When construction of the railway begun in the late 1850s by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) they quickly ran into problems because of a cost cutting measure. The LBSCR planned to construct an embankment on the mud flats in the sheltered waters of Langstone Harbour rather than purchasing the more expensive land on the island. They were given a grant to the mud lands by William Padwick (Lord of the Manor), who was himself behind the plan, however the area was not sheltered as had been hoped which resulted in the bank being severely eroded before the railway could be completed. This came back to bite the LBSCR as when the Board of Trade Inspector was invited to certify the line as being fit for passenger traffic it was refused. This was on the grounds that he found many of the sleepers had begun to rot in the mud flats embankment section of the railway and there was also an unauthorised level crossing at Langstone. The former problem was quickly fixed but the level crossing remained until the closure of the line.

The key component to the Hayling branch line was the swing bridge which was a 1000ft long triumph of Victorian engineering that was able to be opened in the centre to create a 30 foot gap to allow for the movement of shipping between Chichester and Langstone harbours. Originally being built out of timber the legs were later encased in concrete for reinforcement the remains of which can still be seen today. The bridge together with some sharp curves, ensured that LBSCR A1/A1X Terrier tank engines would always be needed; continuing their life right up to the end of BR steam as the bridges severe weight restrictions meant that no other locomotives was permitted to use it. The Terriers and the old coaches that they hauled gave the line a unique and special charm. The line was opened to goods on the 19th January 1865 and in June 1867 the line was passed fit for passenger traffic by the Board of Trade. Celebrations took place at the Royal Hotel on the 28th June 1867 when the first experimental trains, filled with VIP passengers, including the Mayor of Portsmouth, traveled the whole length of the new railway.

The line was then opened to paying passengers on the 16th July 1867. The line proved very popular in the summer seasons with coaches often overflowing as people traveled to soak up the sun on Hayling’s beaches. But during the winter months the trains were almost empty. It was when the line was taken over by the Southern Railway in 1923 that the line had its finest hours becoming one of the south’s most became a popular holiday and tourist destinations.

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