The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage railway in Hampshire, England, running 10 miles (16 km) from New Alresford to Alton where it connects to the National Rail network. The line gained its popular name in the days when it was used to transport locally grown watercress to markets in London. The railway currently operates regular scheduled services, along with dining trains, real ale trains and numerous special events throughout the year.
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In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Watercress Line
- Watercress Line in the context of New Alresford
- Watercress Line in the context of River Alre
Watercress Line in the context of New Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford (/ˈɒlzfərd/ OLZ-fərd or /ˈɔːlzfərd/ AWLZ-fərd) is a market town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is 8.0 miles (12.9 km) northeast of Winchester and 12 miles (20 km) southwest of the town of Alton.
New Alresford, situated with the River Alre to its north, has a remarkably well preserved 17th and 18th Century high street which offers several shops, a tourist information centre, a central conservation area, and several tea rooms and pubs. The western terminus of the Watercress Line heritage railway is at Alresford railway station in the town.
View the full Wikipedia page for New AlresfordWatercress Line in the context of River Alre
The River Alre (also, occasionally, Arle) is a tributary of the River Itchen in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises in Bishop's Sutton and flows west for 6 km (3.7 mi) to meet the Itchen below New Alresford.
The river is a classic English chalk stream with a shallow gravel bed and fast flowing waters, fed year-round by chalk springs. Through Bishop's Sutton it forms a good natural trout fishery and later supports a watercress harvest after which the Watercress Line, a heritage steam railway, is named.
View the full Wikipedia page for River Alre