Fareham-Gosport Branch Line - The Junction Traditional Cache
Mogwai Liz: Cache appears to have gone. Will set another cache in this area when some of the vegetation dies back. Thanks to all who found this cache.
Fareham-Gosport Branch Line - The Junction
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Cache is a small, plastic screw-top soup container covered in black duck tape. Cache is situated near to where the Stokes Bay branch left the main Fareham-Gosport line.
Fareham-Gosport Branch
In 1841 a railway opened between the London and Southampton Railway at Eastleigh via Fareham to Gosport. Gosport railway station was intended to serve Portsmouth across the water, but was sited at Gosport because the railway company was not permitted to breach the Hilsea Lines, the defences at the northern end of Portsea Island protecting Portsmouth. Due to declining traffic, the connection to Fareham was closed for passenger services in 1953 and to freight traffic in 1969, although trains to the armament depot in Frater ran until the late 1970s. The trackbed of the former Gosport–Fareham railway is now a pedestrian walkway and cycle track.
Stokes Bay Branch
The short branch opened on 6th April 1863. At first a reversal at Gosport was required as the Stokes Bay branch was only accessible from a trailing connection into the main line but a new east curve was eventually opened on 1st June 1865 giving direct access from Fareham; from the same date an intermediate station was opened at Gosport Road. Opening a new route between Waterloo and Stokes Bay along the recently opened Meon Valley Line in 1902 did not bring the expected increase in passenger numbers and the new service was withdrawn in 1914. The steamer service to the Isle of Wight was suspended at the start of WW1 and was never reinstated. Despite the loss of the ferry, the passenger service was still running in the summer of 1915 but it was little used and both Stokes Bay and Gosport road were then closed for the duration of the war taking effect from 1st November 1915. After the war the LSWR did not reopen the line to passengers and in 1922 sold the pier and the line south of Gosport Road station to the Admiralty who had no use for the railway which was replaced by a narrow gauge line. The track was lifted in stages and by 1930 all that remained was the old down line as far as the Admiralty boundary south of Gosport Road Station. This stub line was used for stock storage. Shortly after that date the sub was cut back when Gosport Road station was sold to the council. Today much of the Stokes Bay branch is a public footpath. 'Little Anglesey Viaduct' still bridges an inlet from Portsmouth Harbour. Stokes Bay pier has gone with just a slipway at the end of Military Road to indicate its former position.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ng gur onfr bs n zhygv-gehaxrq gerr, nzbatfg gur vil.