Tongham station, along with Farnborough (Main), was one of the first railheads for the military traffic associated with the recently established army camps at Aldershot. Its significance was drastically reduced, both as a station and as part of a through route, with the opening of Aldershot railway station in 1870 on a new more direct line from Pirbright Junction on the London to Basingstoke line which linked with the Guildford to Alton line between Tongham and Farnham, effectively bypassing the short section. This was followed in 1879 by the laying of a spur from Ash to Aldershot which had the effect of diminishing the Guildford to Farnham traffic.