▁steam ▁railway ▁running ▁between ▁Al ton ▁and ▁New ▁Al res ford , ▁so ▁called ▁because ▁it ▁used ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁transport ▁fresh ▁water c ress ▁to ▁London . ▁The ▁Water c ress ▁Line ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁char ity ▁largely ▁operated ▁by ▁volunte ers , ▁and ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁events ▁such ▁as ▁War ▁on ▁the ▁Line , ▁and ▁most ▁popular ly , ▁Thomas ▁The ▁T ank ▁Engine . ▁ ▁The ▁orig ins ▁of ▁the ▁Water c ress ▁Line ▁date ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁the ▁year ▁in ▁which ▁Parliament ▁granted ▁consent ▁for ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁' Al ton , ▁Al res ford ▁and ▁Win chester ▁Railway '. ▁Four ▁years ▁later ▁the ▁Mid ▁H ants ▁Railway ▁opened , ▁and ▁the ▁train ▁service ▁continued ▁until ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Then ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁partially ▁re - open ed , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁it ▁was ▁extended ▁further , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁it ▁was ▁re - open ed ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Al ton ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁the ▁main line ▁London ▁service . ▁ ▁Al ton ▁used ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁railway ▁j unction . ▁As ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Mid - H ants ▁Railway , ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁the ▁Me on ▁Valley ▁Railway ▁ran ▁from ▁Al ton ▁down ▁the ▁Me on ▁Valley ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁East le igh ▁to ▁F are ham ▁line