The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
Rights of Way volunteers: a step in the right direction.
You can find the path here - the red location dot shows where the new steps have gone in.
The Micheldever Parish Rights of Way volunteers (RoWVers) have been busy in the first phase of improvement works to an historic footpath, that runs between Weston and Borough Arches, probably formed, or recognised/mapped, when the railway embankment was dug, 180+ years ago. It connects Borough Farm with Weston Farm, and creates a shortcut - following the railway line - from the popular road loop out of Micheldever village, to Weston, and back. The path is steep to access from both ends, has some fairly narrow stages and often involves a circumnavigation from curious cows or horses in a lovely lush paddock.
The RoWVers want to see the path improved, well used and enjoyed as part of the unique local history and railway geography of the area. Stage 1 is complete! From the Weston Arch, a small flight of steps now takes you to the bottom of the path, where it begins its meander to Borough Arch. More work will follow: to improve the width of the path and it's safety over tree roots, and to add further steps down to the lovely paddock which takes you to the Dever culvert, and then back up steeply to Borough Arch. There are fingerposts at both ends of this path, and there are further way-marker discs to keep you on track. You can of course walk this linear path from both directions! The RoWVers are simply starting work at the Weston end.
With HUGE thanks to our fantastic Rights of Way volunteers who got stuck in, on the day, and made these steps. We were ably guided by Adam from the HCC Countryside Access Service, too.
In other areas of activity, please look out for the local Map Boards which have begun to appear - there are five in total, can you find them all?
RoWVers are also active clearing paths - up at the Station at the end of April , and across the parish, as reported.
Please, as ever, drop us a line if you see any Right of Way in need of some improvement, clearance or attention, anywhere in Micheldever Parish.
Stage 1 - Steps at Weston Arch
Stage 1 - Steps at Weston Arch
Stage 1 - Steps at Weston Arch
Stage 1 - Steps at Weston Arch