Sprat and Winkle Line

The Sprat and Winkle Line was the common name of the Andover to Redbridge railway line which ran between Andover and Redbridge in Hampshire, England. It was built by the Andover and Redbridge Railway, which was incorporated in 1858. In 1863 the uncompleted railway was taken over by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) who opened the line in 1865 and operated until 1923 when the LSWR amalgamated with several other railways to create the Southern Railway (SR); in 1948 the SR itself amalgamated with other railways to form British Railways. The line was closed by the Beeching cuts in 1967.

Passenger services between Andover Junction and Romsey were withdrawn on 7 September 1964. The line between Andover Junction and Town was used for freight until 18 September 1967. The track remained for four years after the line was closed, but much of the route between Chilbolton and Kimbridge is now used by the Test Way long-distance footpath, and is also part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network.

The line between Romsey and Redbridge is still operational although the intermediate station of Nursling closed in 1957.

The name of the line has two main possible origins. The first is that the southern part of the line ran close to the mud flats of the River Test where the winkle may be found but it is unlikely that the sprat is found there.

The second possible origin of the name may be after the seafood that was carried from Southampton to Andover.

The Andover and Redbridge Canal defined the original route of the railway line. The canal was fully completed in 1794 and it provided the adequate transport of goods from Southampton to Andover for 63 years.

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