Farnham railway station

Farnham
Location
Place	Farnham
Local authority	Waverley
Operations
Station code	FNH
Managed by	South West Trains
Number of platforms	2
Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage
2004/05 *	1.126 million
2005/06 *	1.173 million
2006/07 *	1.262 million
2007/08 *	1.467 million
2008/09 *	1.510 million
2009/10 *	1.546 million
History
Opened 8 October 1849 (8 October 1849)
National Rail - UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Farnham from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year.

A 1912 Railway Clearing House map of lines around Farnham railway station

Farnham railway station serves the town of Farnham in Surrey. It is located on Station Hill by the level crossing that carries the Alton Line across the B3001 secondary road. The town centre is about ten minutes away on foot to the north of the A31 Farnham Bypass via a signal-controlled crossing. The start of the North Downs Way, a long distance footpath, is signposted near to the main entrance to the station. Farnham College is six minutes walk away in a southerly direction.

Train services are provided by South West Trains, with direct trains running to Aldershot, Alton, Woking, Surbiton, Clapham Junction and London Waterloo.

Trains are formed of modern Siemens Class 450 electric multiple units (primarily blue in colour) and Class 444 (primarily white). Steam trains and freight trains are seen quite often, travelling from/to the Watercress Line and Holybourne oil terminal.

There is a buffet in the booking hall selling newspapers, hot and cold beverages, confectionery, snacks, hot food and tobacco products.

History

The station was opened on 8 October 1849, on a route from Guildford via Ash Green and Tongham. The line from Aldershot station opened in 1870 and was electrified on 4 July 1937. Passenger services via Ash Green station and Tongham ceased on the same date.

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Tongham station		British Railways Southern Region Tongham Railway		Terminus

Farnham station in fiction

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson travelled by train to Farnham in "The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist". Holmes said, "A beautiful neighbourhood and full of the most interesting associations. You remember, Watson, that it was near there that we took Archie Stamford, the forger."

Watson recounted, "We had ascertained from the lady that she went down upon the Monday by the train which leaves Waterloo at 9.50, so I started early and caught the 9.13." He did this on Monday, 25 April 1895. Holmes himself travelled to Farnham the next day, returning to Baker Street "late in the evening with a cut lip and a discoloured lump upon his forehead, besides a general air of dissipation which would have made his own person the fitting object of a Scotland Yard investigation".

Services

The typical off-peak service (Monday to Saturday) from the station is:

• 2 trains per hour to London Waterloo (Platform 1 calling at: Aldershot, Ash Vale, Brookwood, Woking, West Byfleet & Clapham Junction
• 2 trains per hour to Alton (Platform 2 calling at: Bentley (short platforms, also an hourly service)

The journey time to Alton is approximately 14 minutes and that to London is approximately 58 minutes.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Aldershot		South West Trains Alton Line		Bentley

External links

• Train times and station information for Farnham railway station from National Rail