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Location notes
A quiet bridge at Bedhampton on the Portsmouth main line, to the west of Havant where the line is joined by the coastal route from Chichester, Bognor and Brighton and to the east of the triangle where the line diverges for Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton.
Railway type and traffic
SWT 444s on Portsmouth - Waterloo services (2 fasts and 1 slow each way an hour). SWT 450s on Basingstoke (or SWT 170s when from Reading) to Brighton (1 each way an hour). Southern 377s on Portsmouth - Brighton (1 each way an hour), Portsmouth - Victoria (1 each way an hour) and Victoria - Southampton (1 each way an hour) services and the very occasional Wessex Alphaline 158 on a Brighton - Bristol service.
On the freight front there are 2 return workings a day: the Mendip Rail 59 hauled Merehead - Chichester - Westbury stone in bogie boxes and the DB Schenker 66 hauled Fawley - Holybourne - Eastleigh Yard bogie tanks.
On the freight front there are 2 return workings a day: the Mendip Rail 59 hauled Merehead - Chichester - Westbury stone in bogie boxes and the DB Schenker 66 hauled Fawley - Holybourne - Eastleigh Yard bogie tanks.
Environment
A very quiet country road to no-where that is also a footpath, there is a main A-road to the south, but otherwise open fields and the village of Bedhampton. The location is exposed to the elements!
Road directions
From the north:
Heading south on the A3(M) come off at Junction 5 and head east onto the B2177 (Bedhampton Road) to Bedhampton, continue on this road at the Y junction where the road joins from the left. Shortly you will see an old Primary School (now an Arts Centre) before a car sales showroom, turn right into Kingscroft Lane immediately before the school building. Follow this along and round the sharp right-hand bend, you will then see a church, with Mill Lane opposite it on the left, turn into it and drive up the slope to the bridge.
From the east or west:
Heading east or west on the A27 Havant Bypass exit at the junction for the A3023, but do not go on this road, head northwards down Park Road South towards Bedhampton. Turn left into West Street just opposite the Tourist Information Centre and cross the railway on the level crossing at the station. Imediatley after crossing the line turn left onto Bedhampton Road, drive past the car sales showroom and the old primary school, and immediately after the school buildings turn left into Kingscroft Lane. Follow this along and round the sharp right-hand bend, you will then see a church, with Mill Lane opposite it on the left, turn into it and drive up the slope to the bridge.
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Bedhampton, Mill Lane map co-ordinates
Heading south on the A3(M) come off at Junction 5 and head east onto the B2177 (Bedhampton Road) to Bedhampton, continue on this road at the Y junction where the road joins from the left. Shortly you will see an old Primary School (now an Arts Centre) before a car sales showroom, turn right into Kingscroft Lane immediately before the school building. Follow this along and round the sharp right-hand bend, you will then see a church, with Mill Lane opposite it on the left, turn into it and drive up the slope to the bridge.
From the east or west:
Heading east or west on the A27 Havant Bypass exit at the junction for the A3023, but do not go on this road, head northwards down Park Road South towards Bedhampton. Turn left into West Street just opposite the Tourist Information Centre and cross the railway on the level crossing at the station. Imediatley after crossing the line turn left onto Bedhampton Road, drive past the car sales showroom and the old primary school, and immediately after the school buildings turn left into Kingscroft Lane. Follow this along and round the sharp right-hand bend, you will then see a church, with Mill Lane opposite it on the left, turn into it and drive up the slope to the bridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Bedhampton, Mill Lane map co-ordinates
Parking
The road is very wide and little used, you can simply pull up onto the wide grass verge, but do not park too close to the bridge on the left hand side as you may want to stand there to get a wide-angle shot!
Public transport
SWT services from Portsmouth and Waterloo call hourly at Bedhampton, the Southern Portsmouth - Brighton service also calls hourly.
From Portsmouth you can get the Stagecoach operated Number 21 or Number 23 bus. From Havant you can get the 21 or the 23, from Portsmouth City Centre the number 21 is quickest. From Cosham or west Hilsea you want the 23 and from Fratton or east Hilsea you want the 21. Get off at the station, if your not sure where it is make sure you ask the driver to stop for you or he will go sailing past!
From the station walk past the car sales showroom and the old primary school, and immediatley after the school buildings turn left into Kingscroft Lane. Walk along the footpath and across the park you will then come out on a road by the church, with Mill Lane opposite it, walk into Mill Lane and up the slope to the bridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
From Portsmouth you can get the Stagecoach operated Number 21 or Number 23 bus. From Havant you can get the 21 or the 23, from Portsmouth City Centre the number 21 is quickest. From Cosham or west Hilsea you want the 23 and from Fratton or east Hilsea you want the 21. Get off at the station, if your not sure where it is make sure you ask the driver to stop for you or he will go sailing past!
From the station walk past the car sales showroom and the old primary school, and immediatley after the school buildings turn left into Kingscroft Lane. Walk along the footpath and across the park you will then come out on a road by the church, with Mill Lane opposite it, walk into Mill Lane and up the slope to the bridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There are no amenities in the immediate vicinity although there is a small shop on the Bedhampton Road and other shops in the centre of Bedhampton. There are toilets in the building in the park, but the chances of them being open are slim!
Accommodation
There is plenty of accommodation in nearby Portsmouth or Havant.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Bedhampton, Mill Lane
Streetmap links
Bedhampton, Mill Lane general view map
Bedhampton, Mill Lane close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Bedhampton, Mill Lane
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Bedhampton, Mill Lane
Googly map
Bedhampton, Mill Lane general view map
Bedhampton, Mill Lane close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Bedhampton, Mill Lane
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The line is aligned NE - SW with the sun crossing from the South side of the line to the North side at around 1600. The only problem with this location is that it is 'wrong side' only, that is you can only go there on cloudy days due to the large trees on the south side of the line that would cast large shadows, messing up your picture! On cloudy days you can do very tight, nose on, shots from the south side of the line, but the best shot is from the north side, where you can get quite wide. Facing west the line is straight and in a cutting, there is a bridge further up that has the potential to chop of the back off long trains (i.e. 10 car Desiros) if you are using a zoom lens. Facing east the line takes a sharp right bend out of the cutting into Bedhampton station which can just be seen. If you have a pair of binoculars you can watch the level crossing barriers go down to warn you of approaching trains, but watch out you don't get jumped from behind!
Video would be good with the trains coming round the bend and also out of the cutting, although the location is rural you can hear the traffic on the A27 Havant Bypass which could cause problems.
Video would be good with the trains coming round the bend and also out of the cutting, although the location is rural you can hear the traffic on the A27 Havant Bypass which could cause problems.
General views - All photographs © Kevin Lee unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking east
A north side zoom.
Fig 2 - Looking east
A north side wide angle view.
Fig 3 - Looking west
Fig 4 - Looking east
A south side zoom angle.
Fig 5 - Looking west
The south side angle.
Fig 6 - The bridge as seen on approach.
Fig 7 - Looking east
Fig 8 - Looking west
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
