- Havant railway station
Infobox UK station
name = Havant
code = HAV
manager =South West Trains
locale =Havant
borough = Havant
usage0405 = 1.912
usage0506 = 1.944
usage0607 = 1.918
platforms = 2
start =15 March 1847 Havant railway station is a railway station nearPortsmouth .It is located on the
Portsmouth Direct Line which runs betweenLondon (London Waterloo) andPortsmouth (Portsmouth Harbour). Havant is served by trains operated bySouth West Trains , Southern, andFirst Great Western .ervices
Havant is a junction station and provides passengers with an interchange between the West Coastway line and the
Portsmouth Direct Line . It therefore has services to Portsmouth, London Waterloo, London Victoria via Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Southampton and less frequent long-distance services to Wales and the west country. As of 9th December 2007, South West Trains no longer serve the Brighton Line with the dominant train operator on this route, Southern, reworking its Coastway timetable to accommodate the move. A new service is also provided by First Great Western to and from Great Malvern. Cross Country services also divert via Guildford and Havant (but do not stop) when the Winchester line is closed due to engineering works.History
Referring to the main picture, the gap between the left two tracks was once occupied by another fast track. This four track arrangement was once typical for less well-used stations. Over time, as Havant grew in population, the usage of the station grew. It is now served by all passenger services.
This is the third station to be named Havant. The first was built by the
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) 500 m to the east - a small wayside station (called Havant Halt). It was demolished after a serious fire. A newer station was built 200 m west to serve the then newLondon and South Western Railway (LSWR) Portsmouth Direct Line. This station was demolished so that a bigger station could be built 300 m further west to serve the new Hayling Island branch line ["Memories of the Hayling Island Branch":Produced by Ian Heys for "Branch Line Videos", Catalogue Number 418-514424] . It had three platforms, one for Hayling Island ["Branch Line to Hayling" Mitchell,V./Smith,K (In association with Bell,A): Midhurst, Middleton Press, 18984 ISBN 0906520126] and two for the stopping main line services.It was the terminus for the Hayling Island branch services until late in 1963. Apart from the platform there was a run round loop, a siding serving a warehouse and a water column supplied by a circular metal water tank located near the signal box. In the Spring of 1966 the Hayling Island tracks were removed. The space they occupied was later replaced with a car park and a fence on the south side of the platform ["Catching the train to Hayling Island: a history" Newell, L: Havant, Havant Borough Council,2005 ISBN X200076629] .
As part of the Waterloo to Portsmouth electrification the station was completely rebuilt in 1938. The number of tracks was increased from two to four, two for stopping trains and the two for non-stop, generally express trains. The northernmost of the two fast tracks (as mentioned above) was later removed, and the remaining fast (through) track was also removed in late 2006. Judging by the new track layout east of the station, this arrangement seems to be permanent.
After the engineering work of 2007 was finally finalized after a lengthy delay that had lasted from the beginning of the year, the stations two platforms have become bipolar platforms. This means that both platforms can be used for trains going in either direction. Such as when the fast Waterloo service, the xx34 is running late behind the slow Waterloo service xx40. This means that the Slower service may be placed on Platform 1, which services to London go on, and wait, while the faster service is brought onto Platform 2, and then over take the service, so that it can make up the time lost, and not loss more time while waiting to overtake the slower service up in Haslemere station.
Recent changes
Since July 2006, the Hayling Island platform face no longer exists and a new cycle centre has been built in place of the former platform. A new station name pole has been erected at the position also. As well as these, most of the signs within the station have also been changed and new seats have been installed on the platforms. This is in line with commitments made in the current South West Trains franchise. The signs are in the more traditional style (as seen at Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and across the Southern Railway network).
There has been some discussion about putting a third (terminating) platform in the gap, however this would have to be very short and narrow. There has also been discussion about reinstating the Hayling Island platform, and even the whole Hayling Island branch. Both of these proposals have now been completely abandoned. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A9646392 Re-open Havant/Hayling Island Railway Line, 23 February 2006] ]
The last 'fast' track & other changes
The fast southbound through track was removed in December 2006 and both the entry and exit from the southbound platform were straightened out to allow a quicker entry and exit speed. New crossovers were put in place to allow bi-directional working on both platforms. From west to east the new layout will be: new NB->SB crossover, new SB->NB crossover, existing road bridge, platforms, new NB->SB crossover, existing SB->NB crossover, level crossing. The level crossing was also resurfaced and new crossing gates installed
Next change planned
The footbridge is to be modified, and new lifts installed on each platform to allow Disabled Access under DDA.
A new set of barriers is to be built on the upside platform in the winter, making Havant a fully barriered station. Also a new gate will replace the current manual gate with a new automatic wide gate at the same time.
The "Battle of Havant"
The "Battle of Havant" took place between the LB&SCR and the L&SWR. The two railway companies fought for the right to use LB&SCR tracks into Havant so the L&SWR could reach Portsmouth. For more details see
Denvilles halt .Such battles were quite common in the United States where they were called
frog war s.Off Peak and Super Off Peak Servce Times
The Off Peak times start at 8:40am at the station, with trains getting into
London Waterloo for 10:00am.The Super Off Peak time starts at 10:40 at the station, with trains getting into London Waterloo for 12:00pm.Gallery
Notes
* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/UK/0/Havant.html FallingRain Map - elevation = 1m]
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