A fairly common feature of Southern concrete platforms is failure of the supports, dealt with by casting more concrete round them, resulting in a fatter, round columns. Quite a few supports have had this treatment at Normans Bay, as can be seen in this photograph.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Normans Bay station was one of a number of halts built by the LBSCR, but it is doubted that any of the original fabric survives. One story surrounding its origins concerns a stranded whale. Apparently when news of the stranding spread as far as London sightseers came down by train to see it, but there was no station and they had to jump down from the train. The landlord of the local pub lobbied the LBSCR for a station, which was provided in the form of a small wooden halt. Today the platforms are concrete components and there are two small, modern steel shelters. A portable building accommodates the crossing keeper for Havensmouth level crossing, at the Hastings end of the station.

The photographs on this pages were all taken on 24th March 2012.

The view of the station in the opposite direction from the above photograph, with more evidence of the fatter support columns. Approximately one in three trains stops here, more or less on an hourly schedule.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Access to the station is via a private road which serves a string of houses along the sea front.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft