Hilsea railway station

Hilsea railway station is a railway station on Airport Service Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth, England serving the northern end of Portsea Island, including a large industrial estate nearby. The station was once the closest to Portsmouth Airport, which was closed in 1973.

Hilsea
National Rail
General information
LocationHilsea, Portsmouth
England
Grid referenceSU663035
Managed bySouth Western Railway
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeHLS
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Opened2 November 1941; 83 years ago (1941-11-02)[1][2]
Original companySouthern Railway
Passengers
2019/20Increase 0.339 million
2020/21Decrease 0.133 million
 Interchange  2,218
2021/22Increase 0.277 million
 Interchange Increase 4,741
2022/23Increase 0.298 million
 Interchange Increase 5,306
2023/24Increase 0.311 million
 Interchange Increase 6,525
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

It is located on the Portsmouth Direct line which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour. There were extensive sidings at Hilsea during World War II.

This railway station is mainly used by commuters who work in nearby Anchorage Park industrial estate. Only stopping trains call here. The station is unmanned.

Historically, during the Battle of Havant, Hilsea was the terminus of an omnibus link from Havant New, just east of Havant. When the Portsmouth Direct Line had been constructed by the LSWR, at the request of the residents of Portsmouth, it was necessary that trains run from the Portcreek Junction railway triangle, to Havant Junction, along track owned by the rival LBSCR. The latter firm refused to allow that and engaged in militant obstruction of the track to prevent the running of a through train service for several months.

The road that crosses over the railway line and station at Hilsea is named Norway Road after the novelist and aeronautical engineer, Nevil Shute Norway.

Services

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Services at Hilsea are operated by South Western Railway and Southern using Classes 377, 444 and 450 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[3]

During the peak hours, there are additional services to London Waterloo as well as services to and from Brighton and Littlehampton.

On Sundays, the services to London Waterloo via Guildford and to London Victoria, do not run, and the service to Portsmouth & Southsea reduces to 2tph, with 1 of these continuing to Portsmouth Harbour.

Preceding station   National Rail Following station
Bedhampton   South Western Railway
Portsmouth Direct line
  Fratton
Cosham   South Western Railway
West Coastway line
  Fratton
Havant   Southern
West Coastway line
  Fratton
Bedhampton
Limited Service
   


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References

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  1. ^ Southern Region Record by R.H.Clark
  2. ^ Southern Electric by G.T.Moody 4th Edition page 117
  3. ^ Table 156, 157, 158, 165, 186 National Rail timetable, May 2020
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50°49′41″N 1°03′32″W / 50.828174°N 1.058818°W / 50.828174; -1.058818