Branch Line Britain - celebrating Britain's minor railways

Southern


A BRAND NEW E BOOK BY THE WEBMASTER OF THIS WEBSITE HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED - IT  IS CALLED:-


BRITISH RAILWAY TRAINS AND STATIONS - BOOK ONE -  SOUTHERN ENGLAND

 
This is the first book in the series, "British Railway Trains & Stations" and  covers Southern England. It looks at fifteen different stations in the south of England, plus the various trains that pass through these stations.  Stations included are: Southampton Central, Brighton, East Grinstead, Lewes, Ashford International and Guildford.
It is 40 pages in length and has over thirty colour photos.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN E-BOOK AND NOT A PRINTED BOOK. It can be downloaded to you PC, Kindle or Tablet/Smart  Phone. It is avaiable in three different e-book formats.

It is also available from Hadleigh Books, Amazon and the I-Tunes book shop

PRICE - JUST £2.99  - TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK OR TO BUY IT  SIMPLY PRESS ON THE IMAGE ABOVE


Brighton train at Ashford International station
 

Ashford to Hastings

Name of Line: The Marshlink Line

Length of Line: 26 1/2 miles

Stations: Ashford International, Ham Street, Appledore, Rye, Winchelsea, Doleham, Three Oaks, Ore, Hastings

Train Operating Company: Southern

Rolling stock: Class 171 Turbostar Diesel Multiple Units

Trains start from: Brighton 

Description: The line goes south west from Ashford across the flat Romney and Walland Marshes before it reaches the South Coast at Hastings. It is double track as far as Appledore, where a freight only branch goes off to Dungeness Nuclear Power station. It is single track as far as Ore, with a passing loop at Rye station. The line is not electrified apart from Ore to Hastings.

History: The line was opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1851 and narrowly missed being closed under the Beeching cuts in 1963.

Journey review

Web links:  Marsh Link Action Group    

Hastings 3.jpg            Hastings 6.jpg

Hastings station looking east towards Ore       Hastings station looking west


Ascot railway station - 2008 Class 450 Unit
 

Ash Vale to Ascot

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Ash Vale, Frimley, Camberley, Bagshot, Ascot

Description: This picturesque line runs through the western part of Surrey to join the Reading to Waterloo line at Ascot

Trains start at: Aldershot & Guildford

History

Journey review


Bognor train arriving at Barnham Railway Station 24th May 2008

Barnham to Bognor Regis

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern 

Stations: Barnham, Bognor Regis

Description: A short branch which leaves the Coastway line at Barnham and goes south west to the seaside town of Bognor Regis.

History: The main line from Brighton and Worthing through to Chichester was first opened in 1846. It wasn't until the 1860's that the branch to Bognor Regis was eventually opened. 

Journey review


Lymington train at Brockenhurst railway station
 

Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Brockenhurst, Lymington Town, Lymington Pier

Description

History

Journey review

Websites: Photo Link 1   Photo Link 2 


Class 452 unit at Alton Railway Station 5th July 2008

 

Brookwood to Alton

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Brookwood, Ash Vale, Aldershot, Farnham, Bentley, Alton

Description

History

Journey review


Class 455 unit at Crystal Palace railway station 2008


Crystal Palace to Beckenham Junction

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern

Stations: Crystal Palace, Birkbeck, Beckenham Junction 

Description - This short branch starts at the magnificent station of Crystal Palace and goes eastwards to join the East Kent mainline at beckenham Junction, running parallel to Croydon's tramline.

History

Journey review

beckenham junction 2.jpg      crystal palace 2.jpg

Beckenham Junction station                     Crystal Palace station - long view


Faversham Railway Station

Faversham to Dover Priory

Name of Line: The Dover Branch (of Chatham Main Line)

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South Eastern 

Stations: Faversham, Selling, Canterbury East, Bekesbourne, Adisham, Snowdown, Shepherd's Well, Kearsney, Dover Priory 

Description : The line goes south east from Faversham through Canbterbury and East Kent through several tunnels to Dover Priory on the Kent coast 

History

Journey review

Websites: East Kent Railway


Ford Railway Station 24th May 2008

Ford to Littlehampton

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern

Stations: Ford, Littlehampton

Description: This small branch line leaves the Coastway Line from Brighton to Portsmouth at Ford and travels across some scrub land until it reaches Littlehampton on the estuary of the river Arun.

History: The main line from Brighton and Worthing through to Chichester was first opened in 1846. It wasn't until the 1860's that the branch to Littlehampton was eventually opened. 

Journey review


Bromley North Railway Station 2007

 

Grove Park to Bromley North

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South Eastern

Stations: Grove Park, Sundridge Park, Bromley North

Description: This very short branch line leaves the main line from London to the Kent Coast at Grove Park and continues into the heart of Bromley, where it terminates at Bromley North station. 

History

Journey review

bromley north 3.jpg   grove park 2.jpg

Bromley North station entrance              Grove Park station - Bromley North train


Guildford railway station

Guildford to Aldershot

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Guildford, Wanborough, Ash, Aldershot

Description: This short but picturesque line joins the topwns of Guildford and Aldershot

Trains start at: Aldershot or Guildford

History

Journey review 1    Journey review 2


13.10 train to Reading at Wokingham railway station 24/9/08

Guildford to Wokingham

Name of Line: The North Downs Line (northern section)

Length of Line: 25 miles

Train Operating Company: Great Western Railways 

Stations: Guildford, Wanborough, Ash, Farnborough North, Blackwater, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Wokingham

Description: A cross-country line whcih moves north-westwards through the Surrey and Berkshire countryside round the south-western edge of London from Guildford to Reading.

History

Journey review


East Grinstead railway station - 27th February 2008

 

Hurst Green to East Grinstead

Name of Line: The Oxted Line

Length of Line: 8 3/4 miles

Train Operating Company: Southern

Stations: Hurst Green, Lingfield, Dormans, East Grinstead 

Description: A pleasant country branchline through the Surrey countryside south of the North Downs.

History

Journey review


Brighton train at Seaford Railway Station 22nd March 2008

 

Lewes to Seaford

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern 

Stations: Lewes, Southease, Newhaven Town, Newhaven Harbour, Bishopstone, Seaford

Description

History

Journey review


Hayes train approaching Lewisham railway station

Lewisham to Hayes

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South Eastern

Stations: Lewisham, Ladywell, Catford Bridge, Lower Sydenham, New Beckenham, Clock House, Elmers End, Eden Park, West Wickham, Hayes 

Description

History

Journey review

hayes 1.jpg    Hayes Train London Bridge.jpg

Hayes railway station                           Hayes train at London Bridge station


Chessington South Railway Station looking north November 2007

 

Motspur Park to Chessington South

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Motspur Park, Malden Manor, Tolworth, Chessington North, Chessington South

Description: This branch leaves the mainline to Epsom soon after Motspur Park and continues south through the outer London suburbs before it reaches the end of the line at Chessington South.

History

Journey review


Caterham railway station - Victoria train ready to leave November 2007

 

Purley to Caterham

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern

Stations: Purley, Kenley, Whyteleafe, Whyteleafe South, Caterham

Description: a short branch line of around five miles which goes through the outer London suburbs to Caterham in Surrey.

History

Journey review


Tattenham Corner railway station - November 2007

 

Purley to Tattenham Corner

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern 

Stations: Purley, Reedham, Smitham, Woodmansterne, Chipstead, Kingswood, Tadworth, Tattenham Corner

Description

History

Journey review

purley.jpg           Tattenham Corner 2.jpg

Tattenham Corner train leaving Purley           Tattenham Corner railway station


13.47 train to Redhill leaving Guildford Railway Station 24/9/08

Redhill to Guildford

Name of Line:  The North Downs Line (southern section)

Length of Line: 21 miles

Train Operating Company: Great Western Railways

Stations: Redhill, Reigate, Betchworth, Dorking Deepdene, Gomshall, Chilworth, Shalford, Guildford  

Description: The route makes for a pleasant journey along the southern edge of the North Downs through Surrey 

Frequency of Trains: half hourly 

Traction Used: 2/3 car Class 166 DMUs

History:

Journey review


Shanklin train at Ryde Pier Head railway station

Ryde to Shanklin

Name of Line: The Island Line

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Ryde Pier Head, Ryde Esplanade, Ryde St John's Road, Smallbrook Junction, Brading, Sandown, Lake, Shanklin

Description: The only surving national railway track on the Isle of Wight goes down the eastern side of the Island to Shanklin. 

History: Originally there were over 50 miles of railways on the Isle of Wight, with this line going to Ventnor. It was first opened in 1864 from Ryde St John's Road to Shaklin.

Journey review

Trivia: The stock used comes from London Underground trains from the last century

Web site links: Photo link   

Shanklin 1.jpg   Ryde 2.jpg

Shanklin Station                                   View south from Ryde Pier Head station    


Sittingbourne Railway Station - Sheerness train on right

 

Sittingbourne to Sheerness-on-Sea

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South Eastern 

Stations: Sittingbourne, Kamsley, Swale, Queenborough, Sheerness-on-Sea

Description

History

Journey review

Websites: Photo Link


Uckfield railway station buffers - 20th February 2008

 

South Croydon to Uckfield

Names of Line:  The Oxted Lines (Uckfield Branch) The Wealden Line

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern

Stations: South Croydon, Sanderstead, Riddlesdown, Upper Warlingham, Woldingham, Oxted, Hurst Green, Edenbridge Town, Hever, Cowden, Eridge, Crowborough, Buxted, Uckfield

Description - A very picturesque line which winds through the Kent and Sussex countryside to Uckfield.

History - Originally this line went all the way to both Eastbourne and Lewes. 

Traction used: Class 171 Turbostar DMUs

Journey review

Web links - Wealden Line Campaign    Spa Valley Railway   Lavender Line


Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station - leaf clearing train on right

 

Staines to Windsor & Eton Riverside

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Staines, Wraysbury, Sunnymeads, Windsor & Eton Riverside

Description

History

Journey review


Maidstone West railway station

Strood to Paddock Wood

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South Eastern

Stations: Strood, Cuxton, Halling, Snodland, New Hythe, Aylesford, Maidstone Barracks, Maidstone West, Wateringbury, Yalding, Beltring, Paddock Wood

Description: This is a branch line of two halves - the first half from Strood to Maidstone goes through some industrial lanscapes, whilst the second half from Maidstone to Paddock Wood goes through some picturesque Kent countryside, all the time following the course of the River Medway.

History

Journey review


Hampton Court Railway Station

 

Surbiton to Hampton Court

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Surbiton, Thames Ditton, Hampton Court

Description: This short branch line leaves the Waterloo to Southampton main line soon after Surbiton and continues north to terminate next to Hampton Court Palace.

History

Journey review


Sutton railway station - Epsom Downs train

 

Sutton to Epsom Downs

Name of Line: The Epsom Downs Branch

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: Southern

Stations: Sutton, Belmont, Banstead, Epsom Downs

Description

History

Journey review

Website link: The Epsom Downs Branch    Photo Link


Blackfriars train at Sevenoaks

Swanley to Sevenoaks

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Stations: Swanley, Eynsford, Shoreham, Otford, Bat & Ball, Sevenoaks

Train Operating Company: South Eastern

Rolling stock: Class 466 EMU's

Trains start from: London Blackfriars

Description:

History:

Journey review

Web links:

bat & ball.jpg            sevenoaks 1.jpg

Bat & Ball station sign                       Giant BR logo on roof of Sevenoaks station


Shepperton Railway Station - looking east

 

Teddington to Shepperton

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Teddington, Fulwell, Hampton, Kempton Park, Sunbury, Upper Haliford, Shepperton

Description

History

Journey review


Virginia Water Railway Station looking west

Weybridge to Virginia Water

Name of Line:

Length of Line:

Train Operating Company: South West Trains

Stations: Weybridge, Addlestone, Chertsey, Virginia Water

Rolling Stock Used:  

Description:

History:

Journey review

Weybridge 3.jpg         Virginia Water 2.jpg

Weybridge Railway Station                            Viriginia Water railway station