Unfortunately there is a level crossing at Ash which you'll need to cross to catch the connecting train. The level crossing can stay down for so long that you see your connecting train pull into the station and leave before you can cross the road!:-x
What trains do I need to catch to go from Reading to Alton
I'm pretty sure you could. If you miss a valid connection through no fault of your own then they are liable for the delay. If they think more than 3 minutes should be allowed then they should amend the minimum interchange time.The official connection at Ash is 3 minutes, but as you say the crossing can be down so long you usually miss the connection. For this reason I don't use it anymore. I have idlely wondered if you could actually claim for a delay to your journey for this, even though both trains concerned are on time as it is advertised as a connection.