The Southsea Railway was a branch of the Portsmouth Direct 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...

.

It was opened in 1885 from Fratton Station

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.....

, terminating at East Southsea Station

East Southsea railway station

East Southsea was the terminus of the 1.25 mile Southsea Railway, which linked the resort with the main line from London at Fratton. The only discrete station until 1904 , it was initially a success, but was unable to compete with the burgeoning tramway network...

 (near to a road junction called The Strand). It was 1.25 miles long and almost completely level. Two unstaffed halts were added in 1904 at Albert Road and Jessie Road/Devonshire Avenue. The line was not able to compete with the Portsmouth Corporation tram services, despite the introduction of cheaper autocars. It was closed in August 1914 and never re-opened. The line itself and the stations have since been demolished and replaced with houses and roads; however, it is possible to walk the approximate route, which is clearly visible on street maps of the area.

Southsea

Southsea

Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....

 is now served by stations at Fratton, Portsmouth & 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....

, 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:...

 (also called The Hard), with regular trains to 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 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....

services.