Polegate railway station
Encyclopedia
Polegate railway station serves Polegate
in East Sussex
, England
. It is on the East Coastway Line
, and train services are provided by Southern
.
built a line from Brighton to Hastings via Lewes. The station was built at Polegate to serve the nearby towns of Hailsham and South bourne, now Eastbourne
. The first station was on the site on the present station. It then became a junction station on 14 May 1849 when a east facing branch headed northwards to Hailsham was opened and another southwards to Eastbourne, the station had enlarged to three through platforms and a bay platform for Hailsham services. The station then also had a one road engine shed and small freight yard complete with granary and weighing machine.
to Eridge
, and the re-aligned branchline to Eastbourne which the present line follows today. The second station had four through platforms. The East Coastway line through Polegate was electrified in 1935 bringing in faster more frequent services. In 1965 the Cuckoo line north of Hailsham was closed followed in 1968 by complete closure of the branch to Hailsham. On the 6th January 1969 the spur line to Pevensey (Stone Cross Junction) was closed and the up line was lifted, leaving the down line open for departmental trains until 1974 when the line became a mile long engineers siding with access only from Stone Cross Junction, this was then lifted in August 1984. and once extensive goods sidings were gradually closed and removed.
The station closed in 1986 when a newer station opened 440 yards west, although caused controversy when the subway under the station connecting the platforms was also closed as it offered a short cut for non rail travellers to cross from one side of the town to the other without walking towards the high street and using the level crossing. The level crossing is the only means from crossing from one side of the town to the other.
, and officially opened by Ian Gow
in 1987. The station has a booking hall, and three waiting rooms. A footbridge connects both platforms although step free access is available by the Level Crossing.
The site of the goods yard is now developed with a shopping precinct and car park to the north of the station and a housing estate to the south-east of the station.
The closed lines to Hailsham and Pevensey are still evident, the Hailsham branch now being a cycle path, the cuckoo trail, through to Heathfield. The trackbed to Pevensey is mostly intact with the A22 road
cutting though the route. The second station is now a Restaurant, called The Old Polegate station, the restaurant area is upstairs above the original booking hall. The west bound platform is still in exsistance although cut back for passing trains.
to Hailsham and Eridge and the goods yard.
Polegate 'B' signal box, situated at the eastern end of the station controled the junction for Eastbourne and Hastings based services.
Polegate Crossing controled the level crossing and is still in exsistance, signalling services between Berwick
and Hampden Park
signal boxes
In the morning peak there are 3 services to London Bridge.
Polegate
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is on the East Coastway Line
East Coastway Line
East Coastway is the name used by the train operating company, Southern , for the routes it operates along the south coast of Sussex and Kent to the east of Brighton, England. Those to the West of Brighton are named the West Coastway Line...
, and train services are provided by Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
.
First Station
The first station opened on 27 June 1846 when the London and Brighton RailwayLondon and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway 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 at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
built a line from Brighton to Hastings via Lewes. The station was built at Polegate to serve the nearby towns of Hailsham and South bourne, now Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
. The first station was on the site on the present station. It then became a junction station on 14 May 1849 when a east facing branch headed northwards to Hailsham was opened and another southwards to Eastbourne, the station had enlarged to three through platforms and a bay platform for Hailsham services. The station then also had a one road engine shed and small freight yard complete with granary and weighing machine.
Second Station
In 1881 the second station was opened in connection with the construction of a new westward facing line to Hailsham and the 1880 extension of the Cuckoo LineCuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
to Eridge
Eridge railway station
Eridge railway station serves a rural district around Eridge in East Sussex. Mainline train services from the station are provided by Southern, and the station is on the Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line. Also heritage services connecting to Groombridge, High Rocks and Tunbridge Wells West are run...
, and the re-aligned branchline to Eastbourne which the present line follows today. The second station had four through platforms. The East Coastway line through Polegate was electrified in 1935 bringing in faster more frequent services. In 1965 the Cuckoo line north of Hailsham was closed followed in 1968 by complete closure of the branch to Hailsham. On the 6th January 1969 the spur line to Pevensey (Stone Cross Junction) was closed and the up line was lifted, leaving the down line open for departmental trains until 1974 when the line became a mile long engineers siding with access only from Stone Cross Junction, this was then lifted in August 1984. and once extensive goods sidings were gradually closed and removed.
The station closed in 1986 when a newer station opened 440 yards west, although caused controversy when the subway under the station connecting the platforms was also closed as it offered a short cut for non rail travellers to cross from one side of the town to the other without walking towards the high street and using the level crossing. The level crossing is the only means from crossing from one side of the town to the other.
Present Station
The current building is the third station to be built in Polegate on the site of the original station and was completed in 1986 by Network SoutheastNetwork SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
, and officially opened by Ian Gow
Ian Gow
Ian Reginald Edward Gow TD was a British Conservative politician and solicitor. While serving as Member of Parliament for Eastbourne, he was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army who exploded a bomb under his car outside his home in East Sussex.-Life:Ian Gow was born at 3 Upper...
in 1987. The station has a booking hall, and three waiting rooms. A footbridge connects both platforms although step free access is available by the Level Crossing.
The site of the goods yard is now developed with a shopping precinct and car park to the north of the station and a housing estate to the south-east of the station.
The closed lines to Hailsham and Pevensey are still evident, the Hailsham branch now being a cycle path, the cuckoo trail, through to Heathfield. The trackbed to Pevensey is mostly intact with the A22 road
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...
cutting though the route. The second station is now a Restaurant, called The Old Polegate station, the restaurant area is upstairs above the original booking hall. The west bound platform is still in exsistance although cut back for passing trains.
Signal Boxes
In its heyday, Polegate had three signal boxes, Polegate 'A' or West, Polegate 'B' or East and Polegate Crossing. Polegate 'A' signal box was situated at the western end of the station and controled the junction for the Cuckoo LineCuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
to Hailsham and Eridge and the goods yard.
Polegate 'B' signal box, situated at the eastern end of the station controled the junction for Eastbourne and Hastings based services.
Polegate Crossing controled the level crossing and is still in exsistance, signalling services between Berwick
Berwick railway station
Berwick railway station could be*Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station, in Northumberland*Berwick railway station, in East Sussex*Berwick railway station, Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia*North Berwick railway station, in East Lothian, Scotland...
and Hampden Park
Hampden Park railway station
Hampden Park railway station serves Hampden Park in East Sussex. It is on the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southern. It was originally called "Willingdon Halt". It is one of two stations serving Eastbourne, the other being Eastbourne railway stationThe station is located...
signal boxes
Services
The typical off-peak service is:- 2tph (trains per hour) to OreOre railway stationOre railway station serves Ore Valley in East Sussex, England. It is on the Marshlink Line, and train services are provided by Southern, with a few peak services operated by Southeastern.Third rail 750V DC electrification from Hastings ends here....
(via EastbourneEastbourne railway stationEastbourne railway station serves Eastbourne in East Sussex, England. It is on the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southern. It is one of two railway stations in the town, the other being Hampden Park Station...
and HastingsHastings railway stationHastings railway station is in Hastings in East Sussex, England. It is situated on the Hastings Line to Tunbridge Wells, the East Coastway Line to Brighton and the Marshlink Line to Ashford International....
) - 1tph to Ashford InternationalAshford International railway stationAshford International railway station serves Ashford in Kent, England. Services are provided by Southeastern, Southern and Eurostar.International services use platforms 3 & 4, whilst domestic trains use the original platforms 1 & 2, and a new island built when the Channel Tunnel opened...
(via Eastbourne, Hastings and the Marshlink LineMarshlink LineThe Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway to extend its coast route to Hastings...
) - 2tph to BrightonBrighton railway stationBrighton 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...
(via LewesLewes railway stationLewes railway station serves the town of Lewes in East Sussex, England. It has five platforms and is on the East Coastway Line. Train services are provided by Southern.The station has a café and a newsagent, and there is a taxi office on the main forecourt...
) - 2tph 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...
(via Lewes) - 1tph to EastbourneEastbourne railway stationEastbourne railway station serves Eastbourne in East Sussex, England. It is on the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southern. It is one of two railway stations in the town, the other being Hampden Park Station...
In the morning peak there are 3 services to London Bridge.
Station facilities
- Booking Office
- Three waiting rooms, one on Eastbourne platform and two on the Lewes platform
- Automated Ticket Gates on both platforms
- Automated announcements
- Two ticket issuing machines for selling tickets and collecting pre-paid tickets.