Читать книгу Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain - Julian Holland - Страница 31

This day trip starts with a railway journey along the former London & South Western Railway’s Portsmouth-direct main line from Guildford, cutting through the North Downs to the historic towns of Godalming and Haslemere en route before crossing into the heathlands of Hampshire just to the west of Liphook. Continuing in a southwesterly direction the railway passes through Liss (once the junction for the Longmoor Military Railway) to arrive at the pretty market town of Petersfield. South of here the railway soon dives under the South Downs National Park through Buriton Tunnel to reach the summit of the line and then descends through the Queen Elizabeth Country Park to reach Rowlands Castle station. The Fountain Inn in the village, run by guitarist Herbie Armstrong, is famous for its live music evenings. Havant station is soon reached and it is here that we leave the train to join the railway path for the 4½-mile level walk to Hayling Island.

Very popular with day trippers in the summer months, the Hayling Island branch line became an early victim of Dr Beeching’s Axe when it closed in November 1963. Since then it has been reopened as a footpath and cycleway, although a diversion via the road bridge at Langstone is now necessary as the wooden railway lifting bridge that once crossed the harbour was demolished soon after the line’s closure. South of here, the railway path, known as the Hayling Billy Trail, closely follows the east shore of Langstone Harbour – internationally recognized as a nature reserve for its abundant wildlife – before reaching the site of Hayling Island station. Here, the former goods shed is now a theatre, and Hayling’s seafront delights are but a short walk away.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Hayling Billy Trail railway path; beach; funfair; narrow-gauge Hayling Seaside Railway; passenger ferry West Hayling to Fort Cumberland

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

3 per hour (Mon-Sat)

2 per hour (Sun)

36¼ MILES (TRAIN) + 4½ MILES (ON FOOT) 2½ HOURS

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 1

(Havant)

The remains of a railway signal marks the beginning of the Hayling Billy Trail along the east shore of Langstone Harbour to Hayling Island.