Gatwick Airport railway station
Encyclopedia
Gatwick Airport station is the railway station at London Gatwick Airport
that provides a direct rail connection to London
43 km (26¾ miles) away. The station platforms are located directly below the airport’s South Terminal, and the ticket office is adjacent to that terminal’s concourse. The station is currently one of 18 in the United Kingdom to be managed by Network Rail
.
Train services are provided by Gatwick Express
, Southern
, First Capital Connect
and First Great Western
. When viewed from air (or in satellite imagery), the present station building
's British Rail
logo that is etched on the top of the roof is visible.http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Gatwick+Airport+Railway+Station,+London+Gatwick+Airport,+Gatwick,+West+Sussex+RH6,+United+Kingdom&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&cd=1&geocode=FfuTDAMdbIr9_w&split=0&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=6.881357,14.941406&ll=51.156841,-0.160962&spn=0.001649,0.004742&t=h&z=18
s and sidings to hold race trains without impeding the Brighton Main Line
. The sidings were extended during the First World War to be able to accommodate munitions trains heading for Newhaven
.
From 1946 until 1958 Gatwick station was renamed Gatwick Racecourse, even though racing had been abandoned in 1940 and not been re-instated after the Second World War. In fact the station had fallen out of use following the opening of the nearby Tinsley Green/Gatwick airport station (described below). However, during the early 1950s the airport was expanded and took over the land occupied by the racecourse, and the station was entirely rebuilt and integrated with the new airport terminal. The new buildings opened on 27 May 1958 with a regular train service, and the station took over the name Gatwick Airport.
but within a year became Gatwick Airport following the completion of the Beehive airport terminal
which had a direct connection to the station. The airport was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force
in 1940, but in 1952 the British government decided that it would form London's second airport. The station continued in operation until 27 May 1958 when the new Gatwick Airport station (above) opened. The station has been demolished and the only visible remains of the old station are sections of the former up slow line platform. Sections of the connecting subway between the station and the original terminal building (The Beehive) also survive.
operates every 15 minutes to plus frequent Southern
service to London Victoria and a more limited service to . Since December 2008 Gatwick Express services have been extended, during peak hours, to and from Brighton. Southern have timetabled their services to London Victoria so that they arrive after a Gatwick Express train has just left, this discourages passengers transferring from stopping services to Gatwick Express services.
There is a First Capital Connect
service every 15 minutes to Bedford, via London Bridge
and . First Great Western
operate to via Guildford on the North Downs Line.
General off-peak train service pattern per hour:
also run services to Horsham
, and further afield to Portsmouth
, Southampton
, Eastbourne
, , Hastings
and Ore
.
On 13 October 2010 a £53 million redevelopment of the railway station was announced. With the aim of increasing the number of services passing through and passenger capacity, the project will see a new platform, refurbished concourse, upgraded track and signalling. Construction work is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
that provides a direct rail connection to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
43 km (26¾ miles) away. The station platforms are located directly below the airport’s South Terminal, and the ticket office is adjacent to that terminal’s concourse. The station is currently one of 18 in the United Kingdom to be managed by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
.
Train services are provided by Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
, 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...
, First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
and 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....
. When viewed from air (or in satellite imagery), the present station building
Station building
A station building, also known as a head house, is the main building of a passenger train station. It is typically used principally to provide services to passengers.A station building is not to be confused with the station itself...
's British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
logo that is etched on the top of the roof is visible.http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Gatwick+Airport+Railway+Station,+London+Gatwick+Airport,+Gatwick,+West+Sussex+RH6,+United+Kingdom&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&cd=1&geocode=FfuTDAMdbIr9_w&split=0&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=6.881357,14.941406&ll=51.156841,-0.160962&spn=0.001649,0.004742&t=h&z=18
History
There have been two Gatwick stations approximately sited 0.85 miles (1.37 km) from each other.Present station
The station, originally named Gatwick, was built on the present site in September 1891 to serve the Gatwick Racecourse, and which originally operated only on race days. The facilities included passing loopPassing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
s and sidings to hold race trains without impeding 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...
. The sidings were extended during the First World War to be able to accommodate munitions trains heading for Newhaven
Newhaven Marine railway station
Newhaven Marine Railway Station is a station in Newhaven, East Sussex, England adjacent to Newhaven Harbour railway station. It is technically open, but has been closed to passenger train services since August 2006 due to safety concerns...
.
From 1946 until 1958 Gatwick station was renamed Gatwick Racecourse, even though racing had been abandoned in 1940 and not been re-instated after the Second World War. In fact the station had fallen out of use following the opening of the nearby Tinsley Green/Gatwick airport station (described below). However, during the early 1950s the airport was expanded and took over the land occupied by the racecourse, and the station was entirely rebuilt and integrated with the new airport terminal. The new buildings opened on 27 May 1958 with a regular train service, and the station took over the name Gatwick Airport.
Tinsley Green/Gatwick Airport Station
This was opened on 30 September 1935 and was sited 0.85 miles (1.37 km) south of the present station. It was originally named Tinsley GreenTinsley Green, West Sussex
Tinsley Green is an area in the Borough of Crawley, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. Originally a hamlet in the parish of Worth, it was absorbed by the New Town of Crawley in the 1940s and became part of the Pound Hill neighbourhood...
but within a year became Gatwick Airport following the completion of the Beehive airport terminal
Beehive (Gatwick Airport)
The Beehive is the original terminal building at Gatwick Airport, England. Opened in 1936, it became obsolete in the 1950s as the airport expanded. In 2008, it was converted into serviced offices, having served as the headquarters of franchised airline GB Airways for some years before that...
which had a direct connection to the station. The airport was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1940, but in 1952 the British government decided that it would form London's second airport. The station continued in operation until 27 May 1958 when the new Gatwick Airport station (above) opened. The station has been demolished and the only visible remains of the old station are sections of the former up slow line platform. Sections of the connecting subway between the station and the original terminal building (The Beehive) also survive.
Northbound
The Gatwick ExpressGatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
operates every 15 minutes to plus frequent 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...
service to London Victoria and a more limited service to . Since December 2008 Gatwick Express services have been extended, during peak hours, to and from Brighton. Southern have timetabled their services to London Victoria so that they arrive after a Gatwick Express train has just left, this discourages passengers transferring from stopping services to Gatwick Express services.
There is a First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
service every 15 minutes to Bedford, via London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
and . 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....
operate to via Guildford on the North Downs Line.
General off-peak train service pattern per hour:
- xx01 to East CroydonEast Croydon stationEast Croydon station is a railway station and tram stop in Croydon, 10.35 miles south of London Bridge in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the largest and busiest station in Croydon and the busiest in London outside Travelcard Zone 1 in terms of the number of passengers entering and exiting...
, London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
, BlackfriarsBlackfriars stationBlackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
, , FarringdonFarringdon stationFarringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington...
, St Pancras InternationalSt Pancras railway stationSt Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
, , , , , , , and (FCC) - xx03 to , , , GuildfordGuildford (Surrey) railway stationGuildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo....
, , , and (FGW) - xx05 to London Victoria (GX)
- xx08 to Redhill, East Croydon, and London Victoria (Southern)
- xx16 to East Croydon, London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, St Albans, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington, Flitwick and Bedford (FCC)
- xx20 to London Victoria (GX)
- xx23 to , , EarlswoodEarlswood (Surrey) railway stationEarlswood railway station serves Earlswood, south of Redhill, in Surrey. It is on the Brighton Main Line, south of the junction between the 'Redhill line' and the 'Quarry line'. Train services are provided by Southern.-History:...
, Redhill, , , , East Croydon, , and London Bridge (Southern) - xx25 to East Croydon, Clapham Junction and London Victoria (Southern)
- xx31 to East Croydon, London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, St Albans, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington, Flitwick and Bedford (FCC)
- xx35 to London Victoria (GX)
- xx38 to East Croydon, Clapham Junction and London Victoria (Southern)
- xx38 to Horley, Redhill, East Croydon, Clapham Junction and London Victoria (Southern)
- xx46 to East Croydon, London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, St Albans, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington, Flitwick and Bedford (FCC)
- xx50 to London Victoria (GX)
- xx53 to Horley, Redhill, Merstham, Coulsdon South, Purley, East Croydon, Norwood Junction and London Bridge (Southern)
- xx55 to East Croydon, Clapham Junction and London Victoria (Southern)
Southbound
There are frequent First Capital Connect and Southern services to . SouthernSouthern (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...
also run services to Horsham
Horsham railway station
Horsham railway station serves the town of Horsham in West Sussex, England. It is on the Arun Valley Line 61 km south of London Victoria and the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines, and train services are provided by Southern...
, and further afield to Portsmouth
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....
, Southampton
Southampton Central railway station
Southampton Central railway station is a main line railway station serving the city of Southampton in Hampshire, southern England. It is on the Wessex Main Line, the South Western Main Line and the West Coastway Line...
, Eastbourne
Eastbourne railway station
Eastbourne railway station serves Eastbourne in East Sussex, England. It is on the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southern. It is one of two railway stations in the town, the other being Hampden Park Station...
, , Hastings
Hastings railway station
Hastings railway station is in Hastings in East Sussex, England. It is situated on the Hastings Line to Tunbridge Wells, the East Coastway Line to Brighton and the Marshlink Line to Ashford International....
and Ore
Ore railway station
Ore railway station serves Ore Valley in East Sussex, England. It is on the Marshlink Line, and train services are provided by Southern, with a few peak services operated by Southeastern.Third rail 750V DC electrification from Hastings ends here....
.
Redevelopment
External links
- Station information on Gatwick Airport railway station from Network RailNetwork RailNetwork Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...