Rebuilt SR West Country Class 34016 Bodmin at Alton station. The SR West Country and Battle of Britain Classes, also known as Light Pacifics or Spam Cans, are classes of air-smoothed 4-6-2 ''Pacific''

80104 at Ropley

The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage line in Hampshire, England, running 10 miles (16 km) from New Alresford to Alton where it connects to the national rail network. A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland New Alresford or simply Alresford (pronounced Allsford) is a small Town and Civil parish in Hampshire, England. Alton is a small market town in Hampshire, England, to the southwest of Farnham. The line gained its nickname in the days that it was used to transport locally grown watercress to markets in London. Watercresses ( Nasturtium officinale, N microphyllum; formerly Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, R London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

Overview

Mid Hants Watercress Railway
Legend Alton Line Alton ex Basingstoke line ex Meon Valley line Medstead and Four Marks Ropley Alresford Itchen Abbas M3 motorway South Western Main Line Winchester

Opened in 1865 as part of the Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway and closed by British Railways in 1973, the line originally continued westwards from New Alresford to Winchester, joining the South Western Main Line at Winchester junction two miles (3 km) north of Winchester, but this section of the line is now closed. History 28 July 1852 first railway to Alton from Farnham 2 October 1865 Alton Aldershot & Winchester Railway Alton railway station is a Railway station in the town of Alton, in the English county of Hampshire. The Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway was a Railway in Hampshire, UK, opened on Saturday 1 June, 1901, with no formal ceremony Background The MVR was built by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR which had a virtual monopoly on railway services in southern Hampshire Medstead and Four Marks railway station is a Railway station in the English county of Hampshire, serving the villages of Medstead and Four Ropley railway station is a Railway station in Ropley, Hampshire, England, which opened on 2 October 1865. Alresford station is a railway station in New Alresford, Hampshire, UK. The Itchen Abbas railway station was in the county of Hampshire in England, and opened on the 2nd of October 1865 by the Mid Hants Railway. The M3 motorway is a Motorway in Hampshire and Surrey, England. The South Western Main Line is a Railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast in the south of England. History The station was built in 1839 by the London and South Western Railway (then the London and Southampton Railway See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" New Alresford or simply Alresford (pronounced Allsford) is a small Town and Civil parish in Hampshire, England. Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre The South Western Main Line is a Railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast in the south of England. Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre In the past there were proposals to extend the line to rejoin Winchester, but this would have required massive funding. The M3 motorway from London to Southampton cuts across the route and houses have been built across the right-of-way in Itchen Abbas. The M3 motorway is a Motorway in Hampshire and Surrey, England. A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted – through an Easement or other mechanism – for Transportation purposes such as for a Rail line or Itchen Abbas is a small village in Hampshire, England. The village lies in the valley of the River Itchen.

As well as the two main stations the railway also has two other stations; one at Ropley, where the main locomotive shed and workshops are located, and the other jointly serving the villages of Medstead and Four Marks. Ropley is a Village and Civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. Four Marks is a village and Civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. The section of line between these two intermediate stations is affectionately known as the "Alps" due its steep gradients.

In 1941, prototype Merchant Navy Class 21C1 Channel Packet traveled as far as Alresford after the naming ceremony at Southampton for a trial run with press dignitaries. The SR Merchant Navy Class, also known as Bulleid Pacifics, Spam Cans or Packets, was a class of air-smoothed

Motive Power^[1]

The railway is operated by a variety of steam locomotives, many originating from the Southern Railway. The Southern Railway (SR was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. Heritage diesel locomotives and multiple units are also represented, including the Southern Region Class 33 diesel locomotive, an '08' and a Class 11 diesel shunters. The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelling train unit capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still The British Rail Class 33 also known as the BRCW Type 3 or Crompton is a class of Bo-Bo Diesel locomotives ordered in 1957 and built for the Southern Two of their locomotives, named Thomas and Douglas were rebuilt from Hunslet 'Austerity' tank engines ('Thomas' was rebuilt at MHR. Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev Donald and Douglas are fictional Steam locomotives from The Railway Series by W )

Operational

Steam Locomotives

Thomas the Tank Engine on the Watercress Line At Alresford Station

• Hunslet Engine Company 0-6-0 No. Thomas the Tank Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tank locomotive created by the Rev New Alresford or simply Alresford (pronounced Allsford) is a small Town and Civil parish in Hampshire, England. The Hunslet Engine Company is a British Locomotive -building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, 1 "Thomas", works number 3781 of 1952-rebuilt 1994.
• LMS Class 2MT 2-6-2T No. The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T is a class of light 'mixed-traffic' Steam locomotive introduced in 1946 41312.
• LNER Class A4 4-6-2 No. The London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 Steam locomotive, designed by H 60019 Bittern. 4464 Bittern is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 Steam locomotive.
• BR standard class 5 4-6-0 No. The British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 was one of the standard classes of steam locomotives built by British Railways in the 1950s 73096.
• SR West Country Class 4-6-2 No. The SR West Country and Battle of Britain Classes, also known as Light Pacifics or Spam Cans, are classes of air-smoothed 4-6-2 ''Pacific'' 34007 "Wadebridge". ({{lang-kw|Ponsrys}} is a town in [[North Cornwall] England, UK, located on the Camel Estuary some 5 miles (8 km upstream from Padstow On hire from the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. The Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway (BWSR is a Heritage railway, based at Bodmin in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

Diesel Locomotives^[2]

• British Rail Class 33 No. The British Rail Class 33 also known as the BRCW Type 3 or Crompton is a class of Bo-Bo Diesel locomotives ordered in 1957 and built for the Southern 33208/D6593. Temporarily out of operations due to slipping tyre and punctured gear box.
• British Rail Class 33 No. The British Rail Class 33 also known as the BRCW Type 3 or Crompton is a class of Bo-Bo Diesel locomotives ordered in 1957 and built for the Southern Unknown. Leased from unknown railway. (Add if known).
• British Rail Class 08 No. The British Rail Class 08 is a class of Diesel locomotive designed for shunting 08288/D3358.

Diesel Multiple Units

• British Rail Class 117 DMS No. The British Rail Class 117 Diesel multiple units were built by Pressed Steel from 1960 to 1961 W51405.
• British Rail Class 122 DMBS No. The British Rail Class 122 Diesel multiple units were built by Gloucester RC&W in 1958 W55003.

Under overhaul/restoration

Steam Locomotives

• Hunslet Engine Company 0-6-0 No. 10 "Douglas" (works number 2890 of 1943, rebuilt into a tender engine 2001). Undergoing a major overhaul, work on chassis almost complete.
• JŽ Class 62 0-6-0T No. The Jugoslovenskih Železnica (JŽ Yugoslavian Railways Class 62 was a class formed of 106 ex- United States Army Transportation Corps S100 Class 30076. Undergoing restoration with the overseas modifications being removed.

Southern Railway 828, a S15 class 4-6-0 Maunsell's development of the LSWR Urie design. Richard Edward Lloyd Maunsell ( 26 May 1868 - 7 March 1944) held the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME of the Southern Railway Robert Wallace Urie ( 22 October 1854 - 6 January 1937) was a Scottish locomotive engineer who was the last Chief mechanical engineer

• SR Class S15 4-6-0 No. The LSWR S15 class is a class of 4-6-0 Steam locomotive designed for freight work 828. Undergoing overhaul with the boiler being worked on.
• Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No. The SR U Class were 2-6-0 mogul Steam locomotives designed by Richard Maunsell for passenger duties on the Southern Railway. In the Whyte notation for the classification of Steam locomotives by Wheel arrangement, a 2-6-0 has a pair of Leading wheels followed by six 31806. Undergoing overhaul, re-wheeled, pony truck soon to be fitted, work on the frames is almost complete. Boiler due for fitting Summer 2008.
• LMS Black Five 4-6-0 No. The London Midland and Scottish Railway 's Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, is a class of Steam locomotive. In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a Railroad Steam locomotive that has a two-axle Leading truck followed by three Driving axles 45379 (5379). Planned to return to steam mid 2009.
• BR standard class 9F 2-10-0 No. The British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 is a class of Steam locomotive designed for British Railways by Robert Riddles 92212. Dismantled for a boiler overhaul, due to return to service December 2008.
• BR standard class 4 4-6-0 No. British Railways Standard Class 4 4-6-0 75079. Undergoing restoration with the cylinders being re-bored and the new tender being constructed.

Diesel Locomotives

• John Fowler 0-4-0DM shunter, works number 22889 of 1939. John Fowler & Co Engineers of Leathley Road Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England produced Traction engines and ploughing ^[3]
• British Rail Class 45 No. The British Rail Class 45 also known as the Sulzer Type 4 Diesel locomotives were built by British Rail at their Derby and Crewe Works 45132/D22.
• British Rail Class 27 No. British Rail 's Class 27 comprised 69 Diesel locomotives built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW during 1961 and 1962 27007/D5353.
• British Rail Class 11 No. The British Rail Class 11 was applied to a batch of diesel shunting locomotives built from April 1945 to December 1952 based on a similar earlier 12049 (Day Aggregates livery).

Diesel Multiple Units

• British Rail Class 117 DMBS No. W51363.
• British Rail Class 117 DMS No. W51400.
• British Rail Class 117 TCl No. W59515.
• British Rail Class 205 DEMU 205025 (Cars 60124+60824). The British Rail Class 205 (or 3H) Diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957–1962

Awaiting overhaul/restoration

Steam Locomotives

• SR Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 No. The SR Merchant Navy Class, also known as Bulleid Pacifics, Spam Cans or Packets, was a class of air-smoothed 35005 Canadian Pacific. The Canadian Pacific Railway (
• LSWR Class S15 4-6-0 No. The LSWR S15 class is a class of 4-6-0 Steam locomotive designed for freight work 30499, at Ian Riley's workshops. ^[4]
• LSWR Class S15 4-6-0 No. 30506.

In Storage

• Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No. In the Whyte notation for the classification of Steam locomotives by Wheel arrangement, a 2-6-0 has a pair of Leading wheels followed by six 31625 (done up as James the Red Engine). James the Red Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive from The Railway Series of children's books by
• Southern Railway N Class 2-6-0 No. The SR N class were 2-6-0 (mogul Steam locomotives designed by Richard Maunsell for mixed-traffic duties initially on the South Eastern and Chatham 31874.
• SR West Country Class 4-6-2 No. Under the Whyte notation for the classification of Steam locomotives, a 4-6-2 Locomotive has four Leading wheels (generally arranged in a 34016 Bodmin. Bodmin (Bosvenegh is a Town in Cornwall, United Kingdom, with a population of 12778 (2001 census (Stored in Ropley MPD for public viewing).
• SR West Country Class 4-6-2 No. 34105 "Swanage". Swanage is a small coastal Town in the south east of Dorset, England.
• BR standard class 4 2-6-0 No. The British Railways (BR standard class 4 2-6-0 is a class of steam locomotive 76017.

Stations

• Alton railway station
• Medstead and Four Marks railway station
• Ropley railway station
• Alresford (Hampshire) railway station

References

External links

• Mid Hants Railway - "The Watercress Line" official website.
• Mid Hants Railway - Steam locomotive restorations in detail with photos and movies
• Mid Hants Railway - Signals and Telegraph Department run by volunteers.
• HeritageRail. co. uk - Watercress Line photographs.