Uckfield
| Uckfield was once a through station on the line from Hurst Green Junction to Lewes which was a possible (if circuitous) through route from London to Brighton and Eastbourne. From its inception the line was acquired by the LBSCR to block the SER from gaining a route to these popular and lucrative destinations. The station became a terminus when the line south of Uckfield to Lewes was abandoned in 1969 and another diversionary route between London and the coast was lost. The line has never been electrified and now is one of the very few lines in the south east not to be so. |
| The original station building which is now, alas, long gone.
photograph by Ray Soper |
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The signal box and crossing gates in 1977.
photograph by Michael Taylor |
| Regretfully what was once a common sight throughout Britain -
4 leaf crossing gates - is almost no more. Can you remember the opening and
closing sequence of such gates?
photograph by Michael Taylor |
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In October 1988 Network SouthEast held an 'Uckfield Line
Gala Day' and here class 205
º205023 is the leading unit of a train in the down platform that would
appear to be terminating here. Presumably the platform starter was off to allow
the long train to move beyond the end of the platform so as to clear the busy
level crossing at the London end of the station.
photograph by Mark Westcott |
| When the line was truncated the original station south of the level crossing remained in use, but the station has subsequently been relocated north of the road and the crossing is no more. However reinstatement of the line to Lewes is constantly mooted, though seems to be a very long term project if it is to ever happen. |
| Now in April 1991 the line has been singled and truncated with a
new platform built on the London side of the level crossing on the site of the
old down line. The old, now disused, station can be seen on the other side of
the road.
photograph by Mark Westcott |
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The new "end of the line" is marked with a bright
orange buffer stop.
photograph by Mark Westcott |
| A year later this was the sad scene of the state of the old
station. The level crossing is long gone and it won't be much longer
'til the remainder of the station follows.
photograph by Paul Ferbrache |
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All photographs are copyright
1st | 2nd
This page was last updated 3 May 2010
