The Advent of
Railway
Cricket continued in Petersfield without serious incident until the mid 1850s.
Then a major change occurred that affected not only everyone in Petersfield but
also throughout Britain: the advent of the railway. The
London and South Western Railway Company’s route
for the new track, from London
to Portsmouth
lay to the west of Petersfield away from the existing habitation. The opening of
the railway was delayed due to a dispute with the South West Railway Company and
initially the line through Petersfield had to terminate at Havant. However the
dispute was finally resolved and the full length of the track was opened on 1st
January 1859. The location of the station at Petersfield meant that the cricket
field had had to be used for the old sidings and thus well over 100 years of
cricketing history played out on the old ground disappeared in the name of
progress.