Bordon Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Bordon Light Railway was a short-lived light railway
line in Hampshire
that connected the Army Camp at Bordon
, as well as the villages of Bordon and Kingsley
, with the national rail network at Bentley
on the main Farnham-Alton line
, a distance of 4.5 miles (7.2km).
, a number of military camps were established to accommodate the returning soldiers. Amongst these featured "Bordon Camp" which was built on agricultural land near the village of Bordon 4½ miles to the south of Bentley station, and "Longmoor Camp" 4½ miles further south near the village of Whitehill. Two battalion
s were assigned to Longmoor where they were housed in corrugated huts constructed on soft ground. This led to complaints from the soldiers and in 1903 it was decided to move them and the huts to Bordon Camp. To save costs, a temporary primitive railway line with a gauge
was laid to Bordon to facilitate the move.
The increased military presence at Bordon coupled with its proximity to the national rail network at Bentley led to an application being made on 6 October 1902 for a light railway order under the Light Railways Act 1896
authorising a standard gauge
connection from Bentley to a point just west of Bordon village. The application received the backing of the War Department
which saw the railway as a means of easing troop movements and bringing supplies to both camps. It was also hoped that the local communities along the line would also be able to make use of the new connection. An agreement for the line's operation was reached with the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR), the operator of the Alton line, with whom the War Department had already collaborated in the construction of the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway
in 1901. Under the terms of the agreement, the LSWR would manage, work and maintain the railway, providing the engines, rolling stock and plant.
The necessary land was acquired by the LSWR with the War Department's assistance, and construction was completed within 18 months at a cost of £30,000. In total, 155 men using three locomotives, four tip wagons and three horses were involved. The line was officially opened on 11 December 1905 from a bay platform at Bentley station. Eight trains were run from Bentley to Bordon on weekdays, with seven return services (except for Saturday when there were eight). Two trains ran each way on Sundays.
In 1905 the War Department began the construction of the Longmoor Military Railway
, a standard gauge
line which would connect Longmoor Military Camp
with the LSWR's terminus at Bordon. This itself was linked to the main Waterloo-Portsmouth line
at Liss
in 1942. It was possible to travel to Liss from Bordon via Oakhanger Halt on the Longmoor Railway.
The fortunes of the Bordon Light Railway were inextricably linked with those of the Army Camp that it served, so that when army traffic began to decline after the Second World War and the line became a financial liability, the decision was made to close the line to passenger services with effect from 16 September 1957, with the line remaining open to freight to meet army requirements. It might have closed completely had the Longmoor Military Railway been able to serve the Bordon Camp's requirements, but in the event the frequency of services at Liss made the exchange of heavy traffic difficult. This was still the case nine years later when it was decided nevertheless to close the Bordon line completely from 4 April 1966. The Longmoor Military Railway itself closed three years later on 31 October 1969.
. The line to Bordon branched off to the south here, climbing up towards Kingsley of 1 in 156. After 1 mile 10 chains it reached Blacknest Road level crossing
, an ungated crossing which was protected by cattle grid
s. The line then gradually dropped towards Kingsley Halt (2 miles 57 chains from Bentley), proceeding again over Blacknest Road level crossing, another ungated crossing with cattle grids.
Continuing towards Bordon, the line passed over several bridges (including one over Kingsley-East Worldham Road) before climbing again on 1 in 358 and then descending on 1 in 145, proceeding on a level over White Hill Road level crossing (known locally as "Marsh's Crossing") and reaching Bordon (4 miles 58 chains from Bentley).
A bus service now provides a link from Bentley to Bordon, and onwards to Liss
- effectively replicating the line and the Longmoor Railway. It has been mooted that as this bus service is now so well utilised, that it should be replaced by a railway link. In August 2007 Liberal Democrat
Councillor
Philip Drury, member for Whitehill (Hogmoor), proposed the re-opening of the line to relieve the pressure on the busy A325 road, particularly as the local population is likely to increase with the construction of 5,500 homes when the Army pulls out of Bordon. A re-opened line would also relieve pressure on the Waterloo-Portsmouth line and enable local students to attend colleges in Alton
and Guildford
. Due to the redevelopment of the Bordon station site, any plans would have to incorporate a diversion around this area. Councillor Drury's proposal has received support from the chairman of the Whitehill Bordon Opportunity, Councillor Cowper who is also the leader of East Hampshire District Council.
In June 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies
(ATOC) issued a report, which proposes the reinstatement of the line between Bentley and Bordon, as one of 20 schemes that are recommended for further consultation. 14 of these are reinstatements of lines closed in the Beeching cuts.
Light 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...
line in Hampshire
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...
that connected the Army Camp at Bordon
Bordon
Bordon is a town in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It lies 5.4 miles southeast of Alton and forms a part of the civil parish of Whitehill, the adjoining village. Both settlements are on the A325 road and close to the A3 road between London and Portsmouth...
, as well as the villages of Bordon and Kingsley
Kingsley, Hampshire
Kingsley is a village in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 2.1 miles north of Bordon, on the B3004 road. The village has a community centre and an inn, the Cricketers....
, with the national rail network at Bentley
Bentley (Hampshire) railway station
Bentley railway station serves the village of Bentley in Hampshire, England. It is situated on the Alton Line, between Farnham and Alton. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains....
on the main Farnham-Alton line
Alton Line
The Alton Line is a railway line operated by South West Trains. Today Alton station is the terminus of a main line branch, although it was at one time the junction for three lines. The branch leaves the South Western Main Line at Pirbright Junction near Brookwood...
, a distance of 4.5 miles (7.2km).
History
Following the end of the Boer WarBoer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, a number of military camps were established to accommodate the returning soldiers. Amongst these featured "Bordon Camp" which was built on agricultural land near the village of Bordon 4½ miles to the south of Bentley station, and "Longmoor Camp" 4½ miles further south near the village of Whitehill. Two battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s were assigned to Longmoor where they were housed in corrugated huts constructed on soft ground. This led to complaints from the soldiers and in 1903 it was decided to move them and the huts to Bordon Camp. To save costs, a temporary primitive railway line with a gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
was laid to Bordon to facilitate the move.
The increased military presence at Bordon coupled with its proximity to the national rail network at Bentley led to an application being made on 6 October 1902 for a light railway order under the Light Railways Act 1896
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...
authorising a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
connection from Bentley to a point just west of Bordon village. The application received the backing of the War Department
War Department (UK)
The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. In 1857 it became the War Office...
which saw the railway as a means of easing troop movements and bringing supplies to both camps. It was also hoped that the local communities along the line would also be able to make use of the new connection. An agreement for the line's operation was reached with the 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), the operator of the Alton line, with whom the War Department had already collaborated in the construction of the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway
Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway
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...
in 1901. Under the terms of the agreement, the LSWR would manage, work and maintain the railway, providing the engines, rolling stock and plant.
The necessary land was acquired by the LSWR with the War Department's assistance, and construction was completed within 18 months at a cost of £30,000. In total, 155 men using three locomotives, four tip wagons and three horses were involved. The line was officially opened on 11 December 1905 from a bay platform at Bentley station. Eight trains were run from Bentley to Bordon on weekdays, with seven return services (except for Saturday when there were eight). Two trains ran each way on Sundays.
Kingsley Halt
The LSWR managed to acquire sufficient land near the village of Kingsley (3 miles to the south of Bentley) where it decided to site a station in the hope that the area would attract residential development. With fairly basic facilities, the station was only a halt and opened after the rest of the line on 7 March 1906.In 1905 the War Department began the construction of the Longmoor Military Railway
Longmoor Military Railway
The Longmoor Military Railway was a British military railway in Hampshire, built by the Royal Engineers from 1903 in order to train soldiers on railway construction and operations.-Route:...
, a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
line which would connect Longmoor Military Camp
Longmoor Military Camp
Longmoor Military Camp is a British Army training camp and training area on the A3 road between Liss and Liphook in Hampshire, England. The village of Greatham lies to the south....
with the LSWR's terminus at Bordon. This itself was linked to the main Waterloo-Portsmouth line
Portsmouth Direct Line
The Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
at 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...
in 1942. It was possible to travel to Liss from Bordon via Oakhanger Halt on the Longmoor Railway.
Decline and closure
Route of the line
Departing Bentley from the Bordon bay platform (created by extending the down platform then separated from the main line platform by iron railings), services would proceed on the main down line in the direction of Alton for 17 chains before reaching the junction for Bordon at which stood the Bentley signal boxSignal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
. The line to Bordon branched off to the south here, climbing up towards Kingsley of 1 in 156. After 1 mile 10 chains it reached Blacknest Road level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
, an ungated crossing which was protected by cattle grid
Cattle grid
A cattle grid or cattle guard – also known as a vehicle pass, Texas gate, stock gap A cattle grid (or stock grid)(British English) or cattle guard (American English) – also known as a vehicle pass, Texas gate, stock gap A cattle grid (or stock grid)(British English) or cattle guard (American...
s. The line then gradually dropped towards Kingsley Halt (2 miles 57 chains from Bentley), proceeding again over Blacknest Road level crossing, another ungated crossing with cattle grids.
Continuing towards Bordon, the line passed over several bridges (including one over Kingsley-East Worldham Road) before climbing again on 1 in 358 and then descending on 1 in 145, proceeding on a level over White Hill Road level crossing (known locally as "Marsh's Crossing") and reaching Bordon (4 miles 58 chains from Bentley).
The line today and possible re-opening
Following the line's closure in 1966, the track was lifted later the same year. None of the stations now survive except Bentley, while the Bordon station is now buried under an industrial trading estate.A bus service now provides a link from Bentley to Bordon, and onwards to Liss
Liss
Liss is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 3.3 miles northeast of Petersfield, on the A3 road, on the Hampshire/West Sussex border....
- effectively replicating the line and the Longmoor Railway. It has been mooted that as this bus service is now so well utilised, that it should be replaced by a railway link. In August 2007 Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
Philip Drury, member for Whitehill (Hogmoor), proposed the re-opening of the line to relieve the pressure on the busy A325 road, particularly as the local population is likely to increase with the construction of 5,500 homes when the Army pulls out of Bordon. A re-opened line would also relieve pressure on the Waterloo-Portsmouth line and enable local students to attend colleges in 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...
and Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
. Due to the redevelopment of the Bordon station site, any plans would have to incorporate a diversion around this area. Councillor Drury's proposal has received support from the chairman of the Whitehill Bordon Opportunity, Councillor Cowper who is also the leader of East Hampshire District Council.
In June 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies
Association of Train Operating Companies
The Association of Train Operating Companies is a body which represents 24 train operating companies that provide passenger railway services on the privatised British railway system. It owns the National Rail brand. The Association is an unincorporated association owned by its members...
(ATOC) issued a report, which proposes the reinstatement of the line between Bentley and Bordon, as one of 20 schemes that are recommended for further consultation. 14 of these are reinstatements of lines closed in the Beeching cuts.