Robertsbridge railway station
Encyclopedia
Robertsbridge railway station is on the Hastings Line
in East Sussex
in England
, and serves Robertsbridge
. Train services are provided by Southeastern
.
Robertsbridge was temporarily the terminus of the South Eastern Railway
's (SER) "Hastings Line" from Tunbridge Wells
. This section was opened on 1 September 1851, with the 5.99 mile (9.64 km) stretch to Battle
following four months later. A connection was then made with the existing route to Hastings on 1 February 1852; the line connecting with Hastings having been opened by the SER on 13 February 1851, and which initially gave the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway access to the latter town. A large station building was provided on the Down side, along with a signal box at the south end of the Down platform.
Robertsbridge became a junction in 1900 with the opening of the Rother Valley Light Railway to Tenterden
. The line was extended to Headcorn
in 1905, and was renamed the Kent and East Sussex Railway
. In 1954 all regular passenger services were withdrawn and the line beyond Tenterden Town was completely closed. The line to Tenterden continued to be used by freight services and occasional special passenger trains (eg. hop pickers trains) until closed by British Railways on 12 June 1961. About half a mile length of line remained in use as a siding to serve Hodsons Mill on the outskirts of Robertsbridge until 1970.The bay platform
, on the Down (eastern) side of the station, is still in place and used for engineers trains. A railway preservation society, the Rother Valley Railway
, is in progress in constructing a new separate station on the east side of the car park. They have acquired some rolling stock, have planning permission and access to about half mile of trackbed with the aim of restoring services along the line. (Steam trains already run on another section of the line, between Tenterden Town and Bodiam, 3½ miles from Robertsbridge.)
via Tunbridge Wells
, and one train per hour to Hastings
.
Hastings Line
The Hastings Line is a railway line in Kent and East Sussex linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and from there into London via Sevenoaks.-Openings:The line was opened by the South Eastern Railway in main three stages: – :...
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:...
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...
, and serves Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge is a village in East Sussex, England within the civil parish of Salehurst and Robertsbridge. It is approximately 10 miles north of Hastings and 13 miles south-east of Tunbridge Wells...
. Train services are provided by Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
.
History
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...
's (SER) "Hastings Line" from Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells railway station
Tunbridge Wells railway station serves Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. The station and all trains serving it are currently operated by Southeastern. It is located directly on the double-tracked electrified Hastings Line....
. This section was opened on 1 September 1851, with the 5.99 mile (9.64 km) stretch to Battle
Battle railway station
Battle railway station is on the Hastings Line in East Sussex in England, and serves the town of Battle. Train services are provided by Southeastern.The station was opened on 1 January 1852...
following four months later. A connection was then made with the existing route to Hastings on 1 February 1852; the line connecting with Hastings having been opened by the SER on 13 February 1851, and which initially gave the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway access to the latter town. A large station building was provided on the Down side, along with a signal box at the south end of the Down platform.
Robertsbridge became a junction in 1900 with the opening of the Rother Valley Light Railway to Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
. The line was extended to Headcorn
Headcorn railway station
Headcorn is a railway station on the South Eastern Main Line serving the village of Headcorn in Kent. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern...
in 1905, and was renamed the Kent and East Sussex Railway
Kent and East Sussex Railway
The Kent & East Sussex Railway refers to both an historical private railway company in Kent and Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company.-Historical Company:-Background:...
. In 1954 all regular passenger services were withdrawn and the line beyond Tenterden Town was completely closed. The line to Tenterden continued to be used by freight services and occasional special passenger trains (eg. hop pickers trains) until closed by British Railways on 12 June 1961. About half a mile length of line remained in use as a siding to serve Hodsons Mill on the outskirts of Robertsbridge until 1970.The 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...
, on the Down (eastern) side of the station, is still in place and used for engineers trains. A railway preservation society, the Rother Valley Railway
Rother Valley Railway
The Rother Valley Railway is the original name of what became the Kent and East Sussex Railway. Nowadays, the Rother Valley Railway refers to the ‘Missing Link’ between Robertsbridge, a station on the Tonbridge to Hastings mainline, and Bodiam on the Kent and East Sussex Railway, a heritage...
, is in progress in constructing a new separate station on the east side of the car park. They have acquired some rolling stock, have planning permission and access to about half mile of trackbed with the aim of restoring services along the line. (Steam trains already run on another section of the line, between Tenterden Town and Bodiam, 3½ miles from Robertsbridge.)
Services
The typical off-peak service is one train per hour to London Charing CrossCharing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
via Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells railway station
Tunbridge Wells railway station serves Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. The station and all trains serving it are currently operated by Southeastern. It is located directly on the double-tracked electrified Hastings Line....
, and one train per hour to 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....
.