Monday 29 March 2010

itchen abbas 1976


(All copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)



It's the summer of 1976 - a famously hot and sultry affair. It encouraged me to take the motorbike (seen in pic 3) out. Three years after closure Itchen Abbas was still obviously a railway station, the wonderful station house, platforms and even ballast remained. I'd travelled on this line on its last day of operation.

This was on the Winchester to Alton line. Much of the route has been restored but this section is still closed. I've no doubt that eventually it will return and provide an excellent freight and diversionary route for the Southampton main line, and hopefully one day Itchen Abbas station will reopen allowing its inhabitants to continue to be mobile - the alternative is too horrible to think about!

Links

Disused Rails - Hampshire

2 comments:

  1. I would like to volunteer for rebuilding Itchen Abbas station. Regards Daniel Harvest

    ReplyDelete
  2. Its unlikely to ever open again sadly.
    I walked the old line up to here the other week. Too many obstacles in the way now, too many homes to consult.

    ReplyDelete