Lakeside Country Park

Infobox Park
park = Lakeside Country Park


image size = 230px
caption = Beach Lake, one of the three lakes in the park
type = Country park
location = Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK
coordinates = coord|50.95646|-1.36418|display=inline
size = 60 acres
opened =
operator = Eastleigh Borough Council
visitors =
status = Open all year

Lakeside Country Park is a country park just south of the town of Eastleigh in Hampshire. The park covers 60 acres [http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/ebc-1531 Eastleigh Borough Council: Lakeside Country Park] Accessed 21st September 2007] and is home to the Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway.

The park is on the site of old gravel workings, with lakes formed from gravel pits. As well as the lakes themselves, the park boasts meadows and some young woodland.

The railway came to the park in 1992, originally as a temporary layout. [http://www.steamtrain.co.uk/history.htm Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: History of the Railway at Lakeside] Accessed 21st September 2007] A more permanent track was laid down in 1993, as the railway company was granted a three year lease. Five years later, a longer lease was negotiated and construction began on the two stations, Eastleigh Parkway and Monks Brook. They were opened in 1999, although further work on the layout itself was carried out in 2000. A tunnel was added in 2003, and Eastleigh Parkway station was extended in 2005 with the addition of a café and shop.

In April 2005, a band of travellers illegally set up camp in the park and on surrounding land, including allotments, with over a dozen caravans there at one stage. [http://archive.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/2005/5/12/6347.html Romsey Advertiser, 12th May 2005: Firefighters called twice in 24 hours] ] The travellers were there for five days [ [http://archive.basingstokegazette.co.uk/2005/4/15/8092.html Basingstoke Gazette, 14th May 2005: Taxpayers pick up park cleaning tab] ] and left large amounts of rubbish behind, which was not cleared for some weeks, and was subsequently set ablaze by local children. [ [http://archive.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/2005/5/3/6947.html Hampshire Chronicle, 3rd May 2005: Why has this mess not been cleaned up yet?] ]

The park is bounded by the Eastleigh urban area to the north, the A335 road to the east, the boundary between Eastleigh and Southampton to the south, and Monks Brook to the west.

References

External links

* [http://www.mad-web.org/Pages/Gallery/750/ Pictures of The Eastleigh Lakeside Railway]