West Coastway line

West Coastway is the name given by Southern Trains to the services operated by them from London Victoria along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire to the west of Brighton. For the purposes of this article, all the stations from Brighton to Southampton are included. The short branches to Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Portsmouth Harbour are included.

Services

Southern Trains are the main operator of passenger services and stations on the line. Their primary route is a slow service (calling at most or all stations) from Brighton to Portsmouth. They also operate two hourly services from Victoria via Gatwick both avoiding Brighton by the loop line between Preston Park and Hove). One service runs to Littlehampton and the other to Southampton. There is also a service from Victoria via Gatwick and the Arun Valley line that joins the line at Ford and runs to Chichester.

Wessex Trains and South West Trains share an hourly path between Brighton and Fareham. This provides a useful fast service along the line. Some services are extended to Southampton, Salisbury and beyond via the Wessex Main Line. Other services run to Basingstoke or Reading.

History

The lines now operated under the banner West Coastway Line were opened and operated by two companies: the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) and the London and South Western Railway (LSWR). Opening dates were as follows

• LBSCR route:
• 12 May 1840: Brighton - Shoreham (a branch of the London and Brighton Railway)
• 24 November 1845: Shoreham - Worthing
• 18 March 1846: Worthing - near "Littlehampton" (temporary station)
• 9 June 1846: "Littlehampton" to Chichester Worthing to Chichester sections were first built as single track
• 15 March 1847: Chichester - Havant
• 14 June 1847: Havant - Portsmouth. Part of this section became joint LBSCR/LSWR property later.
• LSWR route:
• 1 October 1848: Fareham - Portcreek Junction (connecting with the LBSCR line to Portsmouth)
• 5 March 1866 Southampton and Netley Railway (LSWR controlled) opened to connect with the Victoria Military Hospital at the latter place
• 2 September 1889: connecting link Netley - Fareham opened

Template:UK-rail-stub