Wealden Line

Wealden Line
East Coastway line to Eastbourne East Coastway line to Brighton Lewes Lewes Viaduct over River Ouse (demolished 1969) Lewes Tunnel River Ouse Hamsey Loop East Coastway line spur to Wivelsfield Culver Junction Barcombe Mills Barcombe Mills (closed 1969) Bluebell Railway to East Grinstead River Ouse Iron River Isfield Army Camp Isfield Little Horsted (proposed) River Uck River Uck A22 Ouse Valley Railway (not completed) Uckfield (1st site 1858–1991) Uckfield River Uck Ouse Valley Railway (not built) Buxted Greenhurst Viaduct ( 185 yd 169 m ) Sleeches Viaduct ( 183 yd 167 m ) Crowborough Tunnel ( 1022 yd 935 m ) Crowborough Cuckoo Line to Polegate Redgate Mill Junction Eridge Birchden Junction Groombridge Junction & Ashurst Junction Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line to Three Bridges Oxted line to London Victoria Groombridge High Rocks Tunbridge Wells West Grove Tunnel Tunbridge Wells Hastings line to Hastings & Tonbridge

Taking its name from its route through the chalk hills of the North and South Downs of the Weald, England, the Wealden Line is a partly abandoned double track railway line in East Sussex and Kent that connected Lewes with Tunbridge Wells, a distance of 25¼ miles (44.4 km).

The line is essentially composed of three sections. The first part from Lewes to Uckfield was closed on 4 May 1969 and the second part from Eridge to Tunbridge Wells West closed on 6 July 1985. The third section running from Uckfield to Eridge remains open as part of the Oxted Line.

The second section has now partly re-opened under the auspices of the Spa Valley Railway, whilst the Lavender Line has revived Isfield Station, one of the abandoned stations on the first section. There has been a concerted campaign since 1986 led by the Wealden Line Campaign to have the whole line re-opened to passenger traffic and recent developments have indicated that this may yet happen.

History

Authorisation

Authorisation for the construction of a line from Brighton to Hastings via Lewes was first obtained by the Brighton, Uckfield & Tunbridge Wells Railway in 1844, sponsored by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR), with the passing of the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway Act (7 & 8 Vict. c. xci.). However, no works were commenced and another independent company, the Lewes and Uckfield Railway Company, was incorporated and secured on 27 July 1856 the passing of an Act to construct a line covering the 7½ miles between the two towns from a point 1½ miles north of Lewes to be known as Uckfield Junction, on the LBSCR's East Coastway Line.

Attracted by the prospect of extra patronage of the existing East Coastway Line which with Lewes had been linked in 1846, the LBSCR supported the company's proposals and a connection linking Lewes to Uckfield was opened on 11 October 1858 to goods traffic, with passenger traffic following one week later. The initial service consisted of five trains each way on weekdays and three on Sundays. A four-horse coach service ran between Tunbridge Wells and Uckfield.

The Wealden Line in relation to other railway lines in Kent

Realignment

The LBSCR purchased the Lewes and Uckfield Railway Company in 1864 and in the same year obtained authorisation to build a new line, 3 miles long, running almost parallel with the East Coastway Line which enabled the line from Uckfield to obtain independent access to Lewes and without having to pass through the Lewes Tunnel. This new section struck out at a right angle from the Uckfield line about a quarter of a mile east of the village of Hamsey, and approached Lewes from a northerly direction. It was a more heavily engineered section requiring a number of embankments and bridges before joining the East Coastway Line at a point east of Lewes Station. It enabled steam trains to be positioned in the correct direction for Brighton, and obviated the need for them to be turned. This new section opened on 1 October 1868, part of the original connection to Uckfield Junction closing as a consequence.

Extension to Tunbridge Wells West

The Lewes-Uckfield line was extended north to Eridge and Tunbridge Wells in 1864, ostensibly to counter a threat by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway which had proposed the construction of a line from Beckenham to Brighton. The rights to construct this line had been granted to the Brighton, Uckfield & Tunbridge Wells Railway in 1861, but these were subsequently purchased by the LBSCR before completion. Construction had already commenced in 1863 on a single track from Tunbridge Wells West to the new Groombridge Junction and this was opened on 1 October 1866. The completion of the line south to Uckfield had, however, to wait until 3 August 1868 due to the major structural work involved. Most notably, the LBSCR had to oversee the construction of Rotherfield (later Crowborough) Tunnel (1022 yards) beneath the ridge of the Wealden Heights, as well as the Sleeches and Greenhurst viaducts between Crowborough and Buxted.

The Sussex Advertiser reported on 5 August 1868 that the first train departed the LBSCR's station at Tunbridge Wells at 6.04am for Uckfield, Lewes and Brighton with approximately 40 persons having booked tickets.

Doubling and non-electrification

A single set of track was later provided to link in Tunbridge Wells Central in 1872. The line from Uckfield was finally double-tracked in 1894. The Withyham Spur between Ashurst and Birchden Junction was doubled by 7 June 1914. The Wealden Line then completed what was called the Outer Circle line which provided an alternative route between Brighton and London via Oxted. The line was also the only subsidiary cross-country double line in East Sussex and, as it did not figure in Southern Railway's electrification programme in the 1930s, it remained the last steam-operated line in the area.

Route of the line

The Wealden Line left Lewes from a point immediately to the east of the station, the line curving sharply north for approximately 200 yards on a short 1:60 gradient, crossing a girder bridge over goods lines and then a second bridge over Cliffe High Street. Continuing on an embankment, Lewes Viaduct carried the line over the River Ouse. The river and its tributaries were to be crossed a further seven times before the line reached Uckfield. The line then turned north-west at a point east of Hamsey village and followed a course up the valley of the river, passing the signalbox at Culver Junction (3¼ miles) where the line to Horsted Keynes and East Grinstead (now the Bluebell Railway) branched off, and rose gently to Barcombe Mills (3¾ miles), which had originally been known as Barcombe. This station was once popular with anglers who descended in large numbers on the nearby River Ouse during bank holidays.

The line then continued to Isfield (5¾ miles) before reaching Uckfield (8½ miles). The LBSCR had once planned to construct a further line passing through Uckfield, the Ouse Valley Railway, which would have connected Balcombe with Hailsham. The plan was abandoned in 1868 due to a lack of funds.

Departing Uckfield, the line continues to Buxted (10¾ miles) and then passes over Greenhurst Viaduct (10 brick arches, 185 yards) (11¾ miles), followed by Sleeches Viaduct (11 brick arches, 183 yards) one mile further on. The line then rises sharply on a 1:75 gradient and enters Crowborough Tunnel (which took its present name on 1 May 1897. Reaching Crowborough (previously known as Rotherfield until 1880, then Crowborough until 1897 and then Crowborough & Jarvis Brook) (15¼ miles), the line reaches its highest point, more than 300ft above sea level. Descending on a 1:75 gradient, the line reaches Redgate Mill Junction (17¾ miles) and then Eridge (19¼ miles). At Birchden Junction (20 miles), the line heads east passing Groombridge Junction (20¾ miles) and Groombridge (21¼ miles), rising gradually to Tunbridge Wells West (25¼ miles).

The line's heyday

The line probably enjoyed its best and most popular period in the 1930s when regular services enabled passengers to travel from Brighton Central to Tonbridge Junction, changing at Eridge for services to Eastbourne, with direct trains to London Bridge and London Victoria via East Croydon. There was also a daily through service linking with Brighton, Maidstone and Chatham in the east and Redhill and Reading in the west.

Reduction of services was necessarily during World War II, but nevertheless many extras were run, including special non-stop "workmen's trains" which operated between London, Crowborough and Jarvis Brook and Mayfield.

After the war, passenger numbers were still rising, tempted by the frequent services and competitive prices. Even in 1969, travelling by rail was cheaper than going by bus: a return rail ticket from Barcombe to Brighton costing 2 shillings, whilst the equivalent bus fare was 11 pence more expensive.

Decline

In 1956, some years after the nationalisation of Southern Railway, the new operator, British Railways, Southern Region, having inherited a complicated and inconsistent timetabling system, moved to introduce a regular hourly service, with additional trains at peak hours. Diesel-electric units appeared on the line in 1962, running to the steam timetable.

The 1960s brought with them the spectre of change in the form of a policy favouring the construction of motorways to replace rail travel which was seen as outdated and inefficient. In 1964, new timetables were issued for the line which made travelling difficult by imposing long waits for onward connections, this policy of closure by stealth was a ploy to reduce passengers. as British Railways was by now keen to close the section from Hurst Green to Lewes.

In its last years of operation, the line saw an hourly off-peak service on weekdays and a two-hourly one on Sundays from Oxted to Lewes. During rush hours, the service was supplemented, additional trains being laid on from Victoria to Brighton via Hurst Green.

On Sunday, 23 February 1969, the last day of operation, the last trains left Lewes and Uckfield at 20.46 and 20.42 respectively. There was little public interest and no organised demonstrations took place to mark the occasion.

Closure

Labour election

Elected in October 1964 the new Labour Government was opposed to the Beeching Axe, and promised to stop all the impending closures pending a national transport survey. However, once in office they quickly backtracked on this promise and under their first Minister of Transport, Tom Fraser the closure process was increased. In December 1965 Barbara Castle took over as the Minister, and was responsible for the 1967 Network for Development Plans.

Where main lines and some secondary lines were remunerative they would be developed, those that were unremunerative but of a social need would be subsidised under the forthcoming 1968 Transport Act. But lines outside of these criteria did not meet the governments social, economic and commercial need for retention (in their opinion), and were left for a decision to be made on their future by BR management. The Hurst Green junction to Lewes line was one such line. It had already figured in the first Beeching Report of 1963 as an 'unremunerative line'.

Announcement

In February 1966, the British Railways Board (BRB) gave notice to the Minister of Transport, then Barbara Castle, under Section 54 of the Transport Act 1962 of its intention to close the line from Hurst Green junction to Lewes. Detailed memoranda were presented relating to the availability of alternative public transport, as well as statistics as to the usage of the line.

Pursuant to Section 56 of the 1962 Act, the Minister agreed to publication of the Notice for Closure and it was therefore made public in September 1966. In February 1967, the Minister received a memorandum from East Sussex County Council pointing out that the prospect of its closure would affect an area in which the population was likely to almost double by 1981.

In December 1966, BRB published the closure proposal which contained the following paragraph:

In the event of a decision by the Minister requiring the continuance of a railway passenger service between Barcombe Mills and Lewes, it is proposed to discontinue all railway services over the section of the line between a point 425 yards north-east of the bridge carrying the line over the River Ouse at Hamsey and Lewes Station and divert these passenger services over a line to be constructed between the same point and a junction 365 yards south of Hamsey Level Crossing on the line between Cooksbridge and Lewes.

This substituted route is known as the Hamsey Loop.

TUCC report

In April 1967, the Transport Users' Consultative Committee (TUCC), which was required to look into the proposed closure under the Transport Act 1962, held a public enquiry, having received almost 3,000 objections to the proposed action.

At the enquiry protestors successfully employed, for the first time, the Ministry of Transport's own cost-benefit analysis, by which the viability of new motorways was measured by calculating the "income" of the road (i.e. its benefit to users and the rest of the network in terms of saved time, fuel etc) less the costs of its construction and maintenance, to show that the closure of the line would result in 712,000 wasted travelling hours at a cost of around £570,000 per annum. This figure was in stark contrast to the loss of £276,000 that British Railways was claiming the railway line was losing.

Reporting back to the Minister in June 1967, the TUCC, so impressed were they by the arguments presented, recommended against closure and testified to the "very severe hardship" to be suffered by those who used the line to travel to London, were it to close. According to the TUCC, "these hardships could not be alleviated other than by retaining the lines proposed to be closed...This arises not from lack of alternative bus services, existing or proposed, but from the inherent advantages of the railway to those who use it."

Ministry of Transport authorisation

The Minister re-examined his decision in the light of the TUCC Report, liaising with BRB to determine whether there were alternatives to the complete closure of the line. They examined whether the necessary savings could be made by operating on a single track, rationalising the service or keeping the line open with the exception of the Lewes to Uckfield connection.

The conclusion was reached that although a complete closure would involve 'substantial inconvenience' rather than 'outright hardship', this was outweighed by the high cost of retaining the service, including the reconstruction of the Hamsey Loop.

In 1968, however, the position was re-examined by the new Minister of Transport, Richard Marsh, in the light of the Government's new policy for the organisation and financing of public transport in the London area. This was set out in the July 1968 White Paper on "Transport for London" (Cmd. 3686), proposing that the Greater London Council and BRB jointly plan the London commuter area services as a network. No subsidy would be paid by the Minister to BRB where a rail closure was refused: the loss would be taken into consideration when fixing the financial objectives and levels of service.

In consultation with BRB, the Minister decided that the line as far south as and including Uckfield fell within the proposed policy and, even though the costs were high, it was decided to retain the service. The closure of Lewes to Uckfield would nevertheless proceed, the Hamsey Loop would not be reconstructed and the proposed Lewes Relief Road could be built. He communicated the decision to BRB on 16 August 1968, stating that he believed the 'hardship' caused by the closure could be alleviated by the provision of new bus services. His letter specified that additional bus services were to be laid on to supplement peak hour trains. Outside peak hours, there was to be a half-hourly service between Lewes and Uckfield.

The Minister agreed to grant-aid the line from Uckfield to Hurst Green under Section 39 of the Transport Act 1968. This allowed for the payment of grants where three conditions were met: (i) the line was unremunerative, (ii) it is desirable for social or economic reasons for the passenger services to continue, and (iii) it is financially unreasonable to expect BRB to provide those services without a grant. Consent to close the Uckfield to Hurst Green section was formally refused on 1 January 1969.

BR closure decision

Following the Minister's announcement, BRB stated that the last day of services between Lewes - Uckfield would be 6 January 1969. However, they had to postpone this date until 4 May 1969, awaiting the authorisation of extra bus services.

On 1 November 1968, BRB stated that a new timetable would be introduced from 6 January 1969 (as long as new bus services were authorised). On 11 November 1968, it informed the Ministry that if the new bus services were not licensed, it would introduce the new timetable anyway. This new timetable showing the Lewes-Uckfield service as being withdrawn, subject to the provision of bus services.

These timetabling announcements were criticised by the Commissioners as it believed they gave the impression that a decision on the line's future had already been taken.

Extra bus services

As required by the Minister, Southdown Motor Services' 119 and 122 buses operated from August 1968, both calling at Barcombe Lane End on the A26 road, one mile from Barcombe Mills station, and 122 also calling at Isfield station. There was an hourly service to and from Uckfield, but bus 119 left Uckfield for Lewes 2 minutes before its arrival. The bus company applied for licences to operate the services beyond the date of closure of the line, and their applications were referred to the South East Area Traffic Commissioners whose approval for new bus services was required under the Road Traffic Act 1930.

Traffic Commissioners enquiry

A public enquiry was held by the South East Area Traffic Commissioners on 27-28 November 1968 and 21 January 1969 at Lewes Town Hall and was chaired by Major General A.J.F. Emslie. The Commissioners were presented with evidence that those currently using the line would, instead of using the new bus services, instead switch to cars and motorcycles, thereby adding to the congestion problems at Uckfield. It was also suggested that British Rail had drawn up a timetable which was deliberately aimed at showing a loss on the line.

Among the objectors to the scheme was East Sussex County Council whose Major J.H. Pickering of the Council's Roads and Bridges Committee, speaking on his own account, made the point that "the Minister had ignored the undisputed and rapid growth of population in the area affected by the proposed bus service", the population having increased by 5,000 in three years and was expected to reach 10,000 in the following five years. Crowborough was also expanding at a similar rate.

The grant of new licences was rejected by the Commissioners on the basis of: (i) the lack of services to Barcombe Mills station - passengers were obliged to walk one mile to the bus stop, (ii) the poor off-peak train/bus connections at Uckfield and (iii) traffic congestion at peak times in Tonbridge and Lewes which had a serious effect on bus timings at Uckfield.

Following the Commissioners' decision, the timetabling of proposed services was altered to meet their concerns and authorisation was finally granted on 31 March 1969.

Lewes Viaduct

The Ministry of Transport were advised in 1964 by their Divisional Road Engineer that the condition of Lewes Viaduct would entail high maintenance costs in the near future. In June 1965, the Engineer reported again that the bridges and viaduct on the line between Barcombe Mills and Lewes were in need of expensive repairs. A speed limit of 10mph was introduced on the viaduct in September 1967.

In March 1968, BRB informed the Ministry that unless the section of line between Lewes and the start of the Hamsey Loop could be eliminated by the end of the year, either by rebuilding the Hamsey Loop or by closing the line, emergency remedial work would be required.

On 13 December 1968, BRB's engineers held a meeting at the viaduct, and as a result of their findings, announced on 16 December that, for safety reasons and as a short-term measure, only the down line could be used with a shuttle service and a revised timetable was introduced to reflect this. On 23 February 1969, this service ceased and was replaced by an emergency bus service.

Bus services were provided by BR, with buses on loan from Southdown Motors, until the last official day of the line, 6 May 1969. Barcombe Mills and Isfield stations remained open to sell tickets but the buses were unable to negotiate the narrow winding road to Barcombe Mills and so taxis had to be laid on to ferry passengers to the bus stop, one mile from the station. This was on condition that passengers first walked to Barcombe Mills to purchase their tickets.

Lewes Relief Road

Phoenix Causeway Bridge

An embankment carrying the Lewes to Uckfield line also stood in the way of the "Lewes Relief Road", a project to ease the congestion in Lewes which was designed in three stages. The first stage was the construction of the Phoenix Causeway bridge and road that was intended to relieve congestion from Cliffe High Street. Had the Lewes to Uckfield line been kept open, this would have entailed, the construction of either another road bridge or a level crossing, a prospect which East Sussex County Council were against for reasons of design and amenity.

BRB agreed to abandon the section of the line leading into Lewes station which was laid in 1868 and also to reactivate the Hamsey Loop at East Sussex County Council's expense, in the event that this should prove necessary. BRB were said to have parliamentary power to rebuild the loop.

Once the line closed, the embankment carrying the line was then demolished and construction of the Causeway completed in summer 1969. The remaining bridges from Lewes station to Cliffe High Street and the Viaduct over the River Ouse were also demolished. Now a recent report by the Environment Agency noted the detrimental effect the Causeway had on the town as it blocked the floodplain, thereby contributing greatly to the floods of October 2000. Stages two and three of the Relief Road were later scrapped, the Council preferring instead to link up with the town's new bypass via Cuilfail Tunnel.

Eridge to Tunbridge Wells

From 1971 this section had only been served by an hourly shuttle and this was withdrawn on 6 July 1985, the line closing two days later notwithstanding an earlier circular issued by British Rail to deny rumours of closure.

Revival

Lavender Line

Main article: Lavender Line

In 1983, Isfield Station together with a length of trackbed were purchased by an enthusiast who planned to restore and re-open the station. The project could not be finished and the property passed in 1991 to the Lavender Line, a preservation society, which took over and beautifully restored the station. The society have also restored the track to the north of Isfield.

Spa Valley Railway

Main article: Spa Valley Railway

The Tunbridge Wells and Eridge Railway Preservation Society was formed shortly after the closure of the section of the line between Eridge and Tunbridge Wells with the intention to re-open the connection. They managed to purchase the line and trains were again running by 1996, the line being known as The Spa Valley Railway. The line now extends for a distance of 4 miles from Tunbridge Wells West to Groombridge, and the intention is to extend as far as Eridge.

Wealden Line Campaign

1986 - 1996

Launched in 1986, the Wealden Line Campaign is seeking the full restoration of services between Lewes and Tunbridge Wells, with eventual electrification. The scheme has received the support of the respective MPs for Lewes and Wealden, Norman Baker and Charles Hendry, who have both made repeated calls in the House of Commons for the re-opening of the line.

In February 1987, Network SouthEast agreed to contribute £1.5 million to a scheme to reinstate the Lewes to Uckfield Line, a quarter of its projected cost. The scheme floundered in the face of a lack of funding from other sources, both the Kent County Council and East Sussex County Council proving to be "uncooperative" on this score.

In 1996, a feasibility study was commissioned by the Kent County Council into the re-opening of the Tunbridge Wells to Eridge section of the line. The report, prepared by Mott Macdonald, found in favour of reopening the line, concluding that "at a reinstatement cost of £20-25 million such a long-term reinstatement facility (which might substitute for more expensive road infrastructure elsewhere) might be considered a relatively cheap option". The project made no progress.

1997 - present

In 2002, the Department of Transport, upon the advice of the Strategic Rail Authority stated that the costs of electrification of the line from Uckfield to Hurst Green "far outweigh the benefits", but the situation would be kept under review.

To take the case for reinstatement forward, a "Central Rail Corridor Board" was set up in 2004 comprised of members from regional, county and district levels and local MPs. The Board, led by East Sussex County Council, oversees the development of initiatives to explore the feasibility of reinstatement and provide guidance on the political, planning and transport policy framework. A free scoping study was prepared by a consortium of transport and engineering consultants who recommended in March 2005 that there were sufficient grounds for proceeding to a full feasibility study at a cost of £150,000, the funding for which was provided by numerous local authorities in the area.

On 14 June 2007, members of the Campaign met with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Tom Harris, who agreed to consider the results of the feasibility study. Network Rail have also pledged to consider the results and "investigate all possible commercial avenues for the line reopening".

Bibliography

• Stones, H.R. (1969). "Farewell to the Lewes & Uckfield". The Railway Magazine (September): pp.496-500. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |1= and |coauthors= (help)
• Mitchell, Vic (1986). Branch Lines to Tunbridge Wells from Oxted, Lewes and Polegate. Midhurst, West Sussex: Middleton Press. ISBN 0-9065-2032-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

• Wealden Line Website
• Template:PDF
• Barcombe Mills railway station on Subterranea Britannica
• Isfield railway station on Subterranea Britannica
• Eridge railway station on Subterranea Britannica
• Groombridge railway station on Subterranea Britannica
• High Rocks railway station on Subterranea Britannica
• Tunbridge Wells West railway station on Subterranea Britannica
• Wealden Line Campaign
• The Lavender Line
• Spa Valley Railway
• Photograph of the Phoenix Causeway