Following the completion of the London and Brighton Railway (LBR) in 1841, with its branch line running to Shoreham, a natural extension appeared to be westwards towards Chichester and ultimately Portsmouth.
The new company achieved parliamentary approval in July of that year construction began.
[1] The new line involved constructing a viaduct at Shoreham and an opening bridge over the River Arun at Ford, West Sussex.
[2] In August 1845 the company received parliamentary approval to continue their line to towards Havant and Fareham.
Construction of the extension to Havant was just commencing when the company ceased to exist when it was formally merged with others to form the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) by Act on 27 July 1846.