Betchworth railway station
Encyclopedia
Betchworth
railway station is in Surrey
, England
. The station is on the North Downs Line
and is unmanned. All trains serving it are operated by First Great Western
.
who leased the line and operated services from 1850.
is one train every two hours in each direction between Reading
and Redhill
.
The station was particularly significant for the divergence of the Betchworth Quarry railway system, which was built to serve the Dorking Greystone Lime Company's three pits that lay north of the station. It served four different gauges. The standard gauge
portion left the main line narrowly avoiding Betchworth station, before reversing to run to the Eastern and Southern Kiln Batteries. A 3 ft 2 ¼in railway system began there and primarily served the quarry with lines diverging to the Main, Upper Western Whitestone and Eastern Greystone Pits. The other gauges serving the works were the 1 in 7 in (0.4826 m) line that ran from a standard gauge siding to the Hearthstone Mine, and a brief 2 ft (0.6096 m) gauge section of track that ran exclusively between the Eastern and Southern Kiln Batteries.
The first engine to shunt on the standard gauge portion, Engine No. 1 (unofficially named 'The Coffeepot') of 1871, is now preserved at Beamish, County Durham. Baxter, the last engine ever used on the line, and is now preserved on the Bluebell Railway
(and mentioned in the Rev. W. Awdry
book Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine). Baxter now renamed Captain Baxter was returned to traffic for the Bluebell 50th birthday.
Two engines that worked the 3 ft 2¼in gauge portion were also saved. Townsend Hook, is preserved, currently (8/2010) in pieces, at Amberley Chalk Pits Museum, and is in the throes of reconstruction as a static exhibit. William Finlay, brother of Townsend Hook still exists in private ownership
Betchworth
Betchworth is a village and civil parish in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England. The village lies on the north bank of the River Mole, off the A25 road, about three miles east of Dorking and three miles west of Reigate. The village lay within the Reigate hundred.It was home to the now...
railway station is in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, 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...
. The station is on the North Downs Line
North Downs Line
The North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line...
and is unmanned. All trains serving it are operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
History
The station was built by the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway Company in 1849. This company was closely associated with the South Eastern Railway (UK)South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
who leased the line and operated services from 1850.
Services
The typical off-peak service on the North Downs LineNorth Downs Line
The North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line...
is one train every two hours in each direction between Reading
Reading railway station
Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
and Redhill
Redhill railway station
Redhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 21 miles south of London Victoria...
.
The Betchworth Quarry Railways
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
portion left the main line narrowly avoiding Betchworth station, before reversing to run to the Eastern and Southern Kiln Batteries. A 3 ft 2 ¼in railway system began there and primarily served the quarry with lines diverging to the Main, Upper Western Whitestone and Eastern Greystone Pits. The other gauges serving the works were the 1 in 7 in (0.4826 m) line that ran from a standard gauge siding to the Hearthstone Mine, and a brief 2 ft (0.6096 m) gauge section of track that ran exclusively between the Eastern and Southern Kiln Batteries.
The first engine to shunt on the standard gauge portion, Engine No. 1 (unofficially named 'The Coffeepot') of 1871, is now preserved at Beamish, County Durham. Baxter, the last engine ever used on the line, and is now preserved on 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...
(and mentioned in the Rev. W. Awdry
W.V. Awdry
Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE , was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, better known as the Reverend W. Awdry and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.-Life:Awdry was born at Ampfield vicarage near Romsey, Hampshire in 1911...
book Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine). Baxter now renamed Captain Baxter was returned to traffic for the Bluebell 50th birthday.
Two engines that worked the 3 ft 2¼in gauge portion were also saved. Townsend Hook, is preserved, currently (8/2010) in pieces, at Amberley Chalk Pits Museum, and is in the throes of reconstruction as a static exhibit. William Finlay, brother of Townsend Hook still exists in private ownership