Just 100 years after the Battle of Trafalgar... | Nostalgia

In late summer of 1905, the French fleet visited Portsmouth.
Entente Cordiale. In 1905 the French Fleet visited and officers travelled to London in a specially decorated train. Picture: Barry Cox postcard collectionEntente Cordiale. In 1905 the French Fleet visited and officers travelled to London in a specially decorated train. Picture: Barry Cox postcard collection
Entente Cordiale. In 1905 the French Fleet visited and officers travelled to London in a specially decorated train. Picture: Barry Cox postcard collection

The officers travelled to London in a special train decorated for the occasion.

Here we see the train hauled by a locomotive named ‘La France’ for the trip.

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The train is passing through Havant long before the track was quadrupled in 1937. On the left is the bay platform for the Hayling Billy with a train waiting to leave.

The train on the right was probably the 'Chichester Motor’, a push-pull service which ran between Havant and Chichester calling at all stations.

As there was no turntables available the driver would change ends at Chichester and drive from a cab not unlike those on an electric train.

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