London and Brighton Railway - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The London and Brighton Railway (L&BR) was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway (L&CR) at Norwood

South Norwood

South Norwood is an urban town and in south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles south-east of Charing Cross. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000...

- which gives it access from London Bridge

London Bridge

London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...

, just south of the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

in central London. It runs from Norwood to the South Coast at Brighton

Brighton

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

, together with a branch to Shoreham

Shoreham

Shoreham is the name of several different places:* Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK** Shoreham 1974–1997** New Shoreham 1295–1885* Shoreham, Kent, UK* Shoreham, Michigan, USA...

Background

During the English Regency

English Regency

The Regency era in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811—when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son, the Prince of Wales, ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent—and 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV on the death of his father....

, and particularly after the Napoleonic Wars

Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...

, Brighton

Brighton

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

rapidly became a fashionable social resort, with more than 100,000 passengers being carried there each year by coach.

Early schemes

A proposal by William James

William James (railway promoter)

William James was an English lawyer, surveyor, land agent and pioneer promoter of rail transport. "He was the original projector of the Liverpool & Manchester and other railways, and may with truth be considered as the father of the railway system, as he surveyed numerous lines at his own expense...

in 1823 for the construction of a London to Brighton tramway, using the track bed of the Surrey Iron Railway

Surrey Iron Railway

The Surrey Iron Railway was a horse drawn plateway whose width approximated to a standard gauge railway that linked the former Surrey towns of Wandsworth and Croydon via Mitcham...

between Wandsworth

Wandsworth

Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...

and Croydon

Croydon

Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...

, was largely ignored. However, about 1825 a company called The Surrey, Sussex, Hants, Wilts & Somerset Railway employed John Rennie

John Rennie

-People:* John Rennie the Elder , engineer * Sir John Rennie the Younger , engineer * John Rennie , naval architect...

to survey a route to Brighton, but again the proposal came to nothing.

In 1829 Rennie was commissioned to survey two possible railway routes: one via Dorking

Dorking

Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...

and Horsham

Horsham

Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...

and Shoreham

Shoreham

Shoreham is the name of several different places:* Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK** Shoreham 1974–1997** New Shoreham 1295–1885* Shoreham, Kent, UK* Shoreham, Michigan, USA...

; the other more direct route was via Redhill

Redhill

Redhill can refer to:* Redhill, South Australia, Australia* Redhill, Nottinghamshire, England* Redhill, Shropshire, England* Redhill, Somerset, England* Redhill, Surrey, England**Redhill railway station**Redhill Aerodrome* Redhill, Singapore, Singapore...

and Haywards Heath

Haywards Heath

-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...

, but the scheme was abandoned due to lack of support in Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

. These schemes were revived in 1835 together with two further proposals by Nicholas Cundy (from Nine Elms

Nine Elms

Nine Elms is a suburb of London, situated in the far north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Wandsworth between Battersea and Vauxhall.It is primarily an industrial area, dominated by Battersea Power Station, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, railway lines, a major Royal Mail sorting office and...

, Leatherhead

Leatherhead

Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...

, Dorking

Dorking

Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...

and Horsham

Horsham

and Shoreham

Shoreham

Shoreham is the name of several different places:* Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK** Shoreham 1974–1997** New Shoreham 1295–1885* Shoreham, Kent, UK* Shoreham, Michigan, USA...

) and Charles Vignoles (via Croydon

Croydon

Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...

, Merstham

Merstham

Merstham is a village in the Reigate and Banstead borough of Surrey, England, in the London commuter belt. It is just north of Redhill, near the intersection of the M25 and M23 motorways, on the edge of the North Downs and on the North Downs Way.-History:...

and Horsham

Horsham

). Eventually after prolonged campaigns by the supporters of the different proposals, a Parliamentary Committee of enquiry recommended the adoption of the Rennie direct route, which was the most difficult and expensive to build. The expenditure associated with the Parliamentary contest in choosing the route was estimated to be more than £193,000.

Parliamentary authority

An Act

Act of Parliament

An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...

for the construction of the London and Brighton Railway was passed in July 1837, with an authorised capital of £2.4 million. This would consist of a new line from a junction with the London and Croydon Railway

London and Croydon Railway

The London and Croydon Railway was an early railway which operated between London and Croydon in England. It was opened in 1839 and in July 1846 it merged with other railways to form a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway ....

(then under construction) at Norwood

Norwood Junction railway station

Norwood Junction railway station is in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 4.The station is managed by London Overground and trains operated by Southern and London Overground .-History:...

to Brighton

Brighton

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

with additional branches to Lewes

Lewes

Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...

and Shoreham

Shoreham

Shoreham is the name of several different places:* Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK** Shoreham 1974–1997** New Shoreham 1295–1885* Shoreham, Kent, UK* Shoreham, Michigan, USA...

. The London and Croydon Railway

London and Croydon Railway

line ran from London Bridge to West Croydon and was opened in 1839. Between Norwood Junction

Norwood Junction railway station

and Redhill

Redhill

the new railway was also required to share its track with the South Eastern Railway

South Eastern Railway (UK)

The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...

projected route to Dover

Dover

Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...

. The new company was also permitted to buy the track of the Croydon, Merstham and Godstone Iron Railway.

Construction

The engineer for the new railway was John Urpeth Rastrick

John Urpeth Rastrick

John Urpeth Rastrick was one of the first English steam locomotive builders. In partnership with James Foster, he formed Foster, Rastrick and Company, the locomotive construction company that built the Stourbridge Lion in 1829 for export to the Delaware and Hudson Railroad in America.-Early...

, who began construction in 1838. By July 1840, 6206 men, 962 horses, 5 locomotives and 7 stationary engines were employed. The new main line

Brighton Main Line

The Brighton Main Line is a British railway line from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 50 miles long, and is electrified throughout. Trains are operated by Southern, First Capital Connect, and Gatwick Express, now part of Southern.-Original proposals:There were no fewer...

included substantial earthworks and five tunnels through the North Downs

North Downs

The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...

at Merstham

Merstham

, the Wealden ridge

Weald

The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...

near Balcombe

Balcombe tunnel

Balcombe tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Brighton Main Line through the Sussex Weald between Three Bridges and Balcombe. It is 1141 yards long.-History:The tunnel was constructed by the London and Brighton Railway during 1840-41...

and at Haywards Heath

Haywards Heath

-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...

, and the South Downs

South Downs

The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...

at Patcham

Patcham

Patcham is an area of the city of Brighton and Hove. It is approximately north of the city centre, bounded by the A27 to the north, Hollingbury to the east and southeast, Withdean to the south and the Brighton Main Line to the west...

and Clayton

Clayton Tunnel

Clayton Tunnel is a railway tunnel located near the village of Clayton, West Sussex between Hassocks and Preston Park railway stations on the Brighton Main Line...

. The railway also had a 1475 ft (449.6 m) long, 96 ft (29.3 m) high viaduct

Ouse Valley Viaduct

Built in 1841, the Ouse Valley Viaduct over the River Ouse on the London-Brighton Railway Line north of Haywards Heath and south of Balcombe is long.-Description:...

over the river Ouse near Balcombe.

The Brighton

Brighton railway station

Brighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The station master is Mark Epsom...

- Shoreham

Shoreham-by-Sea railway station

Shoreham-by-Sea railway station serves the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in the county of West Sussex, and also serves the nearby Shoreham Airport. The station and the majority of trains serving it are operated by Southern...

branch was completed in May 1840, before the main line

Brighton Main Line

, as there were no significant civil engineering works on this section. Locomotives and rolling stock had to be transhipped by road for what was, in the first year, an isolated stretch of railway.

The main line was opened in two sections, since major earthworks delayed completion in one piece. The Norwood Junction

Norwood Junction railway station

- Haywards Heath

Haywards Heath railway station

Haywards Heath railway station serves Haywards Heath in West Sussex, England. It is on the Brighton Main Line and Thameslink north of Brighton, and train services are primarily provided by Southern and First Capital Connect...

section was opened on 12 July 1841 and the remainder of the line from Haywards Heath to Brighton on 21 September 1841.

The branch line to Lewes

Lewes

authorised by the 1837 act was built 1844-46 by a separate company, the Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway

Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway

The Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway was an early railway in southern England running between the three East Sussex towns mentioned in its name...

Architecture

The railway employed the architect David Mocatta

David Mocatta

David Mocatta was a British architect and a member of the Anglo-Jewish Mocatta family.-Biography:Mocatta studied in London from 1821 to 1827 under Sir John Soane and travelled in Italy...

, who designed a number of attractive yet practical Italianate style stations using standardised modules. These were Croydon, Red Hill and Reigate Road

Redhill railway station

Redhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 21 miles south of London Victoria...

, Horley

Horley railway station

Horley railway station serves the town of Horley in Surrey, England. It is on the Brighton Main Line south of London Victoria, and train services are provided by Southern.There are 4 platforms, all 247 m long, capable of accepting 12 car long trains....

, Crawley (renamed Three Bridges

Three 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...

in 1848), Haywards Heath

Haywards Heath railway station

, Hassocks

Hassocks railway station

Hassocks railway station serves Hassocks in West Sussex. It is on the Brighton Main Line and Thameslink 12 km north of Brighton railway station, and train services are provided by Southern and First Capital Connect.-History:...

, and Brighton

Brighton railway station

Brighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The station master is Mark Epsom...

. Only Mocatta's station at Brighton is still standing (which also incorporated the railway offices), but his building is now largely obscured by later additions. Mocatta also designed the eight stone and brick pavilions and a stone balustrade which embellish Rastrick's brick viaduct over the river Ouse.

The L&BR built fully equipped locomotive depots and workshops at Brighton

Brighton railway works

Brighton railway works was one of the earliest railway-owned locomotive repair works, founded in 1840 by the London and Brighton Railway in Brighton, England, and thus pre-dating the more famous railway works at Crewe, Doncaster and Swindon...

in 1840 and Horley

Horley railway station

in 1841. Horley was originally intended to serve as the principal workshop of the railway, but John Chester Craven

John Chester Craven

John Chester Craven was the locomotive, carriage and wagon superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1847 until his resignation in 1870....

decided in 1847 to develop Brighton railway works

Brighton railway works

instead.

Locomotives

The L&BR acquired 34 steam locomotives between January 1839 and March 1843, the first two of which were a 2-2-2

2-2-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle two powered driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels on one axle. The wheel arrangement both provided more stability and enabled a larger firebox...

and an 0-4-2

0-4-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement with no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...

supplied by Jones, Turner and Evans

Jones, Turner and Evans

Jones, Turner and Evans was a locomotive manufacturer in Newton-le-Willows, England.The company opened in 1837 with subcontracts from Edward Bury and Robert Stephenson. They provided locomotives for the North Union Railway and the Midland Counties Railway, the latter all 2-2-2 with diameter...

and used by the contractors constructing the line. The remainder were mainly 2-2-2

2-2-2

consisting of 16 supplied by Sharp, Roberts and Company

Sharp, Roberts and Company

Sharp, Stewart and Company was a steam locomotive manufacturer, initially based in Manchester, England. The company was formed in 1843 upon the demise of Sharp, Roberts & Co. and moved to Glasgow, Scotland in 1888, eventually amalgamating with two other Glasgow-based locomotive manufacturers to...

, six by Edward Bury and Company, four by William Fairbairn

William Fairbairn

Sir William Fairbairn, 1st Baronet was a Scottish civil engineer, structural engineer and shipbuilder.-Early career:...

, and three by G and J Rennie

George Rennie (engineer)

George Rennie was an engineer born in London, England. He was the son of the Scottish engineer John Rennie and the brother of Sir John Rennie.-Early life:...

. The last three locomotives were 2-4-0

2-4-0

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....

supplied by George Forrester and Company

George Forrester and Company

George Forrester and Company was a British locomotive manufacturer at Vauxhall Foundry in Liverpool.The company had opened in 1827 as iron founders and commenced building locomotives in 1834....

between October 1842 and March 1843. For details see List of early locomotives of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway.

Initially these locomotives were the responsibility of the civil engineer and his assistant, but this arrangement was ended after an unfavourable report on their safety in 1843. From 1842 the L&CR had pooled its locomotive stock with the South Eastern Railway

South Eastern Railway (UK)

(SER), to form the 'Croydon and Dover Joint Committee'. From March 1844 the L&BR joined the scheme and their locomotives were operated by the 'Brighton, Croydon and Dover Joint Committee', which also ordered further locomotives. These pooling arrangements had the advantage of providing the L&BR with access to the South Eastern Railway repair facilities, at New Cross but caused great operating problems. In March 1845 John Gray

John Gray (locomotive engineer)

John Gray was an early steam locomotive engineer who introduced several innovations in locomotive design during the 1830s and 1840s.-Career:John Gray's origins are unknown but he appears to have originated from Newcastle...

was appointed as Locomotive Superintendent of the L&BR and in April the company gave notice of withdrawal from the arrangement from January 1846, when the pooled locomotives were divided between the companies..

Following the dispersal of the pool in March 1845, the L&BR acquired 44 locomotives, some of which it had previously owned, and the remainder from the
SER, L&CR, or else those purchased by the Joint Committee. For details see List of early locomotives of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway.

Amalgamation

On July 27, 1846, the L&B amalgamated with the L&C, the Brighton and Chichester Railway

Brighton and Chichester Railway

The Brighton and Chichester Railway was an early railway in southern England running between the towns of Shoreham and Chichester in Sussex, which operated between 1845 and 1846.-History:...

and the Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway

Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway

The Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway was an early railway in southern England running between the three East Sussex towns mentioned in its name...

to form the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...

. The amalgamation had been brought about by shareholders in the L&CR and L&BR who were dissatisfied with the early returns from their investment.

Sources

Cooper, B. K., Rail Centres: Brighton, Booklaw Publications, 1981. ISBN 1-901945-11-1
Gray, Adrian, The London to Brighton Line 1841-1977, The Oakwood Press, 1977. [no ISBN]
Searle, Muriel V., Down the line to Brighton, Baton Transport, 1986. ISBN 0-85936-239-6
Turner, John Howard, The London Brighton and South Coast Railway: 1 Origins and Formation, Batsford, 1977. ISBN 0-7134-0275-X

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.