Editing Watercress Line (section)

== History ==

=== British Railways ownership ===
In 1861, the Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway Company was authorised to build a new railway to connect to the existing [[London & South Western Railway]] lines at Alton and Winchester. It was opened on 2 October 1865 as the Mid-Hants Railway. Trains were operated by the [[London & South Western Railway]] which eventually purchased the Mid-Hants Railway Company in 1884.<ref name=Butcher3 >{{cite book |title=Mid-Hants railway in colour |author=Alan C Butcher |year=1996 |publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=0-7110-2465-0}}</ref>

Stations were initially constructed at [[Itchen Abbas]], [[Ropley]] and [[New Alresford|Alresford]]. The station at {{stnlnk|Alton}} was already in existence. The station at [[Medstead and Four Marks railway station|Medstead and Four Marks]] was added in 1868. Just outside this station, the line is at its highest point ({{convert|652|ft|m|disp=or}} above sea level) having risen from Alresford ({{convert|263|ft|m|disp=or}} above sea level) and descending to Alton ({{convert|339|ft|m|disp=or}} above sea level). The section of line became known as "the Alps", due to the steep gradients that exist there.<ref name=Butcher3 />

The line provided an alternative route between London and [[Southampton]] and, besides transporting locally produced [[watercress]], was particularly important for military traffic between the army town of [[Aldershot]] and the military embarkation port at Southampton.<ref name=Butcher3 />

With the development of motorised transport, the line declined during the [[inter-war]] and [[post-war]] periods of the 20th century and was further compromised by the closures of the [[Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway]] in 1932 and the [[Meon Valley Railway]] in 1955. Electrification of the line from London to Alton in 1937 meant that the Watercress Line was no longer part of a through route; it became necessary to change at Alton.<ref name=Butcher3 /> Electrification of the line from London to Southampton occurred in 1967,<ref name=MitchSmith >South Coast railways&nbsp;– Portsmouth to Southampton. Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith. {{ISBN|0-906520-31-2}}</ref> which further affected the economics of the Mid-Hants route.

The line became part of the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]] in 1923 and then part of the [[Southern Region of British Railways]] in 1948. It survived the [[Beeching Axe]] in 1963, but was eventually closed by [[British Railways]] in February 1973.<ref name=Butcher3 /> During final years of operation under British Rail, passenger train services were operated by [[British Rail Class 205|Class 205]] ("2H") two carriage diesel-electric multiple units.

In 1941, prototype [[SR Merchant Navy Class|Merchant Navy Class]] 21C1 ''Channel Packet'' travelled as far as Alresford after the naming ceremony at Southampton for a trial run with press and dignitaries.

=== Heritage railway ===
[[File:Ropley Shunting Yard and 506 (30506) – LSWR URIE S15 CLASS.jpg|thumb|Ropley locomotive shed]]
The section of line from Alresford to Alton that can be seen today was purchased from British Rail in November 1975<!--by whom?-->. Reconstruction of the line subsequently progressed in stages<!--by whom?-->. The section between Alresford and Ropley re-opened on 30 April 1977. To provide engineering and maintenance facilities, the main locomotive shed and workshops were constructed at [[Ropley railway station|Ropley]]. The extension to Medstead & Four Marks opened on 28 May 1983 and the final section to Alton opened on 25 May 1985.<ref name=Butcher3 />

On 12 June 1982, a replica of ''[[Sans Pareil]]'' visited the Watercress Line, running successfully under its own power from Ropley to Alresford.<ref name=Butcher />

Some of the structures that can be seen on the line today were not part of the original railway [[infrastructure]];<ref name=Butcher /> they have been added to make the line serviceable again and to recreate the feel of a fully operational steam railway. The line is now maintained by a small base of paid staff (mostly in administrative duties) and a core of over 400 volunteers.

The railway is a [[Charitable organization|registered charity]].<ref>{{EW charity|284406|Mid-Hants Railway Preservation Society Limited}}</ref>