Bishopstone railway station
Encyclopedia
Bishopstone railway station is located on the western side of the town of Seaford
in East Sussex
, England
. It is situated close to the coast, and approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) from the hamlet of Bishopstone
, from which it takes its name. Train services from the station are provided by Southern
, and the station is on the Seaford Branch
of the East Coastway Line
.
Before this station opened, Bishopstone station was located 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) further west at Tide Mills
. This earlier station was closed in 1938 when the current station opened, but was subsequently reopened under the name of Bishopstone Beach Halt
, and survived as such until 1942.
design is said to be inspired by that of Arnos Grove tube station
, which was designed by Charles Holden
, and was intended to be the centrepiece of a proposed residential development that never took place due to the outbreak of the Second World War
.
The main building of the station is a perfectly symmetrical structure, with an octagonal central booking hall and two extended wings. One of these wings formerly contained the ticket office and parcels office, whilst the other contained a waiting room and toilets. As built, the station had two side platforms in a cutting, accessed by stairs from a footbridge linking to the main station building.
In 1940, a pair of pillboxes
were constructed on the roof of the main station building, flanking its octagonal tower. Despite the times, considerable effort was made to blend these into the original structure, and they are thus well camouflaged.
The last member of staff to work at the station was withdrawn in 1988. Today the old booking office and parcel office is occupied by a small newsagents, and the remaining station facilities are disused; but the main access to the trains is still via the octagonal booking hall. The line was singled in 1975 and all trains now use the former up platform.
Bishopstone Station is a grade II listed building. Because of its unstaffed and unsupervised status, and the fact that it is largely boarded up and disused, it is on English Heritage
's at risk register.
Additionally, there are two through trains to London Victoria station on weekday mornings, and one in the opposite direction in the evening.
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....
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, 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 is situated close to the coast, and approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) from the hamlet of Bishopstone
Bishopstone, East Sussex
Bishopstone is a hamlet with a population of about 200 people, located along a dead-end road west of Seaford, East Sussex. Bishopstone was an episcopal manor: hence its name meaning "dwelling place of the bishop". The church, dedicated to Saint Andrew, is thought to date from the 8th century, and...
, from which it takes its name. Train services from the station are provided by Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
, and the station is on the Seaford Branch
Seaford Branch Line
The Seaford Branch Line is a rural railway line constructed in 1864 primarily to serve the port of Newhaven and the town of Seaford. At present it is operated by Southern in England. The line starts at Lewes and runs to Southerham Junction where it diverges from the main East Coastway Line to...
of the East Coastway Line
East Coastway Line
East Coastway is the name used by the train operating company, Southern , for the routes it operates along the south coast of Sussex and Kent to the east of Brighton, England. Those to the West of Brighton are named the West Coastway Line...
.
Before this station opened, Bishopstone station was located 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) further west at Tide Mills
Tide Mills, East Sussex
Tide Mills is a derelict village in East Sussex, England. It lies about two kilometres south east of Newhaven and four kilometres north west of Seaford and is near both Bishopstone and East Blatchington.-The old village:...
. This earlier station was closed in 1938 when the current station opened, but was subsequently reopened under the name of Bishopstone Beach Halt
Bishopstone Beach Halt railway station
Bishopstone Beach Halt was a railway station in England that was opened on the 1 June 1864 and closed on 1 January 1942. The station was built for residents of the Bishopstone and Tide Mills villages and located on the west side of Mill Drove...
, and survived as such until 1942.
Buildings and structures
The station was opened on 26 September 1938, the same day that the original Bishopstone station at Tide Mills was first closed. The Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
design is said to be inspired by that of Arnos Grove tube station
Arnos Grove tube station
Arnos Grove is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly line between Bounds Green and Southgate. It is in Travelcard Zone 4 and is located in Arnos Grove, near Arnos Park on Bowes Road, London. The station and surrounding neighbourhood of Arnos Grove take their names from the Arnos Grove...
, which was designed by Charles Holden
Charles Holden
Charles Henry Holden, Litt. D., FRIBA, MRTPI, RDI was a Bolton-born English architect best known for designing many London Underground stations during the 1920s and 1930s, for Bristol Central Library, the Underground Electric Railways Company of London's headquarters at 55 Broadway and for the...
, and was intended to be the centrepiece of a proposed residential development that never took place due to the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The main building of the station is a perfectly symmetrical structure, with an octagonal central booking hall and two extended wings. One of these wings formerly contained the ticket office and parcels office, whilst the other contained a waiting room and toilets. As built, the station had two side platforms in a cutting, accessed by stairs from a footbridge linking to the main station building.
In 1940, a pair of pillboxes
British hardened field defences of World War II
British hardened field defences of World War II were small fortified structures constructed as a part of British anti-invasion preparations. They were popularly known as pillboxes by reference to their shape.-Design and development:...
were constructed on the roof of the main station building, flanking its octagonal tower. Despite the times, considerable effort was made to blend these into the original structure, and they are thus well camouflaged.
The last member of staff to work at the station was withdrawn in 1988. Today the old booking office and parcel office is occupied by a small newsagents, and the remaining station facilities are disused; but the main access to the trains is still via the octagonal booking hall. The line was singled in 1975 and all trains now use the former up platform.
Bishopstone Station is a grade II listed building. Because of its unstaffed and unsupervised status, and the fact that it is largely boarded up and disused, it is on English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
's at risk register.
Services
the typical off-peak service is:- 2 trains per hour to BrightonBrighton railway stationBrighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The station master is Mark Epsom...
- 2 trains per hour to SeafordSeaford railway stationSeaford Railway Station is in Seaford in East Sussex, England. Seaford is the terminus of the Seaford Branch Line of the East Coastway Line. The station has been reduced to single track and only one platform remains in use...
Additionally, there are two through trains to London Victoria station on weekday mornings, and one in the opposite direction in the evening.