Place Southsea Grid reference SZ651983 2 July 1885 Opened Original company Southsea Railway | Area City of Portsmouth Pre-grouping L&SWR/LB&SCR 8 August 1914 Closed Platforms in use 1 | |
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Similar Farringdon Halt railway st, King's Worthy railway st, Durley Halt railway station, Kingsley Halt railway st, Sutton Scotney railway st | ||
East Southsea was the terminus of the 1.25 mile Southsea Railway, which linked the resort with the main line from London at Fratton. The 1885 station on Granada Rd had an overall glass roof, but its replacement for the 1903 railcar service, further along Granada Rd, about 50 yards (46 m) south, only had a small wooden platform and a waiting room. The 1885 station was demolished in the 1970s. The only discrete station until 1904 (when Jessie Road and Albert Road opened), it was initially a success, but was unable to compete with the burgeoning tramway network. The final nail in the line's coffin was a government directive issued shortly after the declaration of war to the effect that railways unable to support themselves would cease operations at the earliest opportunity; and, as the line clearly fell into this category, the last train ran early in August 1914. Abandonment and part removal of the line was sanctioned by section 55 of the Southern Railway Act 1923.