In 1847 the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway opened a line from Chichester to Portsmouth, connecting with the route from London via Brighton. There was a station at Havant, but this did little to improve Hayling's commercial position, chiefly because of the poor roads in the general district.John Scott-Morgan, The Hayling Island Branch – the Hayling Billy, Pen and Sword Transport, Barnsley, 2019, , pages 7 and 8
