New Tram-Train For Fareham

It has been reported in the local press that transport chiefs in Hampshire have backed plans for a high-frequency new style tram-train running between Southampton and Fareham. The futuristic style vehicles would replace standard trains on the existing Netley line under a very ambitious multi-million pound scheme. The reintroduction of passenger services on the Waterside line between Totton and Hythe were also supported by the Transport for South Hampshire joint committee.

Transport for South Hampshire is a delivery agency formed in 2007 for the South Hampshire sub-region, bringing together local transport authorities, transport operators, business interests and government agencies to deliver change. The organisation is a partnership made up of the highway authorities of Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth, together with with transport providers and other agencies.

The proposals were among 11 top priorities identified in a new report outlining the future of railways in South Hampshire over the next 30 years.

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Vintage cars in the firing line of resident bats

EVERY evening, staff at a Hampshire tourist attraction take part in a bizarre guessing game. Employees at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, try to work out which of the historic cars are likely to be damaged during the night by bats living in the roof. About 100 bats are thought to have taken up residence in a replica of a 1930s garage in the main exhibition hall.

At night they fly out and leave their calling card on some of the cars on show, damaging the paintwork.

Staff attempt to protect the collection by covering vehicles beneath the creatures’ flightpath – but choosing the right ones is driving them batty. Cars in the danger zone include a Sunbeam that set a new land speed record of 129mph an hour in 1922.

Museum attendant Andrew Farr said: “We do what we can but we don’t know where the bats will go.”

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Hot Hot Hot Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE was basking in scorching temperatures again yesterday. Weather forecasters predicted that the mercury would climb to 27C (81F), the hottest day of the year so far. People grabbed their buckets and spades and flocked to the beach yesterday to make the most of “wall-to-wall” sunshine. Travel experts said there was congestion on roads leading to most coastal areas.

Traffic Masters head of travel Ross Gould said the A31 westbound through the New Forest towards Bournemouth and Poole had had the most notable problems.

He said: “The beachside resorts are hotspots for the holiday traffic. In the UK if there is any hint of sunshine people head straight to the coast.” Matt Dobson, forecaster at MeteoGroup, said yesterday's highest temperatures fell short of the 26.5C (80F) reached on Friday, which was the hottest day of the year so far.

He added that the south enjoyed temperatures of up 21C (70F) by the sea.

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Verderers in support for New Forest 30mph limit

NEW Forest Verderers have backed proposals for a blanket 30mph speed limit across the New Forest in Hampshire in a bid to further reduce animal fatalities. The call for the reduction of the limit from 40mph on unfenced roads was made at the May Verderers’ Court at Lyndhurst by the New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association, an organisation which looks after the interests of those who own the cattle and ponies that roam the forest. Spokesman Mike Eccles was looking for the backing of the verderers, and he got it.

Following discussions in committee, official verderer Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre came down firmly on the side of a reduction in the 40 limit, which has been in place forest-wide since 1992. He said: “Having a universal speed limit of 30mph across the whole of the forest makes very good sense.

“The government's own statistics show that the 10mph difference between 30 and 40 hugely reduces the risk of accidents.

“Another benefit would be the removal of the multitude of ugly and rather pointless new signs that have had to be erected all over the forest because of the different speed limits in most of our villages, sometimes only yards apart.

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A Potted History Of Stubbington

A potted history of where we are based in Hampshire. Both Stubbington and neighbouring Crofton were mentioned in the Domesday Book (the 11th century UK census) as small districts belonging to the estates of Titchfield Abbey. During the 19th century, Stubbington engulfed Crofton and the small fishing village of Hill Head. The Crofton name still remains in the name of many local facilities, such as the Crofton School (secondary) and Crofton Old Church.

At the start of the 20th century, the village still consisted of just a few dozen cottages and farms. By 1939, the population had risen to around 2,500 and a number of small shops had opened surrounding the village green. This remains the central focus of the village to the present day, with a war memorial situated on the central village green.

The 'Crofton Old Church' at Crofton is one of the oldest known inhabited sites in the area. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and it is thought to date back to the reign of King Alfred in the 9th Century. It is believed to have caught the eye of Samuel Pepys in 1662 and was extensively renovated during the 13th Century. A new church (Holy Rood) was built in Stubbington which took over the function of Crofton Church in 1878.


In 1922 a wooden War Memorial was built to commemorate those from Stubbington and Hill Head who fell in the First World War. Their names were carved into the roof of the memorial although over the years they have been worn away. The Memorial takes the form of a shelter over the village pump, and today it is one of few pre-war structures standing in the vicinity of Stubbington Village Centre. The names carved into the roof of the memorial have now been cleaned and can be seen clearly.

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Whats On In Hampshire : Shark Week

Staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Hampshire are putting the finishing touches to their week-long 'PR campaign' to try and change the public perception of the much-misunderstood shark. The aquarium will be hosting 'Shark Week' from May 23rd - 31st with the hope of converting young people into shark lovers rather than shark haters. Using a mixture of exhibitions, entertaining talks, feeding demonstrations and fun activities, Shark Week aims to dispel many of the popular misconceptions of sharks as mindless man-eaters by showing the facts behind the fiction.

As well as coming face to face with living members of the shark family ranging from native dogfish to black tip reef sharks, visitors to the aquarium will also be able to visit the 'Shark Nursery' - home to egg-cases, or mermaid's purses, and newly-hatched baby sharks.

There will also be quizzes and competitions and displays by the Shark Trust - a UK shark conservation group along with other information on what we can all do to help save sharks.

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Markets In Hampshire

f you love markets, you'll love shopping in Hampshire. Many of Hampshire's towns have lively weekly markets, selling anything from fashions to fresh fruit and vegetables and antiques. For a delicious, seasonal taste of Hampshire, visit our farmers' markets held each weekend in town centres across the county.

Here Hampshire farmers and producers sell what they have produced, grown, reared and made, and can tell you how it was produced and how few food miles their food travelled to reach you. They offer top quality produce such as locally-sourced watercress, pork, trout, beers and wine.

Don't miss the fascinating antique shops and craft and picture galleries in Stockbridge, the cosy tea shops and annual Watercress Festival in Alresford, or the tempting annual Food Festival in Emsworth.

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City Spotlight - Southampton

The historic city of Southampton is much more than just a cruise stop or shopping destination. Its appeal lies in its diverse nightlife, exciting retail opportunities, varied leisure facilities, superb art and heritage attractions, lively events programme and of course the excitement and charm of a bustling waterfront location.

The superb Museum of Archaeology at God’s House Tower is an ideal place to start your own tour of historical Southampton. Once part of the city’s defences the museum is now home to one of the most interesting archaeology collections in England. This can be followed by a guided walk of the city’s walls by the Southampton Tourist Guides.

The city’s Maritime Museum tells the story of this important port and is home to the Titanic Exhibition, where visitors can re-live the ill-fated story of this famous ship. Whilst close by Solent Sky depicts the history of aviation in the Solent area and tells the story of the legendary Spitfire designed in Southampton.

Few places can match Southampton’s cultural offerings including the magnificent award-winning City Art Gallery and Southampton Guildhall, as well as a superb choice of fine theatres, galleries and international events such as the annual Boat Show.

With the magnificent WestQuay, Southampton has added to its extensive portfolio a state of the art shopping facility with almost a hundred shops, whilst close by are three further excellent shopping centres as well as the traditional specialist shops making Southampton the top shopping destination in the South of England.

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Estate Agent In Fareham - Hampshire Highlight : Royal Naval Museum

Hampshire is just an hour from London and its excellent transport links make it an easy destination to reach, whether you are travelling by road, rail or air. Given its location is it often the preferred choice of area to live for people commuting into London. Hampshire is a vibrant county with a rich tapestry of history and culture with an abundance of exciting sites to see and places to visit.

As an island Nation, the sea has always played a major role in Britain’s history.

Founded in 1911, the Royal Naval Museum is one of country’s leading maritime museums and is the only museum devoted to the ships of the Royal Navy and the men and women who served in them. Visitors can see, touch, hear and even smell the history of the Royal Navy through a rich collection of artefacts and award-winning permanent exhibitions.

The Trafalgar Experience brings the Battle of Trafalgar vividly to life and The Nelson Gallery features one of the best collections of Nelson material in the world. The galleries devoted to the 20th century Navy focus on the changing face of the senior service from the launch of the Dreadnought to the Falklands War.

Sea Your History is a special exhibition focusing on the real experiences of the Navy’s people - in combat and under stress, doing their day-to-day work, at rest and play, at home and abroad, at sea and on land - during a century of almost continuous conflict and rapid technological and social change.

The exhibition will include colourful, surprising and often touchingly intimate items of both official and personal material selected from the collections of the Royal Naval Museum, the Fleet Air Arm Museum, the Royal Marines Museum and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.

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Estate Agent In Fareham - Hampshire Highlight : Alresford Watercress Festival

The county of Hampshire is a unique mixture of rolling lush hills, tranquil chocolate box style villages and ancient woodland, combined with vibrant cities and buzzing market towns. A rich cultural heritage, varied coastline and unspoilt countryside makes Hampshire a ‘top of the list’ place to live.

This months see the annual Watercress Festival in the sleepy village of Alresford.

Alresford and watercress go way back. Wild watercress has been picked and eaten locally for centuries, yet it wasn’t until the introduction of the railway in 1865 that it reached a far wider population. Today the mineral-rich spring waters of the River Arle still offer perfect growing conditions and the watercress beds around Alresford are one of the country’s main areas of production. Hailed as a ’superfood’, the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in watercress are recognised alongside its tasty versatility.

Now in its 6th year, the Alresford Watercress Festival has grown from its humble beginnings to attract over 10,000 visitors. Held in the town streets between 10am and 4pm, the food festival draws together both the local community and food lovers from far and wide. One of the main highlights is the street calvalcade at 10.30am with jazz musicians, Morris dancers and local school children accompanying the Watercress King and Queen atop a horse and cart, distributing the first of the season’s watercress harvest to festival goers.

Throughout the day, cookery demonstrations will star several award winning Hampshire chefs, including executive chef Andy MacKenzie, (Hampshire’s Food and Drink Chef of the Year) and head pastry chef Mark Tilling (2008 British Chocolate Master), both from Winchester’s Lainston House Hotel. They will be joined by Cresson Creative’s Jennifer Laing, Gold Star winner in the prestigious national Great Taste Awards 2008.

A huge Hampshire Farmers Market and many other local food and drink businesses will showcase locally produced foods. You can also enjoy a large arts and crafts market and display of vintage cars. There are activities for children of all ages, including cookery and circus skills workshops and face painting, and everyone can enjoy the delights of the many street entertainers and musicians. You can take a tour around one of the local watercress farms to find out more about this local superfood, and visit Alresford’s historical Fulling Mill, Eel House and medieval Soke Bridge on a short walk along the River Arle.

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Estate Agent In Fareham - Hampshire Highlight : Spinnaker Tower

Hampshire is a unique county of rolling green hills, tranquil chocolate box villages and ancient forests, combined with vibrant cities and bustling market towns. A rich cultural heritage, varied coastline and unspoilt countryside makes Hampshire a wonderful place to live.

One of the latest things to visit and see in Hampshire is the Spinnaker Tower. Soaring 170 metres above Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent, the Spinnaker Tower is taller than the London Eye, Blackpool Tower and Big Ben and has already established itself as a national icon for Britain.

A world class visitor attraction, the much-admired, elegant viewing Tower stands proud over one of the most fascinating seascapes in the world. Situated on the waterfront at Gunwharf Quays, it offers amazing 350º panoramic views of Portsmouth Harbour, the South coast and the Isle of Wight, with views stretching out for up to 23 miles – breathtaking by day and a glittering sea of lights by night.

View Deck 1 boasts Europe’s largest glass floor, where visitors of all ages can dare to ‘walk on air’! View Deck 2 has self-contained multimedia ‘Time Telescope’ stations showing the history of the harbour and View Deck 3 – The Crow’s Nest – is open to the elements, enabling visitors to feel the wind in their hair.

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