Three Bridges railway station
Encyclopedia
Three Bridges railway station is located in and named after the village of Three Bridges
, which is now a district of Crawley
, West Sussex
, England. It is at the point where the Arun Valley Line
diverges from the Brighton Main Line
and Thameslink
47 km (29½ miles) south of both London Victoria and London Bridge.
style railway station on the East side of the line at Three Bridges was opened in July 1841 by the London and Brighton Railway
at a point next to their proposed branch to Horsham
. It was designed by the architect David Mocatta
, and was one of a series of standardised modular buildings used by the railway. This building was demolished 5 May 1985. Some sources suggest that the station was originally going to be known as "Crawley" but according to The London and Brighton railway guide, of 1841 and the 1846 timetable it was always named "Three Bridges".
was opened two years later. Three Bridges was enlarged in July 1855 with the construction of a branch line to East Grinstead
and again enlarged in 1906/9 at the time of the quadrupling of the main line. The present ticket office was then built on the west side of the line and new platforms and station buildings for the new lines.
during 1932-3, housing the Control Room for the scheme, and was one of three locations where current was taken from the national network and transmitted to substations. Electric multiple-unit trains began to run between London and Three Bridges on 17 July 1932. The line was electrified throughout on 30 December. At the same time the practice of "slipping
" coaches for East Grinstead at Three Bridges from expresses bound for the south coast was abandoned by the Southern Railway
. The line from Three Bridges to Horsham was electrified in May 1938. The single-track branch line to East Grinstead
was never electrified. It remained steam operated, principally by push-pull
tank locomotives of the M7
and H
classes, until the end of steam operation in 1964. It was then briefly operated by diesel-electric multiple units of British Rail Class 205
but closed on 2 January 1967.
in a truck of a goods train. On 28 January 1933 an electric train crashed into the back of a steam freight train waiting at the signal box. The driver of the electric train and the guard of the freight train were both seriously injured.
was opened in July 1848 on a site to the west of the station. This was closed in 1909 to make way for the enlargement of the station and a new depot was established in the fork between the Brighton and Horsham lines in 1911, which remained open until June 1964.
The original small goods yard to the south of the station was greatly extended during the First World War and was used as a marshalling yard for munitions trains heading for the Continent. Trains from the Great Western Railway
and the London and North Western Railway
were brought here for onward transmission to Newhaven Harbour
.
throughout Southern Railway (Great Britain) and British Railways ownership. Train services are now provided by Southern
and First Capital Connect
train operating companies.
In July 2009, the Department for Transport
announced that maintenance depots for new Thameslink
trains would be built at Hornsey
and Three Bridges
.
Three Bridges
Three Bridges is a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley, in the county of West Sussex in England.-History:Three Bridges was a tiny hamlet, which first began to grow with the coming of the London and Brighton Railway in 1841...
, which is now a district of Crawley
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
, West Sussex
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...
, England. It is at the point where the Arun Valley Line
Arun Valley Line
The Arun Valley Line, also known as the Mid Sussex Line, is part of the Southern-operated railway services. For the initial part of the route trains follow the Brighton Main Line, and at a junction south of Three Bridges the route turns westwards...
diverges from 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...
and Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
47 km (29½ miles) south of both London Victoria and London Bridge.
History
The original ItalianateItalianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
style railway station on the East side of the line at Three Bridges was opened in July 1841 by the London and Brighton Railway
London and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
at a point next to their proposed branch to Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
. It was designed by the architect David Mocatta
David Mocatta
David Mocatta was a British architect and a member of the Anglo-Jewish Mocatta family.-Biography:Mocatta studied in London from 1821 to 1827 under Sir John Soane and travelled in Italy...
, and was one of a series of standardised modular buildings used by the railway. This building was demolished 5 May 1985. Some sources suggest that the station was originally going to be known as "Crawley" but according to The London and Brighton railway guide, of 1841 and the 1846 timetable it was always named "Three Bridges".
Enlargement
The London and Brighton Railway merged with others to become the London Brighton and South Coast Railway in 1846, and the branch to HorshamHorsham 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...
was opened two years later. Three Bridges was enlarged in July 1855 with the construction of a branch line to East Grinstead
Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line
The Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line was a railway line running from Three Bridges in West Sussex to Tunbridge Wells Central in Kent via East Grinstead in East Sussex, a distance of . Opened in 1855, the main section of the line was a casualty of the Beeching Axe the last train ran on...
and again enlarged in 1906/9 at the time of the quadrupling of the main line. The present ticket office was then built on the west side of the line and new platforms and station buildings for the new lines.
Electrification
Three Bridges was a key site for the electrification scheme for the main lineBrighton 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...
during 1932-3, housing the Control Room for the scheme, and was one of three locations where current was taken from the national network and transmitted to substations. Electric multiple-unit trains began to run between London and Three Bridges on 17 July 1932. The line was electrified throughout on 30 December. At the same time the practice of "slipping
Slip coach
A slip coach or slip carriage is a British and Irish railway term for passenger rolling stock that is uncoupled from an express train while the train is in motion, then slowed by a guard in the coach using a hand brake, bringing it to a stop at the next station. The coach was thus said to be...
" coaches for East Grinstead at Three Bridges from expresses bound for the south coast was abandoned by the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
. The line from Three Bridges to Horsham was electrified in May 1938. The single-track branch line to 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...
was never electrified. It remained steam operated, principally by push-pull
Push-pull
Push–pull may refer to:In electronic technology:*Push–pull output, type of electronic circuit*Push–pull converter, in electronics, is a type of DC to DC converter that uses a transformer*Push–pull connector, an electronic cable connector...
tank locomotives of the M7
LSWR M7 Class
The LSWR M7 class is a class of 0-4-4 passenger tank locomotive built between 1897 and 1911. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond for use on the intensive London network of the London and South Western Railway , and performed well in such tasks. Because of their utility, 105 were built and the...
and H
SECR H Class
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway H Class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive originally designed for suburban passenger work, designed by Harry Wainwright in 1904...
classes, until the end of steam operation in 1964. It was then briefly operated by diesel-electric multiple units of British Rail Class 205
British Rail Class 205
The British Rail Class 205 diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957–1962. They were replaced by Turbostar units.-Description:This class of unit were built in four different batches for use on different lines....
but closed on 2 January 1967.
Accidents
There have been four recorded accidents at Three Bridges station, the first two of which were relatively minor and involved no injuries. On 12 April 1858 an engine collided with passenger carriages, and on 18 October 1863 an excursion train hit the buffer stops. Two members of station staff died on 13 December 1868 from an explosion of naphthaNaphtha
Naphtha normally refers to a number of different flammable liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons, i.e., a component of natural gas condensate or a distillation product from petroleum, coal tar or peat boiling in a certain range and containing certain hydrocarbons. It is a broad term covering among the...
in a truck of a goods train. On 28 January 1933 an electric train crashed into the back of a steam freight train waiting at the signal box. The driver of the electric train and the guard of the freight train were both seriously injured.
Locomotive depot and goods yard
An engine shedMotive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
was opened in July 1848 on a site to the west of the station. This was closed in 1909 to make way for the enlargement of the station and a new depot was established in the fork between the Brighton and Horsham lines in 1911, which remained open until June 1964.
The original small goods yard to the south of the station was greatly extended during the First World War and was used as a marshalling yard for munitions trains heading for the Continent. Trains from the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
and the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
were brought here for onward transmission to Newhaven Harbour
Newhaven Harbour railway station
Newhaven Harbour Railway Station is one of two active stations serving Newhaven in East Sussex, England, the other being Newhaven Town. A third, Newhaven Marine, is legally open, but does not currently receive a passenger service due to safety concerns....
.
Three Bridges today
The station remains an important junction on the Brighton Main LineBrighton 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...
throughout Southern Railway (Great Britain) and British Railways ownership. Train services are now 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 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...
train operating companies.
In July 2009, the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
announced that maintenance depots for new Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
trains would be built at Hornsey
Hornsey
Hornsey is a district in London Borough of Haringey in north London in England. Whilst Hornsey was formerly the name of a parish and later a municipal borough of Middlesex, today, the name refers only to the London district. It is an inner-suburban area located north of Charing Cross.-Locale:The ...
and Three Bridges
Three Bridges
Three Bridges is a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley, in the county of West Sussex in England.-History:Three Bridges was a tiny hamlet, which first began to grow with the coming of the London and Brighton Railway in 1841...
.
Facilities
- Booking Hall
- Ticket Office (2 Windows)
- Quick Ticket
- Cash Machine (x2)
- Flower Shop
- Coffee Shop
- Cafe
- Toilets
- Telephones (x2)
- Information Office
- Lifts
- Subway (Linking Platforms)
- Taxi Rank
- Car Park
- Bicycle Storage
Platform layout
- Platform 1: - From Crawley to London via Redhill - Some fast services in the peaks
- Platform 2: - To London via Redhill / Down to Chichester (off-peak) (Up Slow)
- Platform 3: - To Horsham/Bognor/Crawley - Occasionally Brighton (Down Slow)
- Platform 4: - To London - Most First Capital Connect and Fast Victoria services (Up Fast)
- Platform 5: - To Brighton and/or Lewes and/or Littlehampton (Down Fast)
Services
The typical service from the station (Monday to Friday Off-Peak and Saturday) is:- 5tph (trains per hour) to Haywards HeathHaywards Heath railway stationHaywards 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...
and 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... - 3tph to London VictoriaVictoria station (London)Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
- 4tph to Bedford via 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...
- 2tph to HorshamHorsham railway stationHorsham 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...
- 2tph to 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...
via Redhill - 1tph to Southampton CentralSouthampton Central railway stationSouthampton 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...
and Bognor RegisBognor Regis railway stationBognor Regis railway station is in the town of Bognor Regis, in the English county of West Sussex, England. It is approximately 65 miles south of London Victoria. The station and the trains serving it are operated by Southern railway company...
, running via and splitting at HorshamHorsham railway stationHorsham 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... - 1tph to Portsmouth HarbourPortsmouth Harbour railway stationPortsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...
and Bognor RegisBognor Regis railway stationBognor Regis railway station is in the town of Bognor Regis, in the English county of West Sussex, England. It is approximately 65 miles south of London Victoria. The station and the trains serving it are operated by Southern railway company...
, running via and splitting at HorshamHorsham railway stationHorsham 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...