Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Bishops Waltham branch
open-in-new
<p>The Bishop's Waltham branch was a railway line in <a href="/facts/Hampshire/omDltCzr">Hampshire</a>, England. It was made by a locally promoted independent company, the Bishops Waltham Railway Company. It ran from <a href="/facts/Bishop%2527s_Waltham/FhyLFtyz">Bishop's Waltham</a> to <a href="/facts/Botley_railway_station/xGsQGRbz">Botley</a> on the <a href="/facts/Eastleigh%25E2%2580%2593Fareham_line/e1MJFWpY">Eastleigh–Fareham line</a> of the <a href="/facts/London_and_South_Western_Railway/pbHwpqts">London and South Western Railway</a> (LSWR). The line opened on 1 June 1863. </p><p>Passenger business was never heavy, but clay pits and a brickworks and gasworks at Bishop's Waltham brought mineral traffic to the line. Nevertheless the Bishops Waltham Railway Company was always short of money and had to be supported by the LSWR, and was absorbed by the larger company in 1881. </p><p>Competition from road transport led to dwindling passenger carryings, and the line closed to passengers in 1933. A basic goods service continued, but the line closed completely in 1962. </p>