THE interesting article on the future development of Knowle Village, together with a potted history of the site in Monday's Echo, did not mention that there was once a railway station there on the line from Eastleigh to Fareham.
Although the line was opened on November 29, 1841 and the asylum site bought by the county of Southampton in 1852, it wasn't until June 2, 1907, that the London and South Western Railway built Knowle Asylum Halt. On October 5, 1942, the Southern Railway renamed the station Knowle Halt. It closed under British Railways on April 6, 1964. Towards the end of its life trains only called there on visiting days at the hospital. If one looks carefully on a journey today, the site of the halt can be discerned from the train shortly after leaving Botley. Perhaps the opportunity could be taken to re-open the station as the site lies close to the new village of Knowle, thus giving the local residents an hourly service to London and Portsmouth?
RODERICK YOUNGMAN, Winchester.
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