East Grinstead railway station
Encyclopedia
East Grinstead railway station serves the town of East Grinstead
in West Sussex
. The station was formerly divided into two levels: the higher level platforms serving the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line
, whilst the lower level platforms received services from the Oxted Line
49 km (30¼ miles) south of London Victoria and the East Grinstead to Lewes Line
.
Only the lower level platforms remain open today, the high level having closed in 1967 following the withdrawal of the Three Bridges Line as part of the closure programme proposed by the Beeching Report. A third low-level platform has been constructed at the south of the station by the Bluebell railway
.
. Constructed at a cost of £3,000, the station comprised a sandstone main building which survives to this day, as well as timber goods and engine sheds which had slate roofs. The first stationmaster was a Mr Nesbitt. In 1861 parliamentary approval was obtained for the extension of the Three Bridges Line to Tunbridge Wells
. The extension required East Grinstead station to be relocated a few yards north at a lower level in order to allow the line to pass under London Road. The new station building straddled the double track with basements at platform level which contained the stationmaster's office and porter's room. A large brick goods shed replaced the previous timber structure, whilst the site of the old station became a goods yard. The new station was officially opened on 1 October 1866.
The third re-modelling of East Grinstead station was made necessary by the arrival of two lines. First, the arrival from the south of an extension of the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway (L&EG) on 1 August 1882, which was followed on 10 March 1884, by an extension from the north of the Croydon, Oxted and East Grinstead Railway
(CO&EG). The L&EG would approach the Three Bridges line from the south at a right angle and the CO&EG would make an end-on junction with it. In order to accommodate the L&EG the 1866 station would have to be enlarged and modified, entailing the purchase of the adjoining timber yard. The railway company was not prepared to go to this expense and instead decided to relocate the station 300 yards to the west.
The new station was officially opened and the old one officially closed from 15 October 1883. It was arranged on two levels: the higher equipped with two island platform
s serving four tracks on the Three Bridges Line, the lower a double line two-platformed station set at a right angle to the L&EG. A sharply curving spur line (later known as the "St. Margaret's Loop") would enter the high level station from the CO&EG, requiring a deviation of the Three Bridges Line on its western approach to the new station in order to ease the sharpness of the bend. In 1907 the entire structure of the 1866 station was sold for scrap for £15.
In February 1970 after the closure of the High Level station British Rail
carried out a remodelling of the station, replacing the old station building with a smaller modern construction which reflected its new status as the terminus of a branch line from Oxted.
.
is extending its line from Kingscote
to link up with East Grinstead where it has obtained planning permission for a new station. The Bluebell Railway moved former South West Trains
4VEP
unit no. 3417 to the station site on 17 January 2009. The unit only remained on site for a few days as on 22 January it was moved to secure undercover storage at Eastleigh Railway Works
. The station was completed in September 2010. The new Bluebell Railway station is slightly south of the Network Rail station. It has a single platform capable of accommodating 8 coach trains; a run-round loop and a water tower have also been built. Through running to Network Rail started in July 2010, after GBRf had contracted to run occasional trains, each carrying 1,000 tons of excavated material from the Bluebell's northern extension to a disposal site at Calvert, Buckinghamshire
. The total to be removed is some 90,000 tons.
The Bluebell Railway station platform was opened for the public on Saturday 4th September 2010 when a shuttle passenger service operated on both 4th and 5th September for about half mile to the north end of the infilled cutting.
The closure of the Three Bridges-Groombridge Line after the last train on Sunday 1 January 1967 spelt the end for the High Level station which would receive no further traffic. The goods yard had been virtually closed for some time except for coal, and all freight facilities were formally withdrawn as from 10 April. The last train to use the station in February 1968 was a tracklifting train hauled by a Class 33
diesel locomotive. Until its demolition in 1970, the station was used by passengers as a short-cut to the Low Level which saved them the trouble of going around a nearby housing estate. Protests from passengers at the loss of the short-cut led to British Rail erecting a footbridge. The goods yard area was taken over by the A22
which runs parallel with Railway Approach. The East Grinstead Society had attempted to save the brick goods shed for reuse as a drama and arts workshop, but were unable to secure the necessary funds.
With regard to the possible reopening of the remaining section of the line from Tunbridge Wells to Three Bridges, a number of obstacles would appear to stand in the way of such action, most notably:
1) An industrial site currently occupies the former location of Forest Row railway station
as well as a small recycling centre to west.
2) The formation has been built across in several places notably in East Grinstead
where about one mile of the trackbed from Station Road to the Lewes Road tunnel has been taken over for a relief road (the A22
ironically named "Beeching Way" after Richard Beeching
whose recommendations
closed the railway line). As there is no feasible alternative route into the station, this road would need to be reconverted back to rail. Any such action would in all likelihood result in a cut in capacity on an already highly congested road network.
3) The site of Grange Road
has disappeared under a small parade of shops as well as housing which block 0.64 miles of the formation.
4) In 1974 East Sussex County Council created the Forest Way
linear Country Park
using the trackbed of the line from East Grinstead (just to the east of "Beeching Way") as far as Groombridge. Similarly, in1979 West Sussex County Council
created the Worth Way linear Country Park using the disused Three Bridges to East Grinstead line. Both have now been incorporated in to the Sustrans
National Cycle Network
.
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. The station was formerly divided into two levels: the higher level platforms serving the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line
Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line
The Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line was a railway line running from Three Bridges in West Sussex to Tunbridge Wells Central in Kent via East Grinstead in East Sussex, a distance of . Opened in 1855, the main section of the line was a casualty of the Beeching Axe the last train ran on...
, whilst the lower level platforms received services from the Oxted Line
Oxted Line
The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
49 km (30¼ miles) south of London Victoria and the East Grinstead to Lewes Line
Bluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
.
Only the lower level platforms remain open today, the high level having closed in 1967 following the withdrawal of the Three Bridges Line as part of the closure programme proposed by the Beeching Report. A third low-level platform has been constructed at the south of the station by the Bluebell railway
Bluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
.
History
The current East Grinstead station is the fourth to have been constructed in the town. The first was opened on 9 July 1855 in Swan Mead off the London Road. It was the terminus of a 6 mile long line to Three BridgesThree Bridges railway station
Three Bridges railway station is located in and named after the village of Three Bridges, which is now a district of Crawley, West Sussex, England...
. Constructed at a cost of £3,000, the station comprised a sandstone main building which survives to this day, as well as timber goods and engine sheds which had slate roofs. The first stationmaster was a Mr Nesbitt. In 1861 parliamentary approval was obtained for the extension of the Three Bridges Line to Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells West railway station
Tunbridge Wells West is a railway station located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It is one of two railway stations in Tunbridge Wells constructed by rival companies. The other, Tunbridge Wells Central was opened in 1845 by the South Eastern Railway . Tunbridge Wells West was closed to mainline...
. The extension required East Grinstead station to be relocated a few yards north at a lower level in order to allow the line to pass under London Road. The new station building straddled the double track with basements at platform level which contained the stationmaster's office and porter's room. A large brick goods shed replaced the previous timber structure, whilst the site of the old station became a goods yard. The new station was officially opened on 1 October 1866.
The third re-modelling of East Grinstead station was made necessary by the arrival of two lines. First, the arrival from the south of an extension of the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway (L&EG) on 1 August 1882, which was followed on 10 March 1884, by an extension from the north of the Croydon, Oxted and East Grinstead Railway
Oxted Line
The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
(CO&EG). The L&EG would approach the Three Bridges line from the south at a right angle and the CO&EG would make an end-on junction with it. In order to accommodate the L&EG the 1866 station would have to be enlarged and modified, entailing the purchase of the adjoining timber yard. The railway company was not prepared to go to this expense and instead decided to relocate the station 300 yards to the west.
The new station was officially opened and the old one officially closed from 15 October 1883. It was arranged on two levels: the higher equipped with two island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
s serving four tracks on the Three Bridges Line, the lower a double line two-platformed station set at a right angle to the L&EG. A sharply curving spur line (later known as the "St. Margaret's Loop") would enter the high level station from the CO&EG, requiring a deviation of the Three Bridges Line on its western approach to the new station in order to ease the sharpness of the bend. In 1907 the entire structure of the 1866 station was sold for scrap for £15.
In February 1970 after the closure of the High Level station British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
carried out a remodelling of the station, replacing the old station building with a smaller modern construction which reflected its new status as the terminus of a branch line from Oxted.
Facilities
- Booking Hall
- Ticket Office (2 Windows)
- Quick Ticket
- Station Kiosk
- Photo Booth
- Toilets
- Car Park
- Bicycle Storage
- Taxi rank
Services
The typical off-peak service is two trains per hour to London VictoriaVictoria station (London)
Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
.
Bluebell Railway
The heritage Bluebell RailwayBluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
is extending its line from Kingscote
Kingscote railway station
Kingscote railway station is a railway station on the Bluebell Railway. It is currently the northern terminus, pending completion of the extension to East Grinstead...
to link up with East Grinstead where it has obtained planning permission for a new station. The Bluebell Railway moved former South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
4VEP
British Rail Class 423
The British Rail Class 423 electrical multiple units were built by BR at York Works from 1967 to 1974, although the MBSOs and TSOs of the first 20, 7701-7720, were constructed at Derby Works. They feature manually-opening doors next to every seating row and were the last coaching stock built in...
unit no. 3417 to the station site on 17 January 2009. The unit only remained on site for a few days as on 22 January it was moved to secure undercover storage at Eastleigh Railway Works
Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works is a locomotive, carriage and wagon building and repair facility in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England.-History under the LSWR:...
. The station was completed in September 2010. The new Bluebell Railway station is slightly south of the Network Rail station. It has a single platform capable of accommodating 8 coach trains; a run-round loop and a water tower have also been built. Through running to Network Rail started in July 2010, after GBRf had contracted to run occasional trains, each carrying 1,000 tons of excavated material from the Bluebell's northern extension to a disposal site at Calvert, Buckinghamshire
Calvert, Buckinghamshire
Calvert is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, near the village of Steeple Claydon.Originally named after a wealthy local family, the village was founded as a hamlet in the Victorian era to house workers for the brick works that were constructed in the area. The works have since been closed and...
. The total to be removed is some 90,000 tons.
The Bluebell Railway station platform was opened for the public on Saturday 4th September 2010 when a shuttle passenger service operated on both 4th and 5th September for about half mile to the north end of the infilled cutting.
High Level
Opened in 1883, the timber accommodation provided for the High Level station was not as comfortable as that in the Lower Level station. It was, however, equipped with a refreshment room on each platform, as well as two signal cabins on either side - East Grinstead West and East Grinstead East. A private siding also led into Stenning's adjoining timber yard. The first train to use the station was a 0550 service from Three Bridges to Brighton via East Grinstead.The closure of the Three Bridges-Groombridge Line after the last train on Sunday 1 January 1967 spelt the end for the High Level station which would receive no further traffic. The goods yard had been virtually closed for some time except for coal, and all freight facilities were formally withdrawn as from 10 April. The last train to use the station in February 1968 was a tracklifting train hauled by a Class 33
British Rail Class 33
The British Rail Class 33 also known as the BRCW Type 3 or Crompton is a class of Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives ordered in 1957 and built for the Southern Region of British Railways between 1960 and 1962....
diesel locomotive. Until its demolition in 1970, the station was used by passengers as a short-cut to the Low Level which saved them the trouble of going around a nearby housing estate. Protests from passengers at the loss of the short-cut led to British Rail erecting a footbridge. The goods yard area was taken over by the A22
A22 road
The A22 is one of the two-digit major roads in the south east of England. It carries traffic from London to Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast...
which runs parallel with Railway Approach. The East Grinstead Society had attempted to save the brick goods shed for reuse as a drama and arts workshop, but were unable to secure the necessary funds.
Future
Work started in Autumn 2008 on site clearance work for the construction of a new separate single platform station for the Bluebell Railway for their extension northwards from Kingscote. This station will be approx 100 yards south of the existing National Rail station.With regard to the possible reopening of the remaining section of the line from Tunbridge Wells to Three Bridges, a number of obstacles would appear to stand in the way of such action, most notably:
1) An industrial site currently occupies the former location of Forest Row railway station
Forest Row railway station
Forest Row was a railway station on the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line which closed in 1967, a casualty of the Beeching Axe....
as well as a small recycling centre to west.
2) The formation has been built across in several places notably in East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
where about one mile of the trackbed from Station Road to the Lewes Road tunnel has been taken over for a relief road (the A22
A22 road
The A22 is one of the two-digit major roads in the south east of England. It carries traffic from London to Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast...
ironically named "Beeching Way" after Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
whose recommendations
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
closed the railway line). As there is no feasible alternative route into the station, this road would need to be reconverted back to rail. Any such action would in all likelihood result in a cut in capacity on an already highly congested road network.
3) The site of Grange Road
Grange Road railway station
Grange Road was a railway station on the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line which closed in 1967, a casualty of the Beeching Axe.The original proposal to construct the railway line drew objections from one J.H. Wilson, the owner of "The Grange" house, who refused to allow a station on...
has disappeared under a small parade of shops as well as housing which block 0.64 miles of the formation.
4) In 1974 East Sussex County Council created the Forest Way
Forest Way
The Forest Way is a linear Country park providing walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead to Groombridge....
linear Country Park
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
using the trackbed of the line from East Grinstead (just to the east of "Beeching Way") as far as Groombridge. Similarly, in1979 West Sussex County Council
West Sussex County Council
West Sussex County Council is the authority that governs the non-metropolitan county of West Sussex. The county also contains 7 district and borough councils, and 159 town, parish and neighbourhood councils. The county council has 71 elected councillors...
created the Worth Way linear Country Park using the disused Three Bridges to East Grinstead line. Both have now been incorporated in to the Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
.