In 1865 the Havant to Langstone branch railway line was opened, called the Hayling Billy. It was designed to transport goods to two specially built boat wharves at Langstone. Goods were held here ready for transport to Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s favourite holiday retreat on the Isle of Wight.
Unfortunately, the railway line’s original budget of £50,000 (£5.3m in today’s money) fell short. This meant the route was shortened to carry a new wave of tourists visiting the south coast using Britain’s new national steam rail network.
Did You Know?
Steam engine A1X32678, like the one below, was nicknamed the ‘Puffing Billy’ and ran over 1.4 million miles on the line. During WW2, the route fulfilled an invaluable role carrying armaments and soldiers in preparation for D-Day.
These tank engines were originally intended for use on the South London railway, which as it passed under the Thames, required small, powerful steam engines.
By 1867, the branch line had been extended across the railway bridge to a wooden halt at North Hayling and along the foreshore to the new station at West Town. Due to the frailty of the original timber railway bridge, lightweight Terrier tank engines (known affectionately as ‘ Hayling Billies’ by locals), were used to push and pull coaches up and down the 5-mile single track line.
Did You Know?
Even with lightweight engines the bridge could only safely support the engine and four coaches at any one time. During the busy summer holiday season, large number of passengers were catered for by running trains in convoy up and down the single line. Everyone had to face backwards on return journeys due to the lack of a turntable!
The branch line closed in 1963 as the new road bridge, opened in 1956, took a lot of foot traffic away from the railway line. The wooden rail bridge was also in such a poor state of repair that it had become dangerous, and was too expensive to repair. The Billy Line route now serves as a 4.5 mile (7km) coastal leisure trail along the west coast of Hayling Island.
At the northernmost point of the trail, just south of where the railway bridge once begun, a signal post has been reconstructed and erected, as a reminder of the original use of this route by steam trains.
Did You Know?
The Billy trail is used by horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians as an alternative and peaceful route between West Town and the bridge. It offers a glimpse of the wide range of wildlife that inhabits Hayling Island, including birds, mammals and even possibly seals!
- Find out more about Queen Victoria’s home on the Isle of Wight – click here
- See the video of the Hayling Island Puffing Billy – click here
- A trip along the Hayling Billy line in 1960 – click here