Local History

Volunteers are looking for your memories

The Watercress Line was closed down on 4 Feb 1973.  Four years after it closed, the line was reopened by volunteers running steam trains instead of diesels.

Today the line runs along 10 miles of beautiful Hampshire countryside between Alresford and Alton stations and is one of the county's best known tourist attractions.

The last British Rail train to call at Alresford

To mark the anniversary, the railway's volunteers are looking for the people who travelled on the British Rail trains between Winchester and Alton, the day the line shut down.

The volunteers are holding an event at Alresford Station on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 February - 35 years since the closure, and would like to collect the social history of the railway to archive for the future.

Is this you waiting on the platform?

They're looking for passengers with written memories, letters and photos or cine film to get in touch with them.

Did you travel on the line that day, or do you recognise yourself in any of these previously unpublished photographs?

The Old Goods Shed at Alresford Station will have a special memory box for you to leave your memories - you can also write or e-mail your memories.  As original documents can't be returned, make sure you only send in copies.