Aldershot and Alton lines of the LSWR
It was complemented by a short curve near Ash enabling trains from Guildford to reach Aldershot, opening in 1879.
[1] To the west of Guildford lay Farnham and Alton, both important in the brewing industry, and transporting their product to London and other population centres by road to the railhead at Winchfield,[2] and a branch line to serve that traffic was an attractive proposition.
However Parliament authorised only the second, for the 19 mile line from Guildford through Wanborough, Ash, Tongham, Bentley and Froyle to Alton.
[3][1][6] Parliament granted a two-year extension for completion of the line (to Alton) on 26 June 1849, but shareholders at a general meeting on 25 October 1850 demanded cessation of work in the prevailing financial climate.
Against vocal opposition, the meeting authorised the work, and the completed single line opened on 28 July 1852 between Farnham and Alton.
[3][2][1] The LSWR was not opposed to the connection with the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway, when the running powers were inserted into its own act of Parliament,[which?]
As its route to London was extremely roundabout, it reduced its fares considerably, and for a time a damaging rate cutting war took place.
The major army base at Aldershot was established from 1854 and for a time Ash Green station handled the arrival of construction materials, until a private siding was made for the purpose at Tongham.
Official records say that the second line opened between Ash Green and Farnham Junction on 4 June 1884.
A number of proposals for a branch line had not gained any traction, and the LSWR was seen as dilatory in the matter.
[9] The line was 8+1⁄4 miles long, and during construction suffered a number of earthslips during extremely difficult weather.
This formed a significant bottleneck as traffic developed, and on 10 March 1875 the line from Aldershot to Farnham Junction was doubled.
The LSWR had been given reciprocal powers from Aldershot South Junction (the apex of the curve nearer Guildford) and North Camp, but it never used them.
[13][11][14][15] In the 1860s there had been a constant stream of proposals to connect Ascot, on the LSWR line to Wokingham, and Aldershot.
North Camp was on the line from Pirbright Junction to Aldershot; the station was later named Ash Vale.
Sir Algernon West had requested it; he lived at Wanborough Manor and was a director of the LSWR.
It was built as a light railway, and joined the Mid-Hants line at Butts Junction, two miles west of Alton, opening on 2 June 1901.
[8][11] The line was never a success and was closed in 1917 to release track materials for war work in France.
The regular passenger service was withdrawn on 16 September 1957 and the line closed completely on 4 April 1966.
[23][10] In May 1932 the Southern Railway tested a Michelin pneumatic tyred railcar between Ascot, Aldershot and Alton.
The trial was not considered successful, despite the excellent acceleration and braking performance, and good economy.
The passenger accommodation was very limited and it could not pull a trailer or tail traffic, and it did not have normal railway couplings and buffers, so that in the event of failure could not be rescued; and its rubber tyres would not operate track circuits.
It was implemented on 4 July 1937, when an intensive regular interval service started between London and Alton via Aldershot.
The steam service from Guildford via Tongham to Farnham ceased to run, and an electric shuttle ran to Aldershot (only).
[25] In general at the present day (2022) Alton is served by a regular interval service from Waterloo via Brookwood (Pirbright Junction) and Aldershot.
