Watercress Line of the Mid-Hants Railway

We drove across the border (quite close to Farnham) to Hampshire (often shortened to Hants) to Alresford to ride in the trained pulled by a steam engine...the Watercress Line.



The line is shortened due to a bridge being out but we stopped in Ropley for a while to sit by the fire and check out the station master's office.

Like many of these historic lines, this is mostly run by volunteers. We met no paid staff on our journey. They were all clearly having a good time.

The engine that pulled us was well cared for and shiny.

The paint was fresh and all was well-oiled. It was an impressive machine.

Shooting through the venting steam makes interesting photos.

This is called the Watercress line because Hampshire, in particular Alresford, is the center of the watercress industry. And it has been for centuries. According to the Hampshire Life:

Hampshire has been growing watercress for centuries and Alresford is arguably the watercress capital. The geology of the area with flat, chalky downlands is ideal conditions for the plants to thrive. Rainwater feeds through the chalky terrain and bubbles up as freshwater springs, which is rich in minerals and pure in composition. The springs create a constant flow over the gravel beds in which the plants grow. 

The lush water meadows have become a vital part of the Hampshire vista. In summer, rich leafy plants spread out in neat rows: green, vibrant and glistening with droplets of water. Come winter, the atmosphere is more eerie as steam swirls and rises from the beds as the warmer spring water meets the cold air, and the plants characteristically duck their heads closer to the water to keep warm.

The real treat of our visit was a visit to the head switchman in the control tower at the Medstead and Four Marks station. He welcomed us in and told us all about switching the trains about and being sure the line is clear to the next station so the train can safely make the trip. He was a character.

Although the sketch of the station seems simple enough, the process was anything but simple. Each switch has a mechanical connection to the tracks using levels, rods, and wires, and it is his muscles that moves the rails about. The red box behind the switchman is electrically connected to the next station along the line and has a way to communicate with his counterpart at that station and a failsafe way to be sure that it is safe to travel.

The failsafe is a system of keys. The key is released by the action of the switchman at the other station once they agree. He give the key to someone on the train and he carries it to the next station. An ingenious bit of Victorian technology.

While there was some sun, it was mostly cloudy and the skies in most directions were not blue.

But the train engines were colorful and the engineers busy.

And in keeping with the holiday colors, the fire buckets were filled and ready by the station.