Freight is expected to start rolling off the long-awaited line by September, as soaring diesel prices force firms to seek alternatives to lorry haulage.
The line has already drawn enquiries from Asda, Sainsbury's and banana company Fyffes, Portsmo
uth port's main importer.
Its transformation from a patch of disused wasteland to a viable freighting terminal has been down to just one man, working on a voluntary basis – Portsmouth's assistant harbourmaster Jerry Clarke.
Working in his free time, he secured funding from the European Commission and Portsmouth City Council, and co-ordinated the building of the track infrastructure.
He said following a meeting between owner Network Rail and haulage companies last month to untangle red tape, the opening of the rail head was now just weeks away.
He said: 'I started this 10 years ago, with a £30,000 grant from the European Commission for a feasibility study, and a brief to "just get freight onto the rails".
'I do want to see freight taken off the road for environmental reasons, as a matter of conscience. But it's also practical. The freight yard has just been sitting here unused for about 30 years.
'It is a bit of personal triumph for me, but then nothing is easy when it comes to competing with the roads.
'It's all coming together now because of the price of diesel.'
The rail head is owned by Network Rail, following British Rail's privatisation. As part of privatisation, Fratton rail head was listed as a 'strategically protected freight site', thought essential to the flow of goods in the UK, and protected by law.
To prevent it being redeveloped, it can be leased only to a licensed freight operator.
But following the meeting between major hauliers and Network Rail, moves are under way to 'delist' the site, allowing the council to become the operator by leasing it from Network Rail.
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