THE Mid Hants Railway Santa Specials are in full swing, with the Christmas Leave event to take place from December 26 to 27 – but this will be the last chance to witness steam trains travelling over the historic Victorian bridge at The Butts.

With the southern entrance to the town already blighted by roadworks, the new year will see the replacement of the old bridge, to bring about the final change to one of the town’s most iconic conservation areas.

While trains will continue to steam across the bridge for the traditional setting on The Butts of Hampshire Hunt’s Boxing Day meet, Mid-Hants Railway has confirmed there will be no steam trains operating to or from Alton station from January 11 until the end of July next year.

This is because of work being carried out as part of the highway scheme to accommodate what has been dubbed the South Alton Plan – a 500-home development split between Borovere Farm on the A339 Selborne Road and the former Treloar Hospital site off Chawton Park Road.

The highways work will include a multi-million pound infrastructure project which will see the demolition of the Victoria bridge on Whitedown Lane.

It will be replaced by a new, wider girder bridge to serve the Watercress Line and enable traffic to travel with greater ease across that end of town.

However, during the six-month construction period, MHR is keen to stress the Watercress Line will continue to operate trains between Alresford and Medstead, with a free bus service for passengers from Alton Station.

Connecting MHR bus services to and from Alton Station will be available on weekends, bank holidays and special events. The Stagecoach 64 will also run from Alton Station to Station Approach, Medstead, every half an hour on Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays.