20 interesting images from the railways in the Portsmouth area
In this selection of old pictures you will see local children that were evacuated from the city to the countryside on the 28th June 1940, an interesting view looking north from Cosham Railway Station towards the Military Hospital and Fort Widley, the royal train departing from the dockyard railway jetty in December 1910.
This rail link was established from Portsmouth Harbour station in 1879 and a beautiful detailed image of the concourse of Portsmouth and Southsea railway station back in 1909. Some of these railway station areas still survive today, perhaps you will notice next time you travel by train.
1. Memories from the railways
Water tower and turntable at Portsmouth and Southsea Railway Another feature of the railway line into Portsmouth now long gone was the engine turntable. In Portsmouth there were at one time three of these. One outside the Harbour station on the up side, this one outside the low level Town station and the other in the roundhouse at Fratton depot. This view was taken from Jacob's ladder footbridge and to the rear can be seen houses in Canal Walk. Later the new signal box was built on the site and even this is now redundant as the new signalling centre at Havant as since been commissioned. Photo: The News archive
2. Memories from the railways
Although bombs caused destruction all around it, Portsmouth and Southsea railway station suffered comparatively little damage, apart from broken glass. this picture was taken in the station looking out to Station Street Photo: The News archive
4. Memories from the railways
Sent in by David Taylor of Bedhampton, we see the train heading south over Langstone Bridge. It was said at the time that the state of the wooden bridge was the reason the line was closed on 4 November 1963. Photo: The News archive