London Waterloo to Portsmouth

The Route of the Trafalgar Express

London Waterloo is one of London's grandest stations and is an important monument to Edwardian elegance. It is widely regarded as one of the most elegant and spacious London termini and its famous 4-sided clock suspended from the roof is a popular meeting point hence the famous expression "meet me under the clock at Waterloo station". A statue of Sir Terence Cuneo by Philip Jackson also stands on the main concourse overlooking the former Waterloo International. It was built by the London & South Western Railway (LSWR), the Great Western's main rival for services to the West Country. In its heyday, Waterloo was the starting point for journeys to Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, as well as a host of Home Counties commuter services. In its heyday London Waterloo was the starting point for such famous expresses as the Royal Wessex, the Bournemouth Belle, the Atlantic Coast Express and the Devon Belle. It was also the starting point for famous boat train services such as the Cunarder, the Statesman and the Holland American that connected with ocean liner services from Southampton Docks. From 1994 to 2007 London Waterloo was also the starting point for the international Eurostar high speed services through the Channel Tunnel to Paris and Brussels. However on the 14th November 2007 the CTRL Section 2 through to London St Pancras was opened and all Eurostar services moved to London St Pancras and ceased to use London Waterloo.

Throughout this “Through the Window” guide we describe views as being left or right from the train facing in the direction of travel out of London.

London Waterloo to Surbiton:

The train leaves London Waterloo's curving platforms, then runs parallel to the River Thames to Clapham Junction. From the elevated route there are glimpses of the Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace, the Tate Gallery, the London Eye and the river, and the train then passes  Vauxhall station and the new Covent Garden market at Nine Elms. As the train approaches Queenstown Road (Battersea), the skyline to the right is dominated by the 337ft, 1930s chimneys of the former Battersea Power Station (designed by Gilbert Scott), and then the train runs into Clapham Junction. A cutting carries the line past Wandsworth Common, and then the route is elevated once again as it crosses the River Wandle on its way to Wimbledon, where the station is shared with London Underground's District Line tube trains.  Wimbledon is also home to the world famous Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the home of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. At Raynes Park, the Dorking line swings away to the left, while just after New Malden trains for the Shepperton branch swing away to the right. The train crosses the River Hogsmill and then enters the long cutting that leads to Surbiton. The River Thames and the ferry to Hampton Court Park are only a short walk away from this magnificent 1937 built station designed by J.R. Scott. Surbiton's Art Deco clock tower and modernist façade make it unique in Britain.

Surbiton to Woking:

Leaving Surbiton, the line is elevated again, and remains so for some distance, offering good views of suburbia and, to the left, the distant line of the North Downs. Esher is the station for Sandown Park, with the famous Sandown Park Racecourse right next to the railway line. To the south of the town is the recently restored 18th century garden at Claremont. The train crosses the Mole, with its reservoirs to the right, and then a long wooded cutting takes it to Weybridge. After the station, to the right there is a glimpse of the River Wey Navigation and its junction with the newly restored Basingstoke Canal, while to the left is the airfield built on the site of the famous Brooklands motor racing circuit. Part of the legendary, steeply banked track can be seen from the train. The site is now home to the "Spirit of Brooklands" Motor Sport and Aviation Museum. The Museum is also home to one of the famous Concorde aircraft, Concorde G-BBDG, which now forms the Brooklands Concorde Experience. The line now runs straight to Woking, with a glimpse of the decorative 1889 Shah Jehan mosque in the woods to the left, just before the station.

Woking to Guildford:

From Woking the mainline westwards is remarkably straight and built for high speed running. Shortly after Woking we diverge off the Bournemouth line to the left southwards and enters a pleasant landscape of woods and farmland. Worplesdon station is a long way from its village and then the line run straight to Guildford, with a good view of Guildford Cathedral and the university as we approach the station. Here there is a junction with the lines from Reading and Tonbridge.

Guildford is a fine town, and the modern station is not far from the town centre. Built over the steep sides of the Wey valley, it is a visually dramatic town, and the remains of the 12^th century castle show how it grew up around the river bridge. The High Street runs steeply through the centre from the Wey, and is lined with 18^th century buildings. The Royal Grammer School at the top of the High Street was founded in 1507. Guildford Cathedral has a commanding presence on its high hill looking over the town. It was designed by Sir Edward Maufe and built between 1936 and the mid 1960s, it is one of only two Anglican cathedrals built in Britain in the 20^th century. It is a powerful brick structure, in a simplified gothic style with Art Deco overtones.

Guildford to Portsmouth:

On leaving Guildford station, the train enters a tunnel that hides from view the castle and the southern part of the town. The line follows the Wey to Farncombe and Godalming stations, but woods limit views of the river, which then swings away to the west. Between Milford and Witley, the train passes a series of ponds and lakes. Relics of the iron industry that dominated this region until the late 17^th century, these were dug to store water to power the water wheels that drove the bellows and hammers of the forges. Witley is a particularly attractive village, with its many tile hung and half timbered houses, typical of the area. From here the line winds its way through thickly wooded hills, with occasional views to the left southwards and a glimpse of Grayswood Church with its wooden bell turret. The hilly, rather romantic landscape continues to Haslemere, famous for its Dolmetsch music workshops. The town is folded into the surrounding hills and looks good from the train, with plenty of handsome, late Victorian country houses that abound in this part of Surrey.

From Haslemere, the landscape opens out and then the line crosses into Hampshire shortly before Liphook, one of whose best features is Sir William Tite’s classical station of 1859, a Palladian villa in miniature. The next station then is Liss. Shortly before the station is the junction with the old Longmoor Military Railway that used to serve the camps at Longmoor and Bordon before joining the Alton line near Bentley. It was also on this railway that generations of soldiers were taught to drive trains. From Liss, the line follows the River Rother to Petersfield, a handsome town with a fine Norman church and a main square with a fine equestrian statue of King William III, made in 1757. The station is also attractive, with delicate Tudor details. Leaving Petersfield, the line swings to the south, giving good views of the great flat top of Butser Hill, to the right westwards. The Downs now form a long barrier ahead, and as the train begins to carve its way through them in a tunnel and deep cuttings, there is a view of Buriton’s pretty church to the left eastwards. The landscape is a mixture of forest plantation and bare downland, and to the left westwards is the village of Chalton, seemingly unchanged since the Middle Ages, and beyond, high on top of a hill, is a windmill. Rowland’s Castle is the next station. There is no castle, but the village has an attractive, curving green and some nice houses around it. Leaving the Downs behind, the train now comes to Havant, joining the coastal line from Chichester to Portsmouth shortly before the station.

With Hayling Island to the south, which once had its own branch line from Havant, the train passes through suburbia to Bedhampton. From here there are views right to the north to Portsdown, with its succession of 19^th century forts. Built to defend Portsmouth harbour with the support of Lord Palmerston and named the “Palmerston Follies” by Gladstone, some are now open to the public. To the left southwards are the marshes and mudflats of Langstone Harbour, much of which has been reclaimed. The train swings south away from the coastal line and on to Portsea Island, crossing the Broom Channel. The next station is Hilsea and then the line runs through an urban landscape to Fratton, with sea views disappointingly absent. Here the train turns west and makes an elevated entry into Portsmouth & Southsea station. This is both a terminus and a through station. The façade, best seen from trains continuing onto to Portsmouth Harbour, is a splendid affair in the style of a French chateau. This is the station for the city centre, its shops and the grand civic square, with its interesting blend of Edwardian, baroque and modern architecture. Queen Victoria’s statue stands at the heart of the square, while at its northern corner is Jagger’s powerful war memorial, its crouching gunners seen clearly from the train.

The train then continues its elevated way towards Portsmouth Harbour station set on its pier high above the sea. As the train enters the station the tall masts of the HMS Victory and HMS Warrior can be seen to the right in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. This is also home to the famous Mary Rose, Action Stations, and the Royal Naval Museum. While next to the station is Gunwharf Quays and rising high above the station is the Spinnaker Tower. Nearby in Southsea is Southsea Castle, the D-Day Museum and the Royal Marines Museum. Southsea is also the terminus for the world's longest running commercial hovercraft service which is operated by Hovertravel and runs from Southsea (Clarence Pier) to Ryde Esplanade on the Isle of Wight.

Portsmouth Harbour station is where passengers can board the Wightlink fast catamaran ferry service to Ryde Pier Head on the Isle of Wight. The Gosport Ferry Company service across the harbour to Gosport also runs from here as well.

Nearby there is the Wightlink car ferry terminal for services to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. Also there is the Continental Ferry Terminal with ferry services to the Continent including P&O Ferries to Bilbao, Brittany Ferries to Caen, St Malo and Cherbourg, LD Lines to Le Havre, and Condor Ferries to the Channel Islands.

Portsmouth has long been known as the home of the Royal Navy and has been a naval base for centuries. It is home to the world's oldest working dry dock and many famous ships including Nelson's legendary flagship the HMS Victory. In 2005 Portsmouth  was the focus for the SeaBritain 2005 celebrations for the Bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar culminating in a massive Fleet Review.  For many years each of the Royal Navy's naval bases hosted "Navy Days", this tradition was continued by the biennial Plymouth Navy Days held at Devonport. Navy Days were restyled as the "Meet Your Navy" event in 2008 and Portsmouth Naval Base regularly hosts the biennial "Meet Your Navy" celebrations in alternation with Devonport Naval Base. The "Meet Your Navy" celebrations replace the traditional Navy Days.