Hayling Island Branch Line - Closure

Closure

Over the winter of 1962 it was decided to close the branch, the reason being that the timber swing bridge which crossed Langstone Harbour needed to be replaced. The line was operating at a small profit at this time but despite protests British Railways took the view that the cost of a new bridge was an unreasonably large investment. The final normal service train ran on the evening of 2 November 1963. Goods services continued until the final day but goods trains were not run separately. Instead goods were conveyed in mixed trains (passenger coaches, goods wagons and vans, and a brake van) and these were a feature of the Branch until the end. To clear the remaining goods stock away, the final train from Hayling Island on Saturday 2 November 1963 was a mixed train hauled by A1X no. 32650. The day after closure a special was run, hauled by A1X nos. 32636 and 32670 and this was the last ever train on the Branch. All three of these locomotives survive in preservation.