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Bordon Light RailwayThe Bordon Light Railway was a short-lived light railway line in Hampshire that connected the Army Camp at Bordon, as well as the villages of Bordon and Kingsley, with the national rail network at Bentley on the main Farnham-Alton line. Opened in 1905 from a bay platform at Bentley station. Closed to passenger services in 1957 with the line remaining open to freight to meet army requirements. Closed completely in 1966. The Longmoor Military Railway closed in 1969.
Following the end of the Boer War, a number of military camps were established to accommodate the returning soldiers. Amongst these featured "Bordon Camp" which was built on agricultural land near the village of Bordon 4½ miles to the south of Bentley station, and "Longmoor Camp" 4½ miles further south near the village of Whitehill. Two battalions were assigned to Longmoor where they were housed in corrugated huts constructed on soft ground. This led to complaints from the soldiers and in 1903 it was decided to move them and the huts to Bordon Camp. To save costs, a temporary primitive railway line with a 18 inch gauge was laid to Bordon to facilitate the move.
In 1905 the War Department began the construction of the Longmoor Military Railway, a standard gauge line which would connect Longmoor Military Camp with the LSWR's terminus at Bordon. This itself was linked to the main Waterloo-Portsmouth line at Liss in 1942. It was possible to travel to Liss from Bordon via Oakhanger Halt on the Longmoor Railway.
Rail link from the Alton - London line at Bentley through to the Portsmouth - London line at Liss in the 1950s.
Bordon Station
Opened in 1905. Closed to passenger services in 1957 with the line remaining open to freight to meet army requirements. Closed completely in 1966.
Southern end of the Bordon Light Railway where it joined the Longmoor Military Railway.
Bordon Station and junction to the Longmoor Military Railway map early 1900s.
Bordon Station Layout.
Bordon Station 1930s.
Bordon Station 1957.
Bordon Station 1969.
Kingsley Halt
Opened in 1906. Closed in 1957.
Kingsley Halt map early 1900s.
Kingsley Halt 1957.
Kingsley Halt Crossing.
Kingsley Halt 1969.
Bentley Junction
Bentley Junction was where the Bordon Light Railway joined the Farnham to Alton line.
Bentley Junction map early 1900s.
Bentley Station
Opened 1854. Bentley was the northern terminus of the Bentley and Bordon Light Railway, built in 1905 to serve the military camp at Bordon. Built with assistance of the British Army, the line closed to passengers in 1957 (remaining open to serve traffic to the Longmoor Military Railway in times of emergency) and closed to all traffic in 1966.
Bentley Station map early 1900s.
Bentley Station 1963.
References:
Wikipedia - Bordon Light Railway
Disused Stations - Bordon Station
Disused Stations - Kingsley Halt
Wikipedia - Bentley Station
Wikipedia - Longmoor Military Railway
The Industrial Railway Society - Longmoor Military Railway
Woolmer Forest Heritage Society - Railways
Friends of Alton Station - Bentley & Bordon Railway
Old Maps Online