The Abandoned Hayling Island Railway - Every Disused Station.

[@garethblake3941]

Hi, l live in this area for most of my life and sadly old enough to recall seeing Haying Billy actually running. Keep up the good work and stay safe.

[@debbiebrett6689]

i remember it too!

[@bigships]

Reconstruction.?

[@robertbage5052]

Short but very sweet. Love Hayling Island. All I need is a Euro millions win and it would make a lovely little heritage railway. Thanks, Bob

[@fredericksaxton3991]

I live local to this at Waterlooville, I was taken as a child in the mid 1950's to the Hayling beach on this Hayling Billy line. I think we probably did it only three or four times. The walk from the south station down the tree lined avenue to the very sandy beach seemed, to my little legs, to be about as long as the actual trip from Havant. :) As an aside, in 1976 a chap I knew had bought himself a very smart 1965 S-Type Jaguar. He was out with the lads one night and, after a few bevvies, decided to take the Jag down the old line. Yes, He got stuck for the night. :)

[@HenrysAdventures]

Glad to see "Every Disused Station" is back. I'm quite grateful to the railway builders for building the line on the cheep because its partly down to the weight restriction on the viaduct that so many Terriers survive today!

[@michaelpilling9659]

So pleased that you are back visiting "every disused station". Wonderful video. Thanks so much

[@peterscutt2253]

Thanks Paul and Rebecca, my Grans garden backed onto the Hayling Billy line. I spent many hours watching the trains go by.

[@williammiller9606]

Great 2 c u both out and showing us the lovely outdoors again did have a paddle in the sea

[@iankemp1131]

A nice springtime episode! I travelled on the Hayling Billy a few times but don't really remember it, as it closed when I was 4, but my dad's cine film proves it! The BR coaches towered over the diminutive Terriers. The Langstone bridge finally killed the line - it needed £400K of repairs and the revenue covered operating costs but not the interest on capital replacement. For years the adjacent road bridge was even more decrepit; Southdown had a special fleet of small single decker buses to operate it and then the weight limit was reduced further to 5 tons, so if there were more than 13 passengers the extras had to get off, walk across and rejoin at the other side! A new concrete road bridge was installed in 1957. I remember the Blackpool tram in the yard at Havant. One of the Terriers (32646) stood on a plinth outside the Hayling Billy pub by the old station (which was indeed a fair way from the beach) for some years; it is now on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Incidentally Langstone is normally pronounced LANG-stun. In the late 1880s there was briefly a train ferry from there to the Isle of Wight! The level crossing keeper needed a helper on summer Saturdays to stem the constant flow of traffic. A line of character, brings back happy memories of visiting Hayling though only by bus or car.

[@fredericksaxton3991]

Hi Ian, I never knew about the train ferry part at Langstone. Would that explain the number of rails that are/ or were embedded in the concrete area on the right side just prior to the road bridge? Just like a small marshalling area?

[@Sim0nTrains]

Lovely little video on the Hayling Island Branch Line, on the bridge there was also restrictions which lead to the Terrier Locos being used on the branch line but it does feel great to go back out to do what we love doing again and looking forward to future Every Disused Stations.

[@johnholmes912]

remember travelling on the hayling branch when i was at school

[@debbiebrett6689]

I went on it too, when we came down for holidays.

[@lordbungle6235]

Glad you survived the waves, I stood on the front at Hayling watching them come in and dribble up to my toes, I took 1 step forward, YES 1 STEP, and the next wave broke over my head. Since then I have been wary of the waves at Hayling. (Mrs Bungle says I should mention I am 6 foot 5 ).

[@RetroRatz]

Me and Peggy walked it a couple of years ago. It's lovely and yes that reserve with the birds, is very loud! Though we stayed on the island twice now overnight, and it's lovely peaceful place to kip 👌

[@cliveblake1992]

Another great video. I live close to the Billy line and one thing you didnt mention was that on the north side of the bridge used to be a Wharf. This was used to load trains onto a barge which took them to the Isle of Wight. Named the Marine Transit Company. A book written by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith called Branch Line to Hayling goes into great detail about this.

[@10cfwh74]

I think Mitchell and Smith did a series of books on branch lines in Sussex. I have ; 'Branch line to Selsey' and ''Branch lines to Horsham', and there is Branch line to 'Midhurst' as well

[@sr6424]

Great to see you back visiting disused stations. Really looking forward to you future videos.

[@calxtra5361]

Hey so glad you took us there to a suggestion I placed in comments a while back ... super little video and explanation about why it never survivied .. gorgeous day you had for this too .. I've fished for harbour crabs from the Hayling end with my brother too

[@thhseeking]

At the end, on the beach, I couldn't help thinking " Funny the way the sea stays steady as a rock and the buildings keep washing up and down"...

[@chrisg6086]

But no-one turned into a penguin....

[@NigelDraycott]

We have normality. Anything you still can't cope with is therefore your own problem.

[@robg521]

42

[@shakkabomb]

I thought exactly the same thing...

[@fredfarnackle5455]

@@robg521 Indeed...

[@williamwelbourn7932]

A lovely day out by the seaside. Just what I needed on this cold, rainy day in Melbourne. Thanks for the enjoyable vid.

[@geoffreythurtell8761]

As an Australian though, do you love the British definition of a "beach"?

[@geoffreythurtell8761]

As an Australian though, do you love the British definition of a "beach"?

[@williamwelbourn7932]

Yeah the beaches I've seen were full of stone's... like at .Minehead!

[@rogerwhittle2078]

Wow! The Hayling Island line! That's another long lost railway that formed my childhood. Your recent 'Cuckoo Line' series took my Mum, my brother and sister and myself from London to Heathfield, then later Hailsham where we spent idyllic summer holidays at my Godmother's. For a few summers, we took a cottage close to the beach on Hayling Island. My brother and I would often catch the little train from Hayling Island to Havant, to simply watch the big Bullied pacifics hauling express trains on the main line. Havant had a bay platform for the Hayling shuttle, which was hauled - so far as I know exclusively - by one of the LBSC / Southern 'Terrier' locomotives. Oddly enough, I don't remember the two intermediate stations, probably because we didn't need to know them. I do remember reporting lineside fires caused by the little engine which, by then, was probably badly maintained. It is a shame there is so little remaining of an iconic little branch line and, apart from the bridge - over which I remember the train did take some care - almost nothing is left. Great vlog though, looks like you had a really nice day.

[@ggkitchener1122]

Cuckold Line sez his missus

[@shaunwest3612]

Great video Paul and Rebecca, great to see you back on the trail, Hayling Billy line is a beautiful walk, glad you done it, it's not far away from me👍😀👌

[@jazzguitarwithandy]

Great to have this series back! I visited two exciting disused stations today in the Wye Valley that I hope you guys will cover: Tidenham and Netherhope Halt. They are now accessible as of 1st April. The shared use path includes the mammoth Tidenham tunnel, which is a good 10-12 min walk through. South of there the track is still down virtually to the main line. I’d love to have seen it become a heritage line, but this is the next best thing. Look forward to more EDS videos 💯 I can’t remember you guys covering them in the Wye Valley tunnels videos, so forgive my memory if I missed it!

[@clivechappe4622]

Wye Valley, 6 tunnels, 2 years ago?

[@christinaburton9297]

Thank you, good to see you again!

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Christina, we hadn't gone away.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Wow that was just fantastic. Really enjoyed that walk. Your beach is a little different to ours but it was still beautiful. Thanks so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care

[@malcolmsmith6615]

Nice walk, nice weather, nice part of the world. Thank you for another Every Disused Station video!

[@frasermitchell9183]

from Fraser, husband of Leslie When I was a kid our family used to take a day trip by coach to Hayling Island. Kent's Coaches had their depot in Baughurst and made their fortume when the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment came to Aldermaston in 1950 and thousands of houses were built for the workers in Tadley and Baughurst. Our day trips were normally to Hayling Island or Sandbanks near Poole. A feature of the railway was its level crossing on the mainland close to the road bridge to Hayling Island, and when everybody wanted to go home, this level crossing was a formidable barrier to getting off the island, as it was the only way out ! It seemed we waited for hours, and whilst we sat in our coach on the bridge in a traffic jam, we watched the train shuttle back and forth. Happy days !

[@martynridley513]

Pleased to see you are back out and about on the ‘rails’.

[@MFTKR]

Looks like a great walk from havant to the sea front on hayling.

[@pwhitewick]

Around 3 to 4 miles so definitely doable.

[@roberteastwood9886]

@@pwhitewick My dog and I do it most days! The car park at "North Hayling" is known as the Esso car park as you turn in just after the petrol station. In a few weeks the RSPB will launch a small number of rafts that are anchored in the oyster beds for the Terns to nest on.

[@phillunn4691]

It’s really great to see you back on the trail of disused stations etc. Let’s hope we don’t get locked down again. Look forward to seeing you both again very soon. All the best and stay safe and well!👍🏼👍🏼

[@malcolmdalrymple1779]

The little train from Havant 😁 as a lad with my parents as a day out 🥳. That was something I always thought the best part of my summer holidays. My wife and I must get round to walking the line this year. Thanks for the reminder and it’s great to see you both venturing outdoors again 😎.

[@SteveInskip]

Good to see you guys out and about and doing disused stations again. 👍

[@TheEulerID]

That line played an important, but then very secret, part in WW II helping bring the workers and materials for building components of the Mulberry Harbours which were towed across the Channel after D-Day to provide port facilities.

[@rogermorris6957]

Top mark you two how you find these places fantastic. Hopefully lock down is over and some more great adventures

[@stephendavies6949]

Your exploration of this line reminded me of the railway to Barry Pier via Barry Island.

[@andrewmarch7891]

I was so looking forward to seeing you both in your Georgian bathers, otherwise another fun day out. Thanks a lot.

[@neilspurgeon5479]

Brilliant, you might not be wonderful with words but you are GREAT on storytelling !!

[@TheCelts01]

Nice to be by the seaside . Nice vid as always. We are looking forward of more good vids from u both. Your growing Fan Club in Hamburg Germany. All the best to u both .All my love. Dean from Hamburg Germany

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Dean, spread the word among your fellow country people! Much appreciated

[@oo.paderborn7495]

Not just in Hamburg.

[@nigelhall1961]

Great video nice that your back to doing the stations.Loved the ending on the beach with the sound of the sea on the pebbles!

[@johnrussell4125]

Being 67, I remember going across to Hayling Island in the late 1950's for our annual holiday in caravan. We lived in London and came down on the train then changed to go across. It used to fascinate me as we went across the water and at the time, to a small child seemed along distance.

[@shirleylynch7529]

Great vlog as always. Coastline beautiful. Glorious day for filming. Look forward to next weeks.thank you

[@jwoi]

Another excellent film guys thank you. It's good to be able to get out and about a bit more now.

[@paulb4uk]

Very interesting looks a nice place to go for a walk as well.

[@russbetts1467]

I lived in Havant from 1955 to 1957. Every summer, our aunt, uncle and cousins would come down to Hayling from London for their summer holidays and rented a cottage on the island, which also came with its own Beach Hut. in those days, the beach was all sand and there were double rows of beach huts all along the beaches. When the tide went out, there was a sand bank we could wade out to, where we would build sand castles and play cricket. We also swam in the channel between the beach and the sand bank. Their beach hut was situated almost immediately South of the road that leads from the station to the beach. As young children - 4, 5 and 7 years old in 1955 - it was a very long walk back to the station after a day at the beach playing with our cousins, which left us exhausted. The train journey from Havant to Hayling was frequently full of people heading for the beach, but was never quite as full on the return journey in the evening. Sticking our heads out of the windows and getting smuts in our eyes was a regular occurrence. On many occasions, the Engine Driver would allow me to get onto the footplate and blow the whistle, just before the train was due to pull out of the station. Then it was a quick sprint back to our compartment, as the carriages had no corridor. Watching the sunset was always enjoyable, if we stayed late enough. Happy days.

[@markphillips2076]

So much to view round Portsmouth. The disused Southsea railway and the current line used part of the old canal route for the track bed. The canal went from Portsmouth to the lock at Langstone harbour, then resumed the other side of Chichester harbour to link up with the river Arun. A branch went to the basin in the centre of Chichester.

[@Perchloroethylene]

As a youngster heading to school in Portsmouth by train in the late 1960's, we used to see an electric 'Blackpool' style tram parked in the Havant station Hayling branch bay for a while. There was apparently a proposal to use this over the weak bridge at Langstone due to the structural weight limitations. Its a shame it came to nothing in the end. The remains of the wooden bridge above the concrete were finally dynamited by the military as demolition training in the 1970's, resulting in great bulks of timber washing up on the shore around Emsworth for weeks afterwards.

[@highpath4776]

So a bridge that was falling down needed to be demolished by explosives, could not have been falling down that much.

[@tardismole]

@@highpath4776 It didn't need to be demolished. They simply used it for training purposes. Which basically means the railway didn't fork out any money to do it themselves.

[@tardismole]

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[@zogworth]

@@highpath4776 not related to that specifically but for quite a long time after The War™ explosives were used for a while bunch of things we'd never consider nowadays because there was such a massive surplus of the stuff and people who knew how to use them. Tree felling, ditch digging all kinds of things. My grandad used to tell a story about taking some old trees down on the farm in the '50s or so to make space for a new barn. The guy who turned up to fell them used some sort of demolition charge. The reason this sticks in my memory somewhat is that one of the trees was full of old nails. Upon being exploded these nails blasted out like a blunderbuss embedding themselves in the wall that the people were crouched behind. Not sure that would pass muster with H&S nowadays.

[@tubthump]

Don't suppose you know anything about the demolition of a railway bridge (or other large structure) on a Christmas day in the mid seventies in the Havant/Rowlands Castle area?

[@jennifermillardX]

Wonderful sound of the waves running over the pebbles to end on X It must of been lovely years ago to get the train down to the sea for some Fresh Sea Air X

[@barrie5852]

Great to see you both back on the disused station trail again today 😀

[@normangaylor5959]

Nice picture of Flint House Lodge where my wife and I lived with her parents when we first got married in 1964.

[@desfuller9167]

Excellent video guys, being a native of the area, used to travel with family (as a very young child) to the beach from Havant to Hayling Island during the early 60s'. Then walking down Staunton Avenue from the station to the beach on an almost weekly day trip during the summer. Fortunately, still a few of the 'Hayling Puffing Billy' videos on YT. Even now, still tugs on the ol' heart strings!

[@keithdawe8521]

went there on holiday most summers as a kid. didn't know it had an abandoned railway line up until about 10 years ago and i am 50.

[@alanwhite1458]

Fantastic video, very relaxed spirits lifter. You work well together.

[@owenrichardson1419]

Good to see you back..

[@spinosauruswearingboots4156]

My Gran would go to Hailing Island with various friends for holidays with the Coastal Forces Veterans Association. She’d drive down with a Micra load of OAP’s and in later years get the coach. Looks a lovely place.

[@jonathanscott01]

Great video, I live nearby so it’s good to see something local!

[@AlistairWinter]

Great mini video about the Railway line. I never knew about some of that information. BTW - That place where the seagulls are is what I call "Seagull Island" I've been on many bike rides down that way and normally always go up there to see the birds.

[@nilo70]

Thanks guys !

[@dustpanandthebrush5293]

Great watch guys , remember reading there was a weight restriction on the long bridge hence the use of terriers

[@alexhando8541]

The Billy is one of favourite branches! Thanks for posting this, really interesting!

[@imstuman]

I'm looking forward to the lifting of "stay local" where I live. I enjoyed the nice seaside walk with you and wasn't it a lovely day.

[@paulpm57]

Another interesting video guys! Seeing as you're in that part of the world, what about Netley Hospital? Their was a railway from Southampton docs to the hospital to bring back WW1 war wounded. Not much to see of the railway anymore (nor the hospital) but their is a disused station somewhere in the grass and its a pretty location with lots of history!

[@austinstjohn]

Ah Hayling Island. My 2nd home. Love it!

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Good to see you back on the once tracks of another railway. Beautiful weather and a beach shame they haven't built a narrow gauge railway here!!😎🚂🚃🚃🇬🇧

[@pwhitewick]

Unfortunately it was closed.... guessing we were a day or two too early.

[@anthonyellison1821]

Another great video, really informative. Keep up the good work and great to see you back on the disused railway tour! Looking forward to the next one!

[@shauntodd7123]

Welcome back, whata fantastic adventure.

[@davekirwin]

Nice one P&R! Great drone shots.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Dave. Brave huh!

[@robinhayhurst5943]

"We couldn't find the old station master's house...that burnt down a few years ago..." Quote of the day!

[@ScubaGirl68]

Actually, they did show where it was, but didn't realise! The clip where you showed the busy road, where the level crossing was once upon a time, had the Station Master's house on one side (burned down) and Langstone Station on the otherside.

[@fredericksaxton3991]

It burned down last year and the new owner has been ordered by the council to rebuild it.

[@ScubaGirl68]

@@fredericksaxton3991 the Station Cottages were burned down (locally suspected arson) in January 2019 (for the second time). Previously it was subjected to another suspected arson attack. A couple of months ago the rebuild process started. Until then, the brick chimney was still standing. I regret not taking a photograph of it before it was burned down in the first instance. It was a nice wooden building, painted yellow. www.portsmouth.co.uk/retro/langstone-cottages-destroyed-fire-were-home-crossing-keepers-nostalgia-167041 ...and yes, the owner has been forced by the local council to rebuild it. However, most of the original bricks have already been removed from the site. It makes me wonder just how the council has worded such an order, as what little of the original structure remained has been removed.

[@fredericksaxton3991]

@@ScubaGirl68 Thank you, I knew it was recently, but this bluudy covid has compacted time a tad.

[@AlistairWinter]

@@ScubaGirl68 This is an old picture from march 2020 of the building ruins: www.flickr.com/photos/129739895@N06/51134141193/ Another view: www.flickr.com/photos/129739895@N06/51135039140/ I don't even think there is anything left now....

[@palmertrees]

nice top Rebecca. :), hello sailor Paul!

[@steveoneill1855]

The burnt down station masters house is shown at 4.39. Left of frame, you see a building site with wire fencing

[@carlwilson1772]

That was brilliant. I never even knew those places existed.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Carl.

[@SteampunkGent]

Did you notice in the centre of the Hayling Bridge that there was the base of a pivoting section (probably to let harbour craft through at high tide), quite unusual on a railway

[@nicholaskelly6375]

This was the over the "Dredged Bargeway" portion of the Portsmouth & Arundel Canal.

[@garycross228]

There are some very good photographs of the swing bridge in the Middleton Press book on the Hayling Island branch. To swing the bridge, the poor signalman had to undo the fishplates on the moving section and disconnect the signal cables. Once the vessel had passed, it all had to be put back!

[@JohnJones-cp4wh]

@@nicholaskelly6375 Which you can still see on the eastern side of the road bridge, the channel just off Langstne marina, the original channel meandered more towards Warblington Church and would not have been suitable for barges.

[@Swindondruid2]

Great video, as always. And lovely to see EDS back again.

[@ColinH1973]

19th!! Yay!!!! Glad you are back on track.

[@bobsrailrelics]

Great to see you both back doing disused stations and a childhood destination as well.

[@cycklist]

I've cycled the Billy Line many times. Always interesting. Some facts: The station at Langstone was spelled 'Langston' at the time for some reason. The signal south of the bridge is still there. The station in West Town is now a theatre. Havant once had a third platform to serve the Hayling branch, now a car park. Did you visit the site of the old temporary Havant station on the same day?

[@davidroberts7425]

One of your best guys.

[@edwardlees4585]

Not reconverted but repurposed. I grew up in Hampshire and we went down to Hayling regularly at weekends but never realised there was a railway line. Great video. Thanks.

[@MrGreatplum]

You chose some cracking weather for it! Great video!

[@JohnJones-cp4wh]

It`s Hayling, that`s what we do. The lagoon that Pompey island and Hayling island has its own microclimate. Manys the time that its lovely and sunny on the islands when its raining over the hill.

[@waresy81]

You can just see where the old station house was on the left of the shot at 4:39. It would have been behind the fencing that is there at the moment. When it burnt down a couple of years ago, all that was left was the chimneys. Great to see you heading down my local old line. Picked a good day as well, both weather and lack of others. It has been very popular on the Havant side at times during lockdown.

[@andyalder7910]

Thanks for fond memories... Pack your bags and come with me, Down to Hayling by the sea, To the Sunshine Holiday Camp, woo hoo.

[@Necrovamp101]

I really enjoy theses videos, they are really interesting, i also love Rebecca's trousers.

[@JDLeonard74]

The sound of the waves on a beach full of rocks and pebbles is so different. But really nice. Most of that line was so close to the waters edge on the north end!🤯 Quicky La'Rightnows railroad builders at your service.😆

[@johnreynolds3428]

ooh thats's just around the bay from me! This will make an even better watch then normal! John

[@simonc5313]

Interesting fact... The central swinging section of the Hayling Billy bridge was stolen overnight shortly after the line closed! It's amazing what people do for scrap metal!

[@pwhitewick]

Ouch

[@Lichfeldian--Suttonian]

It’s a nice line to walk on, the line for Hayling Billy. I didn’t know the level crossing at Langstone was unauthorised. I love to have a drink outside The Ship PH in Langstone and watch the sun go down. Great to see you back, though you never really went, did you? 😉

[@capncol]

Fantastic to see this back again. Been subscribed a while now👍

[@kevinhorn254]

Great video love it. . Just one quite big thing you didn’t know or missed about this railway on your walk is that it was the world’s first roll on roll off ferry. It ran coal rail cars from a floating pier Havant side of the bridge to the isl of wight by paddle steamer . You can see in your air video the wooden stakes on Havant side marking out the pier . It only ran for a short time because Langston harbour sea froze in two bad winters and considering its running heating coal for the isl of wight you can see why it wasn’t a valid plan .

[@terryansell6641]

Thank you again from NZ very interesting

[@MrLargePig]

Beautiful- could've made this one twice as long, and just shown a bit of the beach, marsh and surroundings.

[@pwhitewick]

Gotta leave them wanting more!

[@highpath4776]

@@pwhitewick hayling island minature railway still going ?

[@GedMaybury23]

Cool! I can't wait to find out all about these "Everyday Shoe Stations"! Next episode?

[@markburgess4528]

Nice walk isn't it? I walked the route a couple of years ago. When I flew my drone over the remains of the bridge it was mobbed by the Seagulls.

[@DeannaEarley]

I love seeing your local (to me) reports! I was probably walking around the other side of Langstone harbour when you recorded this!

[@paulharvey9149]

One of my old haunts, no less - I have both walked and cycled that very route on several occasions. Last time was when there was a narrow gauge railway down by the beach - I assume no longer around, as you don't mention it? I will email you some further thoughts...

[@debbiebrett6689]

I have memories of travelling on the 'Puffing Billy' line from a baby up until 4-and-a-half years old.

[@brianfretwell3886]

When visiting relatives in Portsmouth by train in the late 1950's/early 1960's they still had the big sign up on the platform at the station "Havant for Hayling Island". I never saw the connecting train though. The converted station building is the theatre of the HIADS - Hayling Island Amateur Dramatic Society.

[@markphillips2076]

My neck of the woods, I live in Havant. The unique wooden house was set on fire twice after being abandoned for years then being bought. The second time burning down completely.

[@martynbuzzing3327]

I lived on Hayling and did the very same walk. The station masters house was still standing and the steam engine that used the line was placed outside the Hayling Billy pub. I believe it is restored and on the Isle of Wight.

[@o.m.b.demolitionenterprise5398]

it’s under overhaul, I saw it’s boiler a year ago.

[@Jimyjames73]

Very interesting - keep up the good work & don't get your feet wet!!! 😀🚂🚂🚂

[@eyesofisabelofficial]

The bit they forgot to mention on the wildlife boards - Great White spotted in Langstone Harbour in 2017 !

[@dilwyn1]

Great, really informative and I loved the drone footage of the old causeway, was that the remains of a swing bridge in the middle??

[@AtheistOrphan]

Yep.

[@wilfbm9067]

Argh! Its sunny in your video but its snowing outside my window!!

[@2H80vids]

This is a place I'd love to visit. The bridge, although somewhat sketchy, must have been quite a sight, with a crowded train clattering across it behind a terrier. The line may be long gone but least a few of the locos remain, with several in working order. Nice to see you two back on the E.D.S. trail after the long break.👍👌😁

[@bobparsons77]

Looks like a birding hotspot..Bob Alberta here.