Ardingly Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Ardingly was a railway station which served the West Sussex
village of Ardingly
in England
. It was opened on 3 September 1883 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
(LBSCR), and closed eighty years later. Currently used as an aggregates depot
, the Bluebell Railway
has long-term plans to extend its activity to Ardingly. Most of the trackbed from Horsted Keynes is now owned by the Bluebell Railway .
and Haywards Heath
on the Brighton Main Line
. Doubled throughout, the line curved away from Horsted Keynes over Sheriff Mill Viaduct (117 yards and named after the nearby Lower Sheriff Farm), climbing on a gradient to reach Lywood Tunnel (218 yards) before continuing on the level for nearly 2 miles to reach the line's only intermediate station at Ardingly. From Ardingly, the line continued for a further mile to reach Copyhold Junction on the Brighton Line, just south of the Ouse Valley Viaduct
. At first there was no signal box
at the junction, with services running on an independent line parallel to the Brighton Main Line as far as the north-facing bay platform
at Haywards Heath. A box was installed in 1912 which remained in use until 1932 when Haywards Heath was rebuilt with up and down loop platforms and a new box brought into service there.
The line opened without ceremony, with the first service, a goods train, leaving Haywards Heath at 8.34am to collect freight at Ardingly and continue to Horsted Keynes. It was later to prove its worth as a useful alternative to the Brighton Main Line in both wars and for specials to Lingfield Racecourse.
and presented as a two-storey Victorian
country cottage. The upper storey is decoratively timbered with plaster patterning (flower patterns in black on a white background) and projecting slightly; unlike the other stations on the line, Ardingly was never tile-hung.
The station's two platforms had fairly basic facilities with platform awnings and an alcove-like waiting room on the down platform; a platform signal cabin was to be found at the western end of the station, overseeing a small goods yard. The yard saw considerable inward traffic in the form of timber for a local sawmill
which was subsequently dispatched back out in consignments of prepared boards. The station was run by a staff of four: the stationmaster, signal porter, porter and assistant clerk; the last stationmaster left in 1926, at which point Ardingly came under the control of Horsted Keynes.
when the Southern Railway took over the line when it was mainly serviced by push-pull train
s, with some through services to and from Brighton
. Following electrification in 1935, the new electric service comprised some 18 trains on an hourly service to and from Horsted Keynes daily, around half of which terminated at Haywards Heath whilst the rest ran as far as Seaford
. The Ardingly branch was closed on Sundays until 1945, and the connection from the up Ardingly line to the up Horsted Keynes main platform was severed.
Camping coach
es were stationed at Ardingly from Summer 1930 until the end of the war, an acknowledgment of Ardingly's popularity amongst ramblers who were ferried to and from the station in special trains. The station was also busy at the beginning and end of term at Ardingly College
when up to 450 packages of luggage were sent and received for around 250 pupils.
(BR), the down line between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly was used as a siding for condemned Kent Coast
steam stock and new electric stock, whilst single line working with electric train staff was introduced on the up line. The branch was itself closed on 28th October 1963. The section was however still used occasionally to transport rolling stock to the newly-established Bluebell Railway, and the last movement along the line was recorded on 13 May 1964 when Terrier No 32636
passed through prior to lifting of the track. The lifting, which had commenced on 15 July, had reached Horsted Keynes by 21 September. During the summer of 1968, Sheriff Mill Viaduct was demolished as the Mid Sussex District Council
wished to straighten the bend on New Lane as it curved under the viaduct; BR was only too happy to relieve itself of the maintenance costs of the structure. The Bluebell Railway had been invited to purchase the line in 1962, but could not afford BR's asking price of between £25,000-£30,000 together with the £10,000 needed to maintain the viaduct.
) was established in the Ardingly goods yard shortly after closure of the line, and was served by a daily freight working from Haywards Heath using the former down local line. Access to the up main and up local lines at Copyhold Junction has been severed. The new occupant demolished the station platforms (except for a short length near the road bridge). The track in the station was removed and a loop installed at the southern end of the former goods yard area. The station buildings remain, used as offices by Hanson Aggregates.
In 1997 the Bluebell Railway acquired the trackbed as far as the Aggregate Depot boundary at Ardingly, and holds long-term aspirations to reopen the branch. To help bridge the gap created by the missing viaduct, spoil from the excavation of Imberhorne cutting (part of the works necessary for the extension of the Bluebell towards East Grinstead
) is gradually being used to extend existing embankments. Re-signalling work has also taken place at Horsted Keynes, with signals being installed in preparation for the eventual re-laying of the track. Mid Sussex District Council has accordingly safeguarded the route of the line from development that would be prejudicial to its reinstatement.
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
village of Ardingly
Ardingly
Ardingly is a village and civil parish in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty about north of Haywards Heath in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. The village is about south of London, south-south-west of East Grinstead, southeast of Crawley, north of Brighton and ...
in 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 was opened on 3 September 1883 by 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...
(LBSCR), and closed eighty years later. Currently used as an aggregates depot
Construction Aggregate
Construction aggregate, or simply "aggregate", is a broad category of coarse particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined material in the world...
, the Bluebell Railway
Bluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
has long-term plans to extend its activity to Ardingly. Most of the trackbed from Horsted Keynes is now owned by the Bluebell Railway .
Opening and route
The LBSCR opened a 4½-mile link line between Horsted Keynes on its Lewes to East Grinstead LineBluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
and 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...
on the Brighton 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...
. Doubled throughout, the line curved away from Horsted Keynes over Sheriff Mill Viaduct (117 yards and named after the nearby Lower Sheriff Farm), climbing on a gradient to reach Lywood Tunnel (218 yards) before continuing on the level for nearly 2 miles to reach the line's only intermediate station at Ardingly. From Ardingly, the line continued for a further mile to reach Copyhold Junction on the Brighton Line, just south of the Ouse Valley 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:...
. At first there was no signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
at the junction, with services running on an independent line parallel to the Brighton Main Line as far as the north-facing bay platform
Bay platform
Bay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
at Haywards Heath. A box was installed in 1912 which remained in use until 1932 when Haywards Heath was rebuilt with up and down loop platforms and a new box brought into service there.
The line opened without ceremony, with the first service, a goods train, leaving Haywards Heath at 8.34am to collect freight at Ardingly and continue to Horsted Keynes. It was later to prove its worth as a useful alternative to the Brighton Main Line in both wars and for specials to Lingfield Racecourse.
Station building and facilities
Designed by Terence Harrison Myres,the main station building was sited at road level away from the platforms. In common with other Lewes and East Grinstead line stations, it was constructed in a neo-Queen Anne styleQueen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
and presented as a two-storey Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
country cottage. The upper storey is decoratively timbered with plaster patterning (flower patterns in black on a white background) and projecting slightly; unlike the other stations on the line, Ardingly was never tile-hung.
The station's two platforms had fairly basic facilities with platform awnings and an alcove-like waiting room on the down platform; a platform signal cabin was to be found at the western end of the station, overseeing a small goods yard. The yard saw considerable inward traffic in the form of timber for a local sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
which was subsequently dispatched back out in consignments of prepared boards. The station was run by a staff of four: the stationmaster, signal porter, porter and assistant clerk; the last stationmaster left in 1926, at which point Ardingly came under the control of Horsted Keynes.
Operations
The Ardingly branch had a very infrequent service under the LBSCR and following the groupingRailways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
when the Southern Railway took over the line when it was mainly serviced by push-pull train
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
s, with some through services to and from 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...
. Following electrification in 1935, the new electric service comprised some 18 trains on an hourly service to and from Horsted Keynes daily, around half of which terminated at Haywards Heath whilst the rest ran as far as Seaford
Seaford, East Sussex
Seaford is a coastal town in the county of East Sussex, on the south coast of England. Lying east of Newhaven and Brighton and west of Eastbourne, it is the largest town in Lewes district, with a population of about 23,000....
. The Ardingly branch was closed on Sundays until 1945, and the connection from the up Ardingly line to the up Horsted Keynes main platform was severed.
Camping coach
Camping coach
Camping coaches were offered by many railway companies in the United Kingdom as accommodation for holiday makers in rural or coastal areas.The coaches were old passenger vehicles no longer suitable for use in trains, which were converted to provide basic sleeping and living space at static locations...
es were stationed at Ardingly from Summer 1930 until the end of the war, an acknowledgment of Ardingly's popularity amongst ramblers who were ferried to and from the station in special trains. The station was also busy at the beginning and end of term at Ardingly College
Ardingly College
Ardingly College is a selective independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1858 by Canon Nathaniel Woodard, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The college is located in the village of Ardingly near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, having moved to its present...
when up to 450 packages of luggage were sent and received for around 250 pupils.
Closure
After the closure of the Lewes to East Grinstead line in 1958 by British RailwaysSouthern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
(BR), the down line between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly was used as a siding for condemned Kent Coast
Kent Coast Line
The Kent Coast Line is railway line that runs from Dover Priory to Margate in the English county of Kent.It was electrified by BR under the 1955 Modernisation Plan.- Services :...
steam stock and new electric stock, whilst single line working with electric train staff was introduced on the up line. The branch was itself closed on 28th October 1963. The section was however still used occasionally to transport rolling stock to the newly-established Bluebell Railway, and the last movement along the line was recorded on 13 May 1964 when Terrier No 32636
LB&SCR A1 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as...
passed through prior to lifting of the track. The lifting, which had commenced on 15 July, had reached Horsted Keynes by 21 September. During the summer of 1968, Sheriff Mill Viaduct was demolished as the Mid Sussex District Council
Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex is a local government district in the English county of West Sussex. It contains the towns of East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill....
wished to straighten the bend on New Lane as it curved under the viaduct; BR was only too happy to relieve itself of the maintenance costs of the structure. The Bluebell Railway had been invited to purchase the line in 1962, but could not afford BR's asking price of between £25,000-£30,000 together with the £10,000 needed to maintain the viaduct.
Present day
An Amey Roadstone plant (now Hanson AggregatesHanson plc
Hanson plc is a British based international building materials company, headquartered in Maidenhead. Traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index for many years, the company was acquired by a division of German rival Heidelberg Cement in August 2007.-History:Hanson...
) was established in the Ardingly goods yard shortly after closure of the line, and was served by a daily freight working from Haywards Heath using the former down local line. Access to the up main and up local lines at Copyhold Junction has been severed. The new occupant demolished the station platforms (except for a short length near the road bridge). The track in the station was removed and a loop installed at the southern end of the former goods yard area. The station buildings remain, used as offices by Hanson Aggregates.
In 1997 the Bluebell Railway acquired the trackbed as far as the Aggregate Depot boundary at Ardingly, and holds long-term aspirations to reopen the branch. To help bridge the gap created by the missing viaduct, spoil from the excavation of Imberhorne cutting (part of the works necessary for the extension of the Bluebell towards East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
) is gradually being used to extend existing embankments. Re-signalling work has also taken place at Horsted Keynes, with signals being installed in preparation for the eventual re-laying of the track. Mid Sussex District Council has accordingly safeguarded the route of the line from development that would be prejudicial to its reinstatement.
External links
- Ardingly railway station on Subterranea Britannica.
- Station on navigable 1948 O.S. map.
- Images of the disused Ardingly branch on the Trains Fotopic website.