PETERSFIELD.]—THE NEW DIRECT RAILWAY.—On Tuesday last, at 10 a.m., according to previous announcement, a special engine left the Godalming railway station to run down the new direct Portsmouth line of railway to Havant, and which is nearly completed throughout. The contractors, Messrs. T. Brassey and Ogilvie, with J. B. Carter, Esq., M.P.. his brother. H. Carter, Esq.. and about a dozen other gentlemen, alighted from the tender at Rowland’s Castle, and proceeded on from thence to Havant in trucks specially provided for the occasion, returning by the same route to the Petersfield Station, now in course of building, at two o’clock, at which place a conveyance was in waiting to take the party to the Red Lion Hotel, where a sumptuous dinner was immediately served up in Mr. Robert Craft’s usual good style. On the cloth being cleared, and after the health of the contractors was drank, Mr. Brassey, in his preliminary remarks, assured the gentlemen present that, should nothing unforeseen occur, this new line of railway would be in full working order within two months from the present time. It is gratifying to announce that there was no mishap during the journey in this trial trip; and after the departure of the engine, &c., from Petersfield, it arrived at Godalming in fifty minutes. There was an immense number of persons to watch the progress of the engine in going both ways. By this new line of railway the journey, to or from London to Portsmouth can now be accomplished by a decrease of nearly twenty-five miles in the distance. The present rate of fares being 18s. first class; second class, 13s.; and third class, 7s. 6d.; this new route is expected to absorb the traffic of both the present lines, the South Coast and South-Western. The following is surmised to be the rate of fares on the new line:—First class, 13s.; second class, 10s.; and third class, 6s. This being a single line of rail, the Committee of the House of Commons, when applied to recently for running powers, introduced a clause compelling the Directors to make a double line of rails should the amount of traffic realise a stipulated sum annually.
Hampshire Telegraph - Saturday 26 June 1858
PETERSFIELD.
THE RAILWAY.—The works are now fast approaching completion. The station is in course of erection, the permanent rails are all laid in this neighbourhood, and nothing remains to be done but some ballasting, and this we believe applies to the whole line with the exception of a spot near Rowland’s Castle which is not yet completed. On Tuesday last a locomotive (the Mudlark) with its tender and a single carriage attached, passed over the whole line from Godalming to Rowland’s Castle. It arrived here about eleven o’clock a.m. In the carriage we observed J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P., Sir James Stirling, Bart., M.P., W. Jackson, Esq., M.P., Mr. Locke, the engineer, Messrs. Brassey and Ogilvie, the contractors, and others. A large concourse of people had assembled on Tilmore bridge and at the station to witness the arrival which was greeted with loud and hearty cheers; after a pause of a few minutes the train passed on to the point indicated above, returning in about two hours. The company dined together at the Red Lion Hotel, where they were joined by some of the local shareholders, after which the initiatory special train left for Godalming. Messrs. Brassey and Ogilvie, with their accustomed liberality gave orders for a hogshead of beer to be broached on the occasion for the special benefit of the ‟navvies” employed on the works, of which we have not heard that any one of them declined to partake. They spent the afternoon at cricket and other games in the field adjoining the station.