Walk the Selsey Tram

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“A Sense of Place” A Canal crossing History Every place is unique, shaped by its past, and echoes of the past can be found all around. From 1896 to 1935 the Hundred The Selsey Tram Way of Manhood and Selsey Tramway This walk mirrors the route taken by the tram, (or Selsey Tram) was, in theory as much as possible, at least, the fastest and most using existing rights-of-way. convenient way of travelling between Chichester and Selsey. The way-marked footpath was created in 1996, Between these two termini, there B Drawbridge up with the assistance of West Sussex County Council, were eleven stations or halts, the to commemorate the centenary of the Selsey Tram. remains of two of which can still be seen at Hunston and Chalder. Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group Walk The Tram was a conventional draws volunteers together in standard gauge railway in all but positive action for wildlife and C Chalder station name, but from the start all expense the benefit of the community. was spared in its construction the and operation, with little track To find out more about the group contact Tel: 01243 521131 engineering, signalling or station infrastructure. Contributors to this leaflet The tramway hugged existing George & Maggie Smith (Design and Production) Selsey Tram D Pagham Harbour field edges, twisting and turning Pamela Barnes (Design and Production) embankment across the Manhood Peninsula, Carole Hampton (Design and Production) with bends so tight that speeds over © 2008 Sally Blackmore (Design and Production) 15 miles an hour were ruled out. © 2008 Peter White (Art work) Way In keeping with the Tramway’s © 2008 Eileen Savill (Art work) ramshackle nature, the whole of © 2008 Richard E Mitchell (Supplied Photographs) the rolling stock was a ragged © 2008 Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group mismatch of ancient ex-works E Ferry crossing March 2008 derailment engines and, towards the end, petrol driven buses with flanged wheels. Yet, in its heyday excursions ran, packed with day-trippers, from London to Selsey Beach Station Distance 11 miles • Time 5 hours (via a crossover link from the main Start Chichester Canal Basin • Finish Selsey F Worst derailment line at Chichester). Maps • OS Explorer 120 • Landranger 197 • GR 859041 It declined rapidly in the 1920s, and the death of its mentor, Colonel Parking (P) in Chichester, Hunston and Selsey Holman Stephens, spelled the end For details of bus times between Chichester and Selsey call for this rural curiosity. Traveline: 0871 200 22 33 G Selsey cutting

Golf Golf

Pubs

Church

Key Key

Footpath

Tram route Tram Bus stops stops Bus B2145 PH

Stations 1 Chichester 2 Hunston 3 Hoe Farm 4 Chalder 5 Mill Pond Halt 6 Sidlesham 7 Ferry 8 Golf Club Halt 9 Selsey Bridge 10 Selsey Town 10 Selsey

11 Beach 11

Harbour Pagham Pagham

PH A27

3 PH

B2145

10 2

P 4 D B2145

A, B 9 6

8 P

F PH

andWC Sidlesham

Hunston Selsey

Chichester

Visitors’ Centre Visitors’

Go along the the along Go

to Sidlesham Sidlesham to

the remains of the the of remains the

the abutments the

(C)

, ,

Chalder Station, Station, Chalder

the old Tramway Tramway old the

At At

Cross the road with with road the Cross

tee turn right (PF) (PF) right turn tee

Passengers once became became once Passengers

turn left away from the canal canal the from away left turn

Regular collisions occurred here here occurred collisions Regular

��

Turn left along the lane for half a mile mile a half for lane the along left Turn

Cross another footbridge and follow ditch ditch follow and footbridge another Cross

Follow path (PF) to Manor Road. Turn right along along right Turn Road. Manor to (PF) path Follow

The only fatal accident, a derailment, happened near near happened derailment, a accident, fatal only The

the Tramway embankment.( D ) D embankment.( Tramway the

After three quarters of a mile turn left (PF) alongside alongside (PF) left turn mile a of quarters three After

At a junction of paths at the 15 the at paths of junction a At

��

At Church Gate Cottage turn left to go through the the through go to left turn Cottage Gate Church At

.(F) .(F)

Turn right along the road and take next path on the left (PF) (PF) left the on path next take and road the along right Turn

Turn left along the road, at the playing fields turn right right turn fields playing the at road, the along left Turn

Start at Chichester Canal Basin at the Waterside Inn. Go Go Inn. Waterside the at Basin Canal Chichester at Start

PF = Footpath Look for Selsey Tramway Path signs Path Tramway Selsey for Look Footpath = PF

walk.

alongside East Beach pond to reach the sea and the end of the the of end the and sea the reach to pond Beach East alongside

shops and at the fork bear left, cross the road and take path (PF) (PF) path take and road the cross left, bear fork the at and shops

road and at crossroads turn left along Beach Road. Go past the the past Go Road. Beach along left turn crossroads at and road

cutting. (G) cutting.

cross the road to take path (PF) alongside (PF) path take to road the cross

Road. Turn right along the road and at the bus stop turn left, left, turn stop bus the at and road the along right Turn Road.

chalets to join a track. Go straight ahead to reach the Chichester Chichester the reach to ahead straight Go track. a join to chalets

here

Tramway.

Keep on this path which turns left, then right to follow the the follow to right then left, turns which path this on Keep

across a field. Turn right to follow the track around the barn. barn. the around track the follow to right Turn field. a across

care and turn left for a few yards to take path on the right (PF) (PF) right the on path take to yards few a for left turn and care

flag before the locomotive crossed. ( E ) ) E ( crossed. locomotive the before flag

driver of the tram having to walk across the road waving a red red a waving road the across walk to having tram the of driver

between road vehicles and trains eventually resulting in the the in resulting eventually trains and vehicles road between

right to reach the road (PF). (PF). road the reach to right

follow the path towards the road. Turn left at the fence then then fence the at left Turn road. the towards path the follow

This was This

for three quarters of a mile, ignoring all turnings on the right. right. the on turnings all ignoring mile, a of quarters three for

Sidlesham to Selsey (4 miles) miles) (4 Selsey to Sidlesham

enclosed path to Sidlesham Harbour. Harbour. Sidlesham to path enclosed

lane and take (PF) across a field. At (PF) turn left to reach an an reach to left turn (PF) At field. a across (PF) take and lane

and at (PF) turn right across fields to Rookery Lane. Cross the the Cross Lane. Rookery to fields across right turn (PF) at and

churchyard to a lane. lane. a to churchyard

Church. Church.

which is the most visible remaining artifact remaining visible most the is which

buildings and follow the lane which passes which lane the follow and buildings

Farm ignoring left fork (Sustrans Path). Turn left at the farm farm the at left Turn Path). (Sustrans fork left ignoring Farm

Turn right along a farm track (PF). Follow the track to Chalder Chalder to track the Follow (PF). track farm a along right Turn

on left, turn right at (PF) and go through a gap straight ahead. ahead. straight gap a through go and (PF) at right turn left, on

�� on. straight carry

edge of a field, turn right at (PF) across a third footbridge and and footbridge third a across (PF) at right turn field, a of edge

�� house. a of front in (PF) left turn immediately to

footbridge, go straight ahead (PF), then cross another footbridge footbridge another cross then (PF), ahead straight go footbridge,

left along a tarmac path (PF) behind a line of trees. Cross a a Cross trees. of line a behind (PF) path tarmac a along left

along a tarmac road. At the clubhouse go straight on, turn turn on, straight go clubhouse the At road. tarmac a along

a storm. a

stranded at a Halt here after trees blocked the line following following line the blocked trees after here Halt a at stranded

along track through golf course (PF). course golf through track along

(PF) turn right again along the edge of a field. At (PF) go left left go (PF) At field. a of edge the along again right turn (PF)

farm turn left (PF) along a track. At (PF) turn right and at next next at and right turn (PF) At track. a along (PF) left turn farm

Hunston church. Turn right past the church (PF) and at the the at and (PF) church the past right Turn church. Hunston

the edge of the field. At (PF) turn right, cross another field to to field another cross right, turn (PF) At field. the of edge the

across the road to follow footpath (PF) straight ahead along along ahead straight (PF) footpath follow to road the across

Hunston to Sidlesham (5 miles) miles) (5 Sidlesham to Hunston

main road (B2145). (B2145). road main

(PF) to follow the former Tram track straight ahead to reach the the reach to ahead straight track Tram former the follow to (PF)

drawbridge abutments (A & B) & (A abutments drawbridge

yards to rejoin the towpath (PF). On reaching On (PF). towpath the rejoin to yards

Hunston to meet the road. Turn right along the road for a few few a for road the along right Turn road. the meet to Hunston

the canal, ignoring all side paths, and cross the footbridge at at footbridge the cross and paths, side all ignoring canal, the

to the right of the canal basin (PF). Follow the towpath along along towpath the Follow (PF). basin canal the of right the to

Chichester to Hunston (2 miles) miles) (2 Hunston to Chichester Directions Directions