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The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage line in Hampshire, England, running 10 miles (16 km) from New Alresford to Alton where it connects to the national rail network. The line gained its nickname in the days that it was used to transport locally grown watercress to markets in London.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Locomotives 2.1 Operational Steam Locomotives 2.2 Locomotives under overhaul/restoration 2.3 Locomotives awaiting overhaul/restoration 3 Stations 4 References 5 External links

Mid Hants Watercress Railway
Legend Alton Line Alton ex Basingstoke line ex Meon Valley line Medstead and Four Marks Ropley Alresford Itchen Abbas M3 motorway South Western Main Line Winchester

Opened in 1865 as part of the Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway and closed by British Railways in 1973, the line originally continued westwards from New Alresford to Winchester, joining the South Western Main Line at Winchester junction two miles (3 km) north of Winchester, but this section of the line is now closed. In the past there were proposals to extend the line to rejoin Winchester, but this would have required massive funding. The M3 motorway from London to Southampton cuts across the route and houses have been built across the right-of-way in Itchen Abbas.

As well as the two main stations the railway also has two other stations; one at Ropley, where the main locomotive shed and workshops are located, and the other jointly serving the villages of Medstead and Four Marks. The section of line between these two intermediate stations is affectionately known as the "Alps" due its steep gradients.

In 1941, prototype Merchant Navy Class 21C1 Channel Packet traveled as far as Alresford after the naming ceremony at Southampton for a trial run with press dignitaries.

The railway is operated by a variety of steam locomotives, many originating from the Southern Railway. Heritage diesel locomotives and multiple units are also represented, including the Southern Region Class 33 diesel locomotive, and Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives. Two of their locomotives, named Thomas and Douglas were rebuilt by the railway from Hunslet 'Austerity' tank engines.

• BR standard class 5 4-6-0 no. 73096
• LMS Class 2MT 2-6-2T no. 41312
• LNER Class A4 4-6-2 no. 60019 Bittern. Returned to steam May 2007
• SR Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 no. 35005 Canadian Pacific

• LMS Black Five 4-6-0 no.45379 (5379). Return to steam mid 2009
• Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No 31806. Undergoing major overhaul.
• Hunslet Engine Company 0-6-0 No. 19 "Douglas" (rebuilt into a tender engine). Undergoing a major overhaul.
• BR standard class 9F 2-10-0 no. 92212. Being dismantled for a boiler inspection.

• LSWR Class S15 4-6-0 no. 30506
• BR standard class 4 4-6-0 4-6-0 No. 75079
• JZ Class 62 0-6-0T No 30076
• Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 No. 31625 (done up as James the Red Engine)
• Southern Railway N Class 2-6-0 No. 31874
• LSWR Class S15 4-6-0 No. 30499
• BR standard class 4 2-6-0 2-6-0 No. 76017
• SR West Country Class 4-6-2 No. 34105 "Swanage"
• SR West Country Class 4-6-2 no. 34016 Bodmin

• Alton railway station
• Medstead and Four Marks railway station
• Ropley railway station
• Alresford (Hampshire) railway station

• Mid-Hants Railway - "The Watercress Line" official website.
• Mid-Hants Railway - Signals and Telegraph Department run by volunteers.
• HeritageRail.co.uk - Watercress Line photographs.

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