Terrier inside Fratton depot I was born on 20 October 1930; at the age of 14 I began working on the railway. I worked at the Motor Power Depot in Fratton as a ‘Fitter's Lad’; I would have to run around getting tools and things for the fitter, his name was Bert Gibbs. I was with Bert until [...]
My father was born in 1908. He left school at 14, and worked in the surveyor's dept of our local builder. He was encouraged to get a job with a pension, so applied to Southern Railways and got the job. Later he spent five years trying to shoot German aeroplanes out of the sky. After the war he [...]
From the Portsmouth news 7 November 1931 Farewell Cheque for Stationmaster A pleasing presentation took place at the Savoy Kinema, when Mr George Langridge, who recently retired from the position of stationmaster of the Hayling island railway Station after 32 years, was handed a cheque for £60, subscribed for by the residents of the Island. The presentation [...]
An old favourite Terrier, 32640. Herbert is at the front of the cab, the fireman is currently unknown. Herbert William Outen is the son of Herbert Outen and his Grandfather was Harry Outen, Robert Outen's brother. This family has a member on the railway near the start of the branch line opening (Robert Outen - [...]
Extract from Hampshire Telegraph dated 30/6/1888 of an incident on a5/6/1888. During the heavy thunderstorms which prevailed on Monday a man named Barnes, employed at Langstone by the LB&SCR Company, was struck by lightning and has temporarily lost the use of one side. He was taken to his home at North Hayling as soon as [...]
In October 1963 The News published some reminiscences by railway staff, including those of an ex-Royal Marine signalman by the name of "Sweeney" Todd, of Westbourne, whose motor-cycle was always to be seen at the end of the Hayling platform. Todd said that he couldn't come to work on the train because he had to [...]
Frederick John Norris "Box Boy". When the Hayling Branch Line closed in 1963 one of the guards, Mr Frederick Norris, told The News that he had started work in 1913 as a "box boy" in the Havant signal box. In the Havant Register of Appointments (1864 to 1917) he is described as a "signal lad", [...]
