Portsmouth Direct Line
Encyclopedia
The Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...

 which runs between London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....

 and Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Trains use the same tracks between London and a junction south of Woking
Woking railway station
Woking railway station is a railway station in England, serving the town of Woking, Surrey. It is a major stop on the South Western Main Line and is used by many commuters...

 as the South Western Main Line
South Western Main Line
The South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...

 (SWML) and West of England Line
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...

, and then branch off.

History

The earliest railway to reach Portsmouth - in reality Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...

 on the opposite side of Portsmouth Harbour - was via a London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...

 (LSWR) branch via Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...

 to Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...

 and thence via Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...

 to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

.

The first section of the direct route was opened to Guildford as the Guildford Junction Railway on 5 May 1845; the line was extended to Godalming
Godalming railway station
Godalming railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line. The station, which opened in 1859 to replace one on a different site of the town, is situated at the edge of the town of Godalming. The current typical off-peak service is two trains per hour in each direction...

 on 15 October 1849. The line was extended to Havant
Havant railway station
Havant railway station is a railway station near Portsmouth.It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth...

 in the 1850s as a speculative venture, backed by Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

 townspeople frustrated with the circuitous routes via Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...

 or Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

. The new line was taken over by the L&SWR who opened it on 28 December 1858, having already reached Portsmouth
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....

 via Cosham
Cosham railway station
Cosham railway station serves the former village of Cosham, today a northern suburb of the city of Portsmouth in southern England.Opened in 1847 by the London and South Western Railway , it is located on the West Coastway Line which runs between Brighton and Southampton...

. In order to reach it, however, trains had to use London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...

 (LB&SCR) metals from a junction at Havant
Havant railway station
Havant railway station is a railway station near Portsmouth.It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth...

, and the latter objected to the L&SWR trains using the line. Fighting and obstruction took place, and passengers were forced to use a horse bus from Denvilles
Denvilles halt
Denvilles Halt was a station located between Havant and Rowlands Castle on the Portsmouth Direct Line. It was a temporary platform, erected by the L&SWR, as that company's adoption of the Portsmouth Direct line started a dispute with the LB&SCR....

 to complete their journey, but after a legal resolution trains ran freely from 24 January 1859.

The route

Services leave London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....

 along the South Western Main Line
South Western Main Line
The South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...

 and fork off at Woking
Woking railway station
Woking railway station is a railway station in England, serving the town of Woking, Surrey. It is a major stop on the South Western Main Line and is used by many commuters...

 to take the actual Portsmouth Direct Line. It joins the West Coastway
West Coastway Line
The West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, between Brighton and Southampton, plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....

 before Havant station
Havant railway station
Havant railway station is a railway station near Portsmouth.It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth...

 and then diverges again at Farlington Junction to reach Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...



Before electrification, the route was a difficult one, since there are two summits on its 74¼-mile (120 km) run. After using the River Wey
River Wey
The River Wey in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex is a tributary of the River Thames with two separate branches which join at Tilford. The source of the north branch is at Alton, Hampshire and of the south branch at both Blackdown south of Haslemere, and also close to Gibbet Hill, near Hindhead...

 valley through Guildford, the line climbs from Godalming
Godalming railway station
Godalming railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line. The station, which opened in 1859 to replace one on a different site of the town, is situated at the edge of the town of Godalming. The current typical off-peak service is two trains per hour in each direction...

 for eight miles (13 km) at 1:80/1:82 to a summit near Haslemere
Haslemere railway station
Haslemere railway station is a busy stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line, serving the town of Haslemere, Surrey.The large car park and industrial estate were originally large goods sidings. Platform 3 is an addition to the original structure, built in 1938 when the line was electrified...

; the second climb is three miles (5 km) near Buriton Tunnel south of Petersfield
Petersfield railway station
Petersfield railway station is a railway station serving the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire, England. It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth ....

.

The route was electrified
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...

 by Southern Railway in May 1937, leading to major service improvements; passenger numbers more than doubled in the following two years.

Rolling stock

Since 2007, services have been provided by Class 450
British Rail Class 450
The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...

, Class 444
British Rail Class 444
The British Rail Class 444 Desiro electrical multiple units were built in Germany by Siemens AG from 2003-04. Forty-five of these units were built for express services for South West Trains....

 or class 455
British Rail Class 455
The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail. Built by BREL at York works in the early and mid-1980s, they were initially categorised as Class 510 as the successor to the Class 508...

 electric multiple units.

Stations

Most of the stations are of similar design, possibly that of Sir William Tite
William Tite
Sir William Tite, CB was an English architect who served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was particularly associated with various London buildings, with railway stations and cemetery projects....

 the L&SWR architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

.

There are closed stations at Farlington
Farlington railway station
Farlington Halt railway station is a disused station between Bedhampton and Hilsea on the Portsmouth Direct Line.The station was originally built to serve Portsmouth Park racecourse, opening as Farlington Race course on 26 June 1891...

, Denvilles
Denvilles halt
Denvilles Halt was a station located between Havant and Rowlands Castle on the Portsmouth Direct Line. It was a temporary platform, erected by the L&SWR, as that company's adoption of the Portsmouth Direct line started a dispute with the LB&SCR....

 and Woodcroft
Woodcroft halt
Woodcroft Halt railway station was a former railway halt located in the parish of Buriton between Rowlands Castle and Petersfield on the Portsmouth Direct Line.-History:...

.

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Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...


|width=50 align=right|km
|-
|align=left|Woking Junction
|align=right|0-00
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|align=left|Worplesdon
Worplesdon railway station
Worplesdon railway station is near to the village of Worplesdon, Surrey, England. The station on the Portsmouth Direct Line between Woking and Guildford, 43 km south west of London Waterloo....


|align=right|2-03
|align=right|3.25
|-
|align=left|Guildford
Guildford (Surrey) railway station
Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo....


|align=right|5-45
|align=right|8.95
|-
|align=left|Shalford Junction
|align=right|6-60
|align=right|10.85
|-
|align=left|Farncombe
Farncombe railway station
Farncombe railway station opened in 1897 as a minor stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line between Guildford and Godalming. It is said to have been built at the instigation of General Sir Frederick Marshall, a director of the London and South Western Railway Company, who lived nearby at Broadwater...


|align=right|8-58
|align=right|14.05
|-
|align=left|Godalming
Godalming railway station
Godalming railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line. The station, which opened in 1859 to replace one on a different site of the town, is situated at the edge of the town of Godalming. The current typical off-peak service is two trains per hour in each direction...


|align=right|9-55
|align=right|15.60
|-
|align=left|Milford
Milford railway station
Milford railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line, serving the village of Milford, Surrey in England.- Services :There is an hourly service to Haslemere and Portsmouth Harbour southbound and London Waterloo northbound....


|align=right|11-39
|align=right|18.50
|-
|align=left|Witley
Witley railway station
Witley railway station serves the villages of Wormley, Witley, Hambledon and Chiddingfold, in Surrey, England. It is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line 62 km south of London Waterloo...


|align=right|13-54
|align=right|22.00
|-
|align=left|Haslemere
Haslemere railway station
Haslemere railway station is a busy stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line, serving the town of Haslemere, Surrey.The large car park and industrial estate were originally large goods sidings. Platform 3 is an addition to the original structure, built in 1938 when the line was electrified...


|align=right|18-17
|align=right|29.30
|-
|align=left|Liphook
Liphook railway station
Liphook railway station is a railway station serving the large village of Liphook, Hampshire, England. It is served by the semi-fast service on the Portsmouth Direct Line running between and . One train per hour in each direction calls at Liphook station at off-peak times...


|align=right|22-05
|align=right|35.50
|-
|align=left|Liss
Liss railway station
Liss railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line, serving the village of Liss in Hampshire, England. As a small station, for most of the day there is one train each way an hour...


|align=right|26-53
|align=right|42.90
|-
|align=left|Petersfield
Petersfield railway station
Petersfield railway station is a railway station serving the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire, England. It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth ....


|align=right|30-09
|align=right|48.45
|-
|align=left|Rowlands Castle
Rowlands Castle railway station
Rowlands Castle railway station is a railway station serving the village of Rowland's Castle, Hampshire, England. It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth ....


|align=right|38-36
|align=right|61.90
|-
|align=left|Havant
Havant railway station
Havant railway station is a railway station near Portsmouth.It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth...


|align=right|41-53
|align=right|67.05
|-
|align=left|Bedhampton
Bedhampton railway station
Bedhampton railway station serves the former village of Bedhampton, now a suburb lying a mile west of the centre of Havant, in Hampshire, England.-History:...


|align=right|42-26
|align=right|68.10
|-
|align=left|Farlington Junction
|align=right|44-50
|align=right|71.80
|-
|align=left|Portcreek Junction
|align=right|45-15
|align=right|72.70
|-
|align=left|Hilsea
Hilsea railway station
Hilsea railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England with a limited service. It serves the northern end of Portsea Island, including a large industrial estate nearby....


|align=right|45-53
|align=right|73.50
|-
|align=left|Fratton
Fratton railway station
Fratton railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, located near Fratton Park, the stadium of association football club Portsmouth F.C.....


|align=right|47-76
|align=right|77.15
|-
|align=left|Portsmouth and Southsea
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....


|align=right|48-62
|align=right|78.50
|-
|align=left|Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...


|align=right|49-48
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