I'm sure this is an old line??
 

Firstly, apologies if this is in the wrong section...

I'm hoping you kind people may be able to help me identify what I'm sure is a long abandoned line.

To fill you in, I have until recently lived in Aldershot, Hants for 18 years, and in those 18 years I have noticed what I'm sure must be an old railway line - A very straigh footpath, with gentle curves, perched upon an embankment. Well, Google Earth (I think) confirms my suspicions, due to the path of this 'line' joining onto existing tracks.

The area where I first suspected this apparent line is towards the end of the A331, just before the roundabout for the A31, on the left side - see GE screen dump below. From this point this now non existent line joined up on to the line that currently takes trains from Aldershot & Reading onto guildford, just before Wanborough.

I have searched and searched everywhere, but to no avail. Would anyone happen to know what this line was once called, where it served? I'd love to do a bit more research on it, but without a name I seem to have hit a wall.

Hopefully someone can help, which would be most appreciated.

I've put in a yellow line to indicate what I believe to be the path of the line to give you an idea.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/918/dumpgt1.th.jpg

Regards,
Stu

Stu,
According to my Gazetteer there was a line which bypassed Aldershot and enabled trains to run directly between Farnham and Wanborough. There were stations at Tongham and Ash Green Halt and the line closed in 1937.

Thank you John, thats just what I was looking for, and you have confirmed my supsicions! It would seem the line finally closed in 1960.

If it is of any interest I have the following links from Subbrit & good ol' Wikipedia with details of the stations you mention. This is the only information I can find so far, so when I'm next back in Aldershot I think I'll have to pay a visit to the library to find more...

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/s...en/index.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongham_railway_station


Again, many thanks.

Stu

Semtex, have you contacted Nick Catford? He's a major player in SubBrit, and the railway section is mostly his doing (I arranged the visit to Orpington control bunker for him). You should be able to find a link to him somewhere on the SB site.

I have seen some of Nick's work in the past actually, will look into this, thanks. He's mentioned on 28dayslater.co.uk (urban exploration forum, worth checking out)

EDIT: Have mailed nick; hopefully he'll be kind enough to point me in the right direction for more info. I'll keep you guys posted if anyone is interested?