The Watercress Line - Is it worth a visit?

Now I am not going to bore you with a history lesson, but once a upon a time in the United Kingdom we heavily relied on steam power. Steam trains were the back bone of the country (Not the Ford Transit as Ford would have you believe) We had railway lines spanning all over our island, a true network of being able to ship products and people. Then one man came along, his name was Beeching and decided upon a huge and punchy round of cuts to the railway network.  It meant that many branch lines were pulled up, steam trains were left to rot. Railways were no longer the best  route to transport goods and people, and started to spill onto the roads.

Fast forward to 2019 and the roads are the most congested they have been.  Old railway lines have had houses or roads built upon them. The amount of lorries and cars are at an all time high, and the only thing the government wants to do is tax cars more and more and build silly smart motorways that aren't smart

The Watercress line which is located in Hampshire is one of the railway lines that were hit by the cuts. In the late sixties it ran as far as Winchester, and to Alton. Linking it with the west coat, and into London. It was closed, and if it hadn't had been for volunteers, shareholders and investors, people who wanted to save the railway - it would have stayed shut.  By the late seventies it was open again as a heritage railway, and thanks to all the volunteers and people who put their heart, and their money into this - its still going strong!

It spans from Alresford to Alton, a distance of 10 miles in beautiful country side. You can choose to ride on the train, or see it flash by in all its grandeur from many of the vantage points along the route.  Just one of these points I happened to visit this weekend.  Take a look:

It also has events on during the year such as Walk the Line where you can well, walk the line for charity..  War re-enactments, a dining train called The Countryman, and also the Alresford Belle, The famous Santa Special where children get to meet Father Christmas - and the Little Blue Bastard, otherwise known as Thomas the Tank Engine!

There are some seriously passionate people who take the time to run this railway and it is worth a visit. You really should go and show your support!

Check out the website, and the timetables here to avoid disapointment and to avoid the Little Blue Bastard weekends!

https://www.watercressline.co.uk/

They also have a YouTube channel! Click Here