Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway
Owner Hampshire Light Railways (Electric) Company, a subsidiary of the Provincial Tramways Company
Opened 2nd March 1903 (electric)
Operator Hampshire Light Railways (Electric) Company
Closed 9th January 1935 (as part of its sale to Southdown Motor Services)
Length 5.94 miles
Gauge 4ft 7¾ins
Button description Pattern of button currently unknown
Comments Although numerous photographs show staff wearing uniforms (see link), marked buttons have yet to come to light. The most likely explanation for this is that the buttons were either unmarked (i.e. they were plain) or alternatively, that they are not easily identifiable as an issue of the P&HLR (e.g. they bear script letters or a monogram of some description).
The Provincial Group (Provincial Tramways Company) was established in 1872 in London, and at various times, either owned, controlled or operated the following systems: Borough of Portsmouth, Kingston, Fratton and Southsea Tramways; Cardiff Tramways; Cardiff District and Penarth Harbour Tramways; General Tramways of Portsmouth; Gosport and Fareham Tramways; Gosport Street Tramways; Great Grimsby Street Tramways; Landport & Southsea Tramway; London Southern Tramways; Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways; Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway; and Portsmouth Street Tramways.
The unusual gauge was to allow for the running of railway wagons over the system.