Southdown sheep wool and cereals due to rising volumes of imports from the British Empire was accompanied by the Wet Years - a six-year period of cold, wet weather with little sun. In the Second World War, the South Downs were commandeered for military training, only fringe farms being left to produce milk for the towns. Sheep farming declined further after the war, although it is now being encouraged again through the designation of the downland as an environmentally sensitive area, and the restoration of arable land to sheepwalk. The Southdown has been placed on a watch list by the Rare Breeds
Avondale–Southdown Line Avondale–Southdown Line The Avondale–Southdown Line is a proposed railway line between Avondale and Southdown in Auckland, New Zealand. One of its main functions would be to remove north–south freight trains from the section of the Auckland rail system that has the most passenger traffic. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority's "Rail Development Plan 2006" included the line in its long-term vision for Auckland's rail network, however, there has been little development work on the project, and it may not be completed until 2030. It is currently envisaged that the line is most likely to be built between 2031–2040. The line would