NOSTALGIC memories of bygone days on the railway came flooding back as the historic goods shed at Alresford was officially given a new lease of life.

An old-fashioned horse and cart, which used to be a familiar sight at railway stations in the 1800s, and a celebrity visit from Dad's Army star Bill Pertwee set the scene for the opening of the refurbished facility.

The goods shed, first opened in 1865, has been completely refurbished and transformed into a visitor centre.

It was the only goods shed built by the Mid-Hants Railway and was in continuous use until British Railways ended the daily pick-up goods train in 1964.

The £400,000 transformation project has turned the building into a new focal point for the thousands of people visiting the Watercress Line every year.

The building includes a ground-floor shop, a museum, an information point and a first-floor meeting room.

The project won a £250,000 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.