Notes: The London Brighton & South Coast Railway opened its line to Portsmouth in 1847; this included a station at Havant. Initially there were no plans to build a branch to Hayling Island but in 1860 a four and a half mile line was authorised from Havant to Hayling Island with a 1100 foot timber viaduct with an opening steel girder section across Langstone Harbour. Much of the line on the island was built on reclaimed mudflats; there intermediate stations at Langstone and North Hayling.

The line opened to Langstone for goods only on 19 January 1865 and to Hayling Island for goods and passengers on 16 July 1867. Initially the terminus was named Hayling Island but was renamed South Hayling in August 1969 reverting to its original name on 1.6.1892.

The line was moderately successful throughout its life but in the early 1960's the condition of the bridge became unsafe and despite local protests the £400,000m required to repair the bridge could not be justified and the line closed after the last train on 2.11.1962

For a full History of the Hayling Island branch and more photographs see Southern E-Group web site.

For further reading Branch Lines of the Southern Railway Volume 1 by George Reeve & Chris Hawkins - Wild Swan Publications 1980 ISBN0 906867 01 0

Click here for more pictures of the Station Theatre