Seventy years ago, on February 5, 1955, the Meon Valley railway line ran its final passenger service.

Though freight services to Farringdon goods yard persisted until 1968, the line’s picturesque views of the River Meon became the preserve of memory.

Built by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), the 22½-mile line between Alton and Fareham opened on June 5, 1903, following a parliamentary act in 1897.

Its construction faced significant challenges, including geological hurdles, a collapsed tunnel, and the dramatic steel viaduct at West Meon, dismantled in 1957. The line featured rural stations at Farringdon, Tisted, Privett, West Meon, Droxford, Mislingford, and Wickham, with some serving passengers, others exclusively handling goods.

Initially, passenger numbers were disappointing but rose during the World Wars when the line served troop trains. Droxford station achieved brief fame on June 2, 1944, when Winston Churchill and Allied leaders met aboard the Royal train to finalise D-Day plans.

Passenger services declined steadily, with Sunday trains withdrawn in 1951. Despite public opposition, British Railways closed the line to passengers on February 5, 1955. The striking West Meon viaduct was dismantled two years later, its steel sold for scrap.

A 1957 report from The Hants and Sussex News captures the bridge’s demise and villagers’ regret at the loss of the popular landmark: “With a certain degree of sadness, West Meon villagers are watching the dismantlement of the steel structured railway viaduct on the Petersfield road.

“Once the bridge carried trains over the Gosport-Alton line but some months ago it was sold by the British Transport Commission for scrap. Demolition work is being carried out by Thomas W Ward Ltd, of London.”

Goods services continued briefly to Farringdon before ceasing in 1968. Today, the railway’s remnants have returned to nature, forming a tranquil footpath for walkers to enjoy.