to the city’s famous maritime attractions and the Spinnaker Tower.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Mary Rose exhibition; HMS Victory; HMS Conqueror; D-Day Museum; Royal Marines Museum; Spinnaker Tower; boat trips around harbour and to Gosport for Royal Navy Submarine Museum

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

1 per hour

(on Sundays change at Eastleigh)

37¼ MILES 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0

The historic Gunwharf Quay at Portsmouth is dominated by the modern 560-ft-high Spinnaker Tower.