The Real Berks & Hants

Although the name Berks & Hants is usually associated with the Reading - Westbury line, the original Berks & Hants Railway was built from Reading to Hungerford with a branch from Southcote Junction to Basingstoke. The only part of the line in Hants was the southern half of the Basingstoke branch. The Hungerford line and its later extension to Westbury might be better described as the Berks & Wilts, a bit like a dog expiring from heatstroke.

166.221 had just entered Hampshire on its way to Basingstoke with 2J51, the 17:08 from Reading, when it was photographed at Silchester on 1 June 2017.