Today the railway runs the full 10 miles between the market towns of Alresford and Alton, preserving an important piece of our 1940’s – 70’s railway heritage for this generation and many more to follow. Famous for its gradients, our railway was nicknamed 'going over the Alps' by locomotive crews during the days of steam, due the the sheer effort required by man and machine to crest the summit at Medstead & Four Marks, the highest station above sea level in Southern England. We operate a fleet of steam locomotives, most of them of the larger classes, as they are required to haul trains up and over the 'Alps'. Everytime a steam train runs along our line, this battle on the footplate is relived, and the full power of these magnificent machines can be seen, heard and appreciated by all.