Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway was a railway in Hampshire
, UK
, opened on Saturday, 1 June 1901, with no formal ceremony.
It was the first railway to be enabled by an Order of the Light Railway Commission under the Light Railways Act
of 1896. Despite its closure in January 1917, and the removal of much of the track, the line was re-opened, largely because of pressure from local landowners, farmers and agricultural workers, in August 1924 (after track was re-laid). Passenger services ended in 1932. A goods service from Basingstoke as far as Bentworth
and Lasham
continued until 1936. The whole of the line was then dismantled, except for short stubs at either end - from Basingstoke to Thornycroft's factory, and from Butts Junction to Alton Park. These short stretches were used for goods traffic until 1967.
works near Basingstoke.
, through Cliddesden
, Herriard
, Bentworth and Lasham
to Butts Junction
(just west of Alton
). In 1909 a private platform was opened called Alton Park which served the Lord Mayor Treloar's hospital.
, the line had an overall speed limit of 24 miles per hour, and the journey from Basingstoke to Butts Junction took typically 45 minutes. When it opened, there were three return trips to Alton daily, which rose to six by the summer of 1909, with an extra couple of goods trains.
, and 1937 film Oh, Mr Porter!
which features Cliddesden Station
as the fictional Buggleskelly. Unused footage from The Wrecker was used in the 1936 film The Seven Sinners
.
in Basingstoke in 1976 to commemorate the line at a point close to its original route. There is also a plaque at the main station in Basingstoke. The only part of the railway which survives today is a 100m stub of track 1 mile west of the railway station in Basingstoke.
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, opened on Saturday, 1 June 1901, with no formal ceremony.
It was the first railway to be enabled by an Order of the Light Railway Commission under the Light Railways Act
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
of 1896. Despite its closure in January 1917, and the removal of much of the track, the line was re-opened, largely because of pressure from local landowners, farmers and agricultural workers, in August 1924 (after track was re-laid). Passenger services ended in 1932. A goods service from Basingstoke as far as Bentworth
Bentworth
Bentworth is a village and large civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It lies approximately west of the town of Alton and about 8 miles south of Basingstoke, just off the A339 road. The parish covers an area of , of which about are woodland...
and Lasham
Lasham
Lasham is a small village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is northwest of Alton, just off the A339 road. The nearest railway station is Alton, southeast of the village....
continued until 1936. The whole of the line was then dismantled, except for short stubs at either end - from Basingstoke to Thornycroft's factory, and from Butts Junction to Alton Park. These short stretches were used for goods traffic until 1967.
Construction
The line was authorised under the Light Railways Act in December 1897. Construction began in July 1898. As the first Light Railway in the country the construction attracted some interest in the railway industry and the first cut in the ground was ceremonially made by Charles Ritchie, the then President of the Board of Trade at a spot next to the ThornycroftThornycroft
Thornycroft was a United Kingdom-based vehicle manufacturer which built coaches, buses, and trucks from 1896 until 1977.-History:Thornycroft started out with steam vans and lorries. John Isaac Thornycroft, the naval engineer, built his first steam lorry in 1896...
works near Basingstoke.
Route
The railway operated from Basingstoke railway stationBasingstoke railway station
Basingstoke railway station, in the town of Basingstoke in the county of Hampshire in England, is on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo, with local and fast services operated by South West Trains. It is also the terminus of First Great Western local services on the Reading to...
, through Cliddesden
Cliddesden railway station
Cliddesden railway station was a railway station in the village of Cliddesden, Hampshire, UK. The station was a stop on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway until its closure in 1932.-History:...
, Herriard
Herriard railway station
Herriard railway station was a railway station in the village of Herriard, Hampshire, UK. The station was a stop on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway until its closure in 1932. On Sunday, 19 August 1928 a crash scene from the film The Wrecker was filmed at Herriard. A set of SECR coaches and...
, Bentworth and Lasham
Bentworth and Lasham railway station
Bentworth and Lasham railway station was a railway station which served the villages of Bentworth and Lasham in Hampshire, England and was located centrally between these two villages. The station was a stop on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway until its closure in 1932. Remarkably, the...
to Butts Junction
Butts Junction
Butts Junction was a railway junction, located just west of Alton in Hampshire, England. It was where the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway which closed in 1932, and the Meon Valley Railway diverged from the Mid-Hants line from Alton to Winchester....
(just west of Alton
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
). In 1909 a private platform was opened called Alton Park which served the Lord Mayor Treloar's hospital.
Operation
Excluding the approach to Butts Junction, the line was entirely single track. Only Herriard station was provided with two platforms. As a light railwayLight railway
Light railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
, the line had an overall speed limit of 24 miles per hour, and the journey from Basingstoke to Butts Junction took typically 45 minutes. When it opened, there were three return trips to Alton daily, which rose to six by the summer of 1909, with an extra couple of goods trains.
Filming
The railway was used for the filming of 1929 film The WreckerThe Wrecker (1928 film)
The Wrecker is a 74 minute silent film made in 1928 . The film was based on the play of the same title by Arnold Ridley. It was produced by Michael Balcon for Gainsborough Pictures, directed by Hungarian Géza von Bolváry and starred Carlyle Blackwell, Joseph Striker and Benita Hume. A...
, and 1937 film Oh, Mr Porter!
Oh, Mr Porter!
Oh, Mr Porter! is a British comedy film starring Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. While not his most commercially successful, it is probably his best-known film to modern audiences...
which features Cliddesden Station
Cliddesden railway station
Cliddesden railway station was a railway station in the village of Cliddesden, Hampshire, UK. The station was a stop on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway until its closure in 1932.-History:...
as the fictional Buggleskelly. Unused footage from The Wrecker was used in the 1936 film The Seven Sinners
Seven Sinners (1936 film)
Seven Sinners is a 1936 British thriller film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Edmund Lowe, Constance Cummings and Felix Aylmer. An American detective and his sidekick are called to Britain to take on a gang of international criminals.-Cast:...
.
Commemoration
A short length of railway track was installed in the centre of the Viables roundaboutRoundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
in Basingstoke in 1976 to commemorate the line at a point close to its original route. There is also a plaque at the main station in Basingstoke. The only part of the railway which survives today is a 100m stub of track 1 mile west of the railway station in Basingstoke.