Main Line to the South Part 2- The Southern Railway Route between St Cross to Eastleigh and Swathling

The London and Southampton Railway opened its line in 1840, the first major railway in the south of England, soon to become the London & South Western Railway and eventually in 1923 the Southern Railway. Part Two describes the line through to Eastleigh and beyond to Swathling. It deals in great detail with all facets of the construction, opening and operation of the line over the many decades. Every archive, contemporary account or historical description has been thoroughly excavated and presented as part of the narrative. A central pillar of Part Two is the operating centre at Eastleigh, including the Carriage and Wagon Works, the Locomotive Works and the vast locomotive running shed. The line gathered frenzied interest in the 1960s as the last steam-worked main line in England until its electrification in July 1967. Today the line between Basingstoke and Southampton carries not only heavy passenger traffic but some of the nation’s heaviest freight traffic.