Veteran driver on Meon Valley branch line dies aged 95 | Nostalgia
It is with sadness I must report the death of former train driver John Hartfree, of Bedhampton, aged 95. He was well known to many in Portsmouth.
He was born in Portsmouth on St George’s Day, April 23, 1924.
John came from a railway family but started his working life in the Royal Navy as an HO rating (Hostilities Only) working on minesweepers up and down the east coast of England.
Perhaps one of the most dangerous occupations in the navy John told me of the comradeship that existed between those ships’ companies.
He also told me they never went hungry because when a mine was exploded hundreds of stunned fish came to the surface.
He did tell me about those scenes in war films in which you see sailors shooting at the horns of a mine to try to make it explode.
‘Poppycock,’ said John. ‘The idea was to hole the mine with bullet fire so it filled with water and sank. The horns had to be pushed in to make it explode, a .303 bullet wouldn’t do it.’
At the end of the war John joined the railway at Fratton depot as a cleaner/fireman.
On passing out as a fireman he had to move to Guildford to obtain a driver’s position as there were no vacancies at Fratton.
After qualifying as a driver John moved to Gosport, a sub-depot to Fratton. There he often worked on the Meon Valley line to Alton. He said: ‘It wasn’t like work at all, more like a day out working through the countryside.’
When Gosport closed he moved back to Fratton where he stayed for the rest of his working life.
He liked nothing better than to join up with other railwaymen and women to talk about the old times and was a fountain of knowledge. He seemed to know everyone.
Sadly, he died last Thursday. Because of coronavirus, only family can attend the funeral but when eventually many of his friends will meet up toast him.
Ten years ago, Tony Williams, who now owns the preserved Droxford station, invited former drivers who worked the line to an open day. John was thrilled when I took him along. It brought back many memories.
• Like Leigh Park, Paulsgrove housing estate was built after the Second World War, but unlike Leigh Park, Paulsgrove was well provided with shops.
Here we see the long row of assorted businesses that met local needs without going into Cosham or Portsmouth.
The grass verges have long gone in favour of parking. In those days buses were the main form of transport. Also of note is the telegraph pole on the left with just a few wires, mainly for business I suspect.