Hayling Island is an island off the south coast of England, in the borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire, east of Portsmouth.
Havant is a town in the south-east corner of Hampshire, England between Portsmouth and Chichester. Its borough comprises the town (45,826) and its suburbs including the resort of Hayling Island as well as Rowland's Castle, the larger town of Waterlooville and Langstone Harbour. Housing and population more than doubled in the 20 years following World War II, a period of major conversion of land from agriculture and woodland to housing across the region following the incendiary bombing of Portsmouth and the Blitz.
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey. It was bounded on its western side by the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR), which provided an alternative route to Portsmouth. On its eastern side the LB&SCR was bounded by the South Eastern Railway (SER)—later one component of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR)—which provided an alternative route to Bexhill, St Leonards-on-Sea, and Hastings. The LB&SCR had the most direct routes from London to the south coast seaside resorts of Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, and to the ports of Newhaven and Shoreham-by-Sea. It served the inland towns and cities of Chichester, Horsham, East Grinstead and Lewes, and jointly served Croydon, Tunbridge Wells, Dorking and Guildford. At the London end was a complicated suburban and outer-suburban network of lines emanating from London Bridge and Victoria, and shared interests in two cross-London lines.
Langstone is a village near Havant, Hampshire in the south east of England in Portsmouth. It has good railway connections to London, Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton, from the nearby Havant railway station. There are many large gated detached houses on the main road, "Langstone Road" and on the roads surrounding this. It has a sailing club, several architecturally unusual buildings, and several historically significant buildings, including a converted (water) millhouse and a converted 18th century windmill, the latter of which is a local landmark.
The West Coastway line is a railway line in England linking the densely populated conurbations of Brighton/Hove/Littlehampton and Southampton/Portsmouth, with 1.3 million people between them. It has short southward branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. Some trains using part of the route operate as direct continuations of passenger services to/from London, particularly those to the branch stations mentioned.
Havant is a constituency in Hampshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Alan Mak, a member of the Conservative Party. He is the first person of Chinese and East Asian origin to be elected to the House of Commons.
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) A1 Class is a class of British 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class has received several nicknames, initially being known as "Rooters" by their south London crews. However, the engines were more famously known as "Terriers" on account of the distinctive 'bark' of the exhaust beat. Later in their careers, some engines were known as "Hayling Billy" on account of their work on the Hayling Island branch line. A pub of this name on the island was briefly home to the engine which is now No. W8 Freshwater.
Rowlands Castle railway station serves the village of Rowland's Castle, Hampshire, England. It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line, 63 miles 18 chains (101.8 km) down the line from London Waterloo via Woking.
Havant railway station is a railway station in Havant, Hampshire, near Portsmouth, located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour.
The Hayling Island branch was a railway in Hampshire, England, that connected Havant with Hayling Island. It was sometimes known as the Hayling Billy, which is now the name of a footpath along the old track which is a Local Nature Reserve.
Langston was a small station on the Hayling Island branch. The station along with the rest of the line closed in 1963, and it served the Langstone area of Havant, a former village which had become contiguous with the larger town to its north. The railway companies always used the old spelling "Langston" for the station, in spite of this form not being used by the local community, and it can be seen in many photographs of the station sign.
North Hayling station was a halt on the single track Hayling Island branch, most often used to load oysters caught by local fishermen, but also ornithologists and ramblers. The station, along with the line was closed, in 1963. The station was located on the west coast of Hayling Island, very close to the coast. The station was very basic, with a timber concourse and wooden shelter. The station has been demolished and a section of the trackbed is now a footpath.
Hayling Billy is a 42-hectare (100-acre) Local Nature Reserve on Hayling Island in Hampshire. It is owned by Hampshire County Council and managed by Hampshire Countryside Service. It is part of Chichester and Langstone Harbours Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation and Langstone Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The Hayling Seaside Railway, formerly East Hayling Light Railway, is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway on Hayling Island, Hampshire, England. It is mainly a diesel operated railway, though from time to time the railway hires steam locomotives from other narrow gauge railways. It operates passenger trains between Beachlands and Eastoke Corner.
Langstone Bridge connects Hayling Island with the English mainland of Hampshire.
The Borough of Havant is a local government district with borough status and as Havant and Waterloo an unparished area in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Havant. Other places within the borough include Bedhampton, Cowplain, Emsworth, Hayling Island, Purbrook, Waterlooville and Widley. The borough covers much of the semi-urban area in the south east of Hampshire, between the city of Portsmouth and the West Sussex border.
Northney is a village on north Hayling island in the borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire, England. It is on the north coast of the island, east of where the A3023 meets the shore of the island and north of North Hayling. Hayling Island marina is nearby.
W8 Freshwater is a Stroudley A1X Terrier class 0-6-0T steam locomotive, which is based at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
West Town is a village on Hayling Island in the borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire, England. It is on the south coast of the island, between Sinah to the west and Eastoke to the east. The wide area between the seafront road and the sea is known as Beachlands.
West Hayling is a 76.2-hectare (188-acre) Local Nature Reserve on Hayling Island in Hampshire. It is owned by Havant Borough Council and managed by the council and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. It is part of Langstone Harbour, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also part of Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation and of Chichester and Langstone Harbours Ramsar site and Special Protection Area.
