22 April 2026 Rails to Midhurst

Presenter: Bill Gage

On 22April Bill Gage presented the talk to us ‘Rails to Midhurst’ to a very large audience of over 60 attendees.

In his inimitable style Bill outlined all aspects of these lines from construction to closing, driven originally by rivalry between the different companies whose territories adjoined each other, complicated by the opposition of the very wealthy landowners whose estates needed to be crossed. This was eventually solved by routing the lines to pass out of view of the great houses! , which of course didn’t prevent them benefitting from the railway once built!

Amusing incidents, especially the runaway locomotive from Petworth, just after the line opened, livened proceedings. The talk was pitched at a level to suit both railway enthusiasts and those with an interest in local history, as proved by the number of Chichester Local Historical Society members present as visitors, most of whom l suspect had no idea the amount of heavy engineering involved in the construction and upkeep, especially of the Chichester Branch.

Our reviewer has a special interest, as he grew up in Duncton near Petworth station and can remember his mother talking about going to school via Midhurst in the 1930s and his father, an early commuter to London via the Petworth Flyer until the line closed to passengers in 1955. A very amusing, entertaining and informative evening all round.