Southsea Railway

v t e Railways in the Portsmouth area
Legend
Portsmouth Direct Line to London Waterloo via Guildford West Coastway Line to Brighton & London Victoria West Coastway Line to Southampton Central Portchester Havant M27 Bedhampton Cosham A3(M) Farlington Halt A27 Portsbridge Creek HMNB Portsmouth Admiralty Line Hilsea Portsmouth & Southsea Fratton Portsmouth Harbour Southsea Railway 1885–1914 Gosport Ferry to Gosport Wightlink to Ryde Pier Head Jessie Road Bridge Halt Albert Road Bridge Halt East Southsea

The Southsea Railway was a short railway branch line. It was built to give easier access from the jointly operated main line railway approaching Portsmouth to the Clarence Pier from which Isle of Wight ferries sailed. In 1879 the extension of the main line railway to Portsmouth Harbour station, where direct transfer from train to steamer was possible, eliminated most of the steamer business at Clarence Pier. Undeterred, promoters interested in developing Southsea projected the Southsea Railway, connecting a new Fratton station on the main line, with Southsea. The line was opened on 1 July 1885. Its independent promoters believed that it could be a main line terminus for London trains, and they constructed the line lavishly in consequence.

The line helped the development of Southsea as an affluent residential district, but the short transit, and the complication of changing trains at Fratton to reach Portsmouth by train, diminished the attractiveness of the line. The later development of electric street running tramways in Portsmouth and Southsea, adversely affected its commercial viability. In 1903 railmotor operation was attempted to reduce costs, but the railmotor vehicles were unsatisfactory and the loss of the steamer passenger traffic meant that the line was beyond saving. It closed completely on 6 August 1914.