Now That The Weather Is Getting Better A Ride On A Train Can Be Really Good Fun, Particularly If You Opt For One Of The Many Picturesque Train Lines
The onset of spring prompted my best friend to propose that we should go out for the day and do something out of the ordinary. She had seen an advertisement for the Watercress Line heritage railway line which was taken on by volunteers in the 1970’s and has slowly become a big tourist attraction in southern England. It runs via four stations in about ten miles of Hampshire countryside, and you can purchase a ticket which allows you to get on and off as many times as you want during your visit.
Having got to bed very late the previous night, we aimed to set out by twelve o’clock so that we could get the train that was scheduled to depart at one o’clock. Some of the trains are pulled by steam locomotives and the others by diesel engines, and we wanted to be sure that we caught one of the steam trains.
We leave from the station in Alresford. The station building has been beautifully recreated in pre-second world war style, and all of the friendly staff are kitted out in smart uniforms. In reality, the majority are not employed staff, but are a few of the volunteers who are so interested in trains and railways that they pass a lot of their own time being part of the team who look after the hundreds of individuals who visit whenever it is open.
The train starts moving and we leave the station and head to the next stop at Ropley. The building here is decorated as a Southern Region station from around 1948. The platforms themselves are immaculately kept and also feature some amazing topiary. Near to the station is an engineering area, where employees and volunteers together are handling the renovation of quite a few locomotives and carriages. The selection of carriages on the train we’re riding on are all different styles and have already been restored. It’s great to see that the work is still taking place so that an even greater variety of rolling stock can be involved in the future.
After Ropley, the next stop is Medstead And Four Marks, which is also kitted out in a post-war style. Medstead is the highest station on the Watercress Line and is also the railway station which is the furthest above sea level in all of the south of England, and years ago when steam was the only type of train transport, the drivers and train crew used to mention going over the peak at Medstead as ‘going over the Alps’. These days there is a notice at the highest point which reminds you of this.
We depart from Medstead and we are soon in Alton, the last stop, although this station is also used by South West Trains, so you can catch the mainline train to London from here. We have a swift stretch of the legs on Alton station platform and then jump back on the train for the journey back which is due to leave about fifteen minutes later.
The journey back to Alresford is a little more eventful as the steam engine leading our train has been having problems all day long and eventually gives up completely despite the best endeavours of the crew to keep it moving. So a diesel engine is called out to pull both the steam engine and the carriages back to Alresford. So we had the rather unique experience of riding, not just on a steam train or a diesel train, but by both types of engine at the same time!
The Watercress Line does a great job of reminding us of the old style railway network, and to be fair, the old trains have loads of charm compared to the impersonal rolling stock that we are used to nowadays. But then sentimentality is always great fun to those who long for the ‘good old days’.
I must be honest, I can understand both views. A steam train is wonderful fun for a leisurely afternoon out with friends, but if I want to get into London in a hurry for my work, I’d much sooner trust the high speed train link that can take me to St Pancras in under twenty minutes at speeds in excess of one hundred miles per hour. And, I’d choose to keep my automatic washing machine instead of having to rely on a washboard and a mangle, given the option I’d go for Laser eye surgery rather than wearing glasses which keep getting smeary and can be broken easily, and I would undoubtedly much rather send updates to people by email132013201320 than have no choice than to hand write all my correspondence.
But obviously, there are many people who were about in the days of steam and quite likely long for the friendly service they got years ago. They wouldn’t presume to use a computer to keep in contact with friends because it will not seem personal to them and they would not want Laser eye treatment because they are worried that it would go wrong, all of which is totally understandable for individuals who were born a long time before computers and Laser eye treatments appeared.
All in all I would very much recommend a trip on the Watercress Line. They also do lunch trips, evening meals and themed visits for both adults and children, and if you really want to treat a loved one, you can give them a day working on the trains or as a signalman. (That might be how the Laser eye surgery would be useful. At least you wouldn’t get soot all over your glasses!)