The
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) (commonly known as "the Brighton line") was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
at its apex, practically the whole coastline of
SussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
as its base, and a large part of
SurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford...
. It was bounded on its western side by the lines of the
London and South Western RailwayThe London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(L&SWR), which provided an alternative route to
PortsmouthPortsmouth is a city located in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city and is located on Portsea Island. The City of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club are both nicknamed Pompey...
in
HampshireHampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a county on the south coast of England. The county borders , Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
. On its eastern side the railway was bounded by the
South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...
(SER) - later the
South Eastern and Chatham RailwayThe South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working amalgamation of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services...
(SE&CR) – which provided an alternative route to
BexhillBexhill can refer to:*Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England*Bexhill, New South Wales, Australia...
,
St Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
, and
HastingsHastings is a town and Borough on the coast of East Sussex in England. It includes originally separate settlements, as well as the inevitable growth of the town through the building of new estates....
. The LB&SCR supplied the most direct routes from London to the South Coast
seaside resortA seaside resort is a resort located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- History of the seaside resort :...
s of
BrightonBrighton is a town in the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain...
,
EastbourneEastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 106,652 as of 2009. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to...
,
WorthingWorthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
,
LittlehamptonLittlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, located on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester....
and
Bognor* Bognor Regis* Bognor Regis Town F.C., a football club* Bognor Regis and Littlehampton* Bognor Regis railway station* Alexandra Theatre, Bognor Regis* Bognor Regis Community College* Bognor Birdman* White & Thompson Bognor Bloater* Bognor or Bust...
, and to the ports of Newhaven and
ShorehamShoreham is the name of several different places:* Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK** Shoreham 1974–1997** New Shoreham 1295–1885* Shoreham, Kent, UK* Shoreham, Michigan, USA...
. In addition, the company served the inland towns/cities of
ChichesterChichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
,
HorshamHorsham is a market town situated on the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, in the county of West Sussex, England with a population of 55,657 . It lies south southwest from London, northwest from Brighton and northeast from the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Crawley to the...
,
East GrinsteadEast 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...
and
LewesLewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it lies. The settlement has a long history as a bridging point and as a market town, and is today an important communications hub, and tourist-orientated town.-History:The site that is...
, and jointly served
CroydonCroydon is a major commercial centre in Greater London and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. It is south of Charing Cross, and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, Tunbridge Wells,
DorkingDorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
and
GuildfordGuildford is the county town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
. At the London end was a complicated suburban and outer-suburban network of lines, emanating from
London BridgeLondon Bridge station is a National Rail and London Underground station in the London Borough of Southwark, which occupies a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross...
and Victoria stations, as well as shared interests in two cross-London lines.
The company was merged with the L&SWR, the SE&CR and several minor railway companies in southern England, as a result of the
Railways Act 1921The Railways Act of 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits...
grouping to form the
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 and Kent...
as from 1 January 1923.
Early History
The
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) was formed by
Act of ParliamentAn act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament....
on 27 July 1846, through the amalgamation of a number of pre-existing railway companies. These included:
- The London and Croydon Railway
The London and Croydon Railway was an early railway which operated between London and Croydon in England. It was opened in 1839 and in July 1846 it merged with other railways to form a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway ....
(L&CR) created in 1836 and opened in 1839.
- The London and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. It ran from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gave it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
(L&BR) created in 1837 and opened in 1841.
- The Brighton and Chichester Railway
The Brighton and Chichester Railway was an early railway in southern England running between the towns of Shoreham and Chichester in Sussex, which operated between 1845 and 1846.-History:...
created in 1844 and opened in stages between November 1845 and June 1846, and continuing to HavantHavant is a town in south east Hampshire on the South coast of England, between Portsmouth and Chichester. It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area....
and PortsmouthPortsmouth is a city located in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city and is located on Portsea Island. The City of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club are both nicknamed Pompey...
in 1847.
- The Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway, opened in June 1846.
- The Croydon and Epsom Railway, created in July 1844, and still under construction.
The amalgamation had been brought about by shareholders in the L&CR and L&BR who were dissatisfied with the early returns from their investment.
Original Routes
At the time of its creation the new railway had around in existence or under construction, consisting of:
- The Brighton Main Line
The Brighton Main Line is a major British railway line running from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. The route is approximately 50 miles in length. It is operated by Southern and First Capital Connect and is electrified throughout...
from London Bridge to Brighton (two parts of which, between Corbett's Lane (New CrossNew Cross is a place and an electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham, 4 miles south east of Charing Cross. It is covered by London postal district SE14...
) and London Bridge and between Croydon and Redhill railway stationRedhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 34 km south of London Victoria...
, were shared with the South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway may refer to:* South Eastern Railway * South Eastern Railway * Southeastern Railway *South Eastern Railway...
). There was also a branch from Croydon to Epsom railway stationEpsom railway station is the main railway station for Epsom in the county of Surrey. It is located off Waterloo Road, near to the High Street....
, and anotherThe 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...
from Three Bridges railway stationThree Bridges railway station is located in the Three Bridges district of Crawley, West Sussex, England. It is at the point where the Arun Valley Line diverges from the Brighton Main Line 47 km south of London Victoria.-History:...
to Horsham 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...
both of which were under construction at the time of the amalgamation.
- The West Sussex coast line
The West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, to the west of Brighton., plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
from Brighton to ChichesterChichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, which was complete, but further extensions to HavantHavant is a town in south east Hampshire on the South coast of England, between Portsmouth and Chichester. It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area....
and Portsmouth were under construction.
- The East Sussex coast line
East Coastway is the name used by the train operating company, Southern , for the routes it operates along the south coast of Sussex and Kent to the east of Brighton, England. Those to the West of Brighton are named the West Coastway Line...
from Brighton to LewesLewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it lies. The settlement has a long history as a bridging point and as a market town, and is today an important communications hub, and tourist-orientated town.-History:The site that is...
and St LeonardsSt Leonards is the name of several places:In the United Kingdom:*St Leonards, Eynsham*Upton St Leonards, Gloucestershire*St Leonards, Buckinghamshire*St Leonards, Dorset*St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex*St Leonards, East Kilbride*St Leonards, Edinburgh...
, with running powers over the SER line to HastingsHastings is a town and Borough on the coast of East Sussex in England. It includes originally separate settlements, as well as the inevitable growth of the town through the building of new estates....
. There were also branches to Newhaven, EastbourneEastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 106,652 as of 2009. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to...
and HailshamHailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the four main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The town has had a long history of agriculture.-Industry and commerce:...
and a link from the main line at Keymer Junction near Haywards HeathHaywards Heath is a town in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and east northeast of the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, Crawley north...
to the Brighton-Lewes line which was then under construction.
.
A line from
New CrossNew Cross is a place and an electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham, 4 miles south east of Charing Cross. It is covered by London postal district SE14...
to Deptford Dockyard, proposed by the L&CR was approved in July 1846, shortly before the amalgamation. This line was opened by the LB&SCR in July 1849, and a short branch to the nearby
Surrey Commercial DocksThe Surrey Commercial Docks were a large group of docks in Rotherhithe on the south bank of the Thames in South East London. The docks operated in one form or another from 1696 to 1969...
in
RotherhitheRotherhithe is a district of central south-east London in the London Borough of Southwark, England. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area....
opened in July 1855.
London stations
The main
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
terminus was the SER station at London Bridge, which had been built by the
London and Greenwich RailwayThe London and Greenwich Railway was opened in London between 1836 and 1838. It was the first steam railway to have a terminus in the capital, and the first of any to be built specifically for passenger service.-Origins:...
in 1836, and operated by the SER from 1845. LB&SCR trains therefore had also to use the SER lines from Corbett’s Lane into London. The new company also inherited from the L&CR ownership of a smaller terminus at
Bricklayers' ArmsBricklayers' Arms is a busy road intersection between A2 and the London Inner Ring Road in south London, England. It is located at and the junction of:*Tower Bridge Road*Old Kent Road*New Kent Road*Great Dover Street...
which was also shared with the SER. However, this terminus was poorly sited for passenger traffic and so closed in 1852 and converted into the Willow Walk goods depot. A second terminus in the West End of London at Victoria was opened in 1860, shared with the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR).
The railway originally had two stations at Croydon, which were later renamed
East CroydonEast Croydon station is a railway station and tram stop in Croydon, 8.3 miles south of Charing Cross in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the largest and busiest station in Croydon and the busiest in London outside Travelcard Zone 1. It is one of three railway stations in the London Borough of Croydon with...
(former L&BR) and
West CroydonWest Croydon station is a transport interchange for National Rail and Tramlink services, as well as London Buses. It is in the London Borough of Croydon and Travelcard Zone 5...
(former L&CR) respectively.
Atmospheric lines
The London and Croydon Railway railway had been partially operated by the
atmospheric principleAn atmospheric railway uses air pressure to provide power for propulsion. A pneumatic tube is laid between the rails, with a piston running in it suspended from the train through a sealable slot in the top of the tube...
, between
CroydonCroydon is a major commercial centre in Greater London and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. It is south of Charing Cross, and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
and
Forest HillForest Hill railway station is situated in Forest Hill, part of the London Borough of Lewisham: the station is located on the South Circular Road . There are four tracks through the station, although only the slow lines have platforms...
, as the first phase of a scheme to use this mode of operation between London and
EpsomEpsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:...
. However, following a number of technical problems, the board of the new railway abandoned atmospheric operation in May 1847. The abandonment of the plans for atmospheric working into London enabled the new company to build its own separate lines into London Bridge, and have its own independent station there, by 1849.
Rapid expansion 1854-1866
The new company was formed at the same time as the bursting of the
railway maniaRailway Mania is the term given to the speculative frenzy in Britain in the 1840s. It followed a common pattern: as the price of railway shares increased, more and more money was poured in by speculators, until the inevitable collapse...
investment bubble and so it found raising capital for expansion extremely difficult during the first years of its operation, other than to complete those projects that were already in hand. However, during the 1850s the LBSCR began to expand its routes throughout south London, Sussex, and east Surrey. Some of these routes were financed and built by the company itself, whereas others were built by independent local companies, set up with the intention of connecting their town to the growing railway network, and with the intention of sale or lease to the LB&SCR. There was a period of particularly rapid expansion between 1857 and 1865, during which a further 177 route miles were constructed or authorised.
New lines in south London
The chairman and some of the directors of the LB&SCR were closely involved with the company which purchased
The Crystal PalaceDesigned by Joseph Paxton, the Great Exhibition building was long, with an interior height of .After the exhibition, the building was moved to a new park in a high, healthy and affluent area of London called Sydenham Hill, an area not much changed today from the well-heeled suburb full of large...
after the completion of
The Great ExhibitionThe Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, England, from 1 May to 15...
in October 1851 and arranged for its removal to a site on
Sydenham HillSydenham Hill is a hill or ridge and a locality in South-East London and the name of a road which runs along the northern eastern part of the ridge and forms the boundary between the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Lewisham. The highest part of the hill is also one of the...
(close to the London Brighton main line), where it became a major tourist attraction. The railway therefore encourage the
West End of London and Crystal Palace RailwayThe West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway was opened ....
to build a branch line between Sydenham and the new site, which opened in June 1854, and extend the line in a wide arc round south London to
WandsworthWandsworth is an inner suburb of London on the south bank of the River Thames in south-west London. Wandsworth takes its name from the River Wandle, which enters the Thames at Wandsworth. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Wandsworth appears in...
in 1856 and
BatterseaBattersea is a place in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is an inner-city district located 2.9 miles south west of Charing Cross. It has a population of 75,651 people .-Geography:...
Pier in 1858. The West Croydon to Wimbledon Line was built as an independent line joining the LB&SCR and the L&SWR main lines and opened in October 1855. For a few months the railway was operated under contract by its engineer
George Parker BidderGeorge Parker Bidder was an English engineer and calculating prodigy.He displayed a natural skill at calculation from an early age...
but in 1856 it was leased to the LB&SCR and then purchased outright in 1858.
Between 1858 and 1860 the company joined with the
London, Chatham and Dover RailwayThe London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
(LC&DR), the
Great Western RailwayThe 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 three years later...
(GWR) and the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) to form the Victoria Station & Pimlico Railway Company which constructed a bridge over the
River ThamesThe River Thames is a major river flowing through southern England. While best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows through several other towns and cities, including Oxford, Reading and Windsor....
and a second major terminus in the west end of London at
VictoriaVictoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a major London Underground, National Rail and coach station in the City of Westminster. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo. It is in Travelcard Zone 1...
. This project was connected with the
West London Extension Joint RailwayThe West London Line is a short railway linking Clapham Junction in the south to Willesden Junction in the north. It was built to enable trains to cross London....
, a joint railway financed by the LB&SCR, L&SWR, GWR, and the L&NWR, allowing freight transfers well as some through passenger trains. This line was opened in 1863, and the LB&SCR operated passenger trains between Clapham Junction and
KensingtonKensington is a district of West London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, located west of Charing Cross. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the...
.
A new 'cut off' main line between
Norwood Junction railway stationNorwood Junction railway station is in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 4.The station is managed by London Overground and all trains operated by Southern...
and
BalhamBalham may refer to:*Balaam, Biblical figure*Balham, London, a place in the London Borough of Wandsworth, England*Balham station, a National Rail and London underground station in the place of the same name in London...
was constructed during 1861 and 1862 which shortened the route from East Croydon to Victoria. At the same time, the LB&SCR was co-operating with the LC&DR to create the South London Line between London Bridge and Victoria. The LC&DR was used from Victoria to
BrixtonBrixton is an area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is predominantly residential with a prominent street market and substantial retail sector...
, followed by new construction by the LB&SCR through
Denmark HillDenmark Hill railway station is a railway station in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England, on the South London Line. The station is managed by Southeastern and is served by trains of that company and Southern. It is in Travelcard Zone 2. It is located on Champion Park in the south of...
, and
PeckhamPeckham Rye railway station is a station on Rye Lane in the centre of the shopping district of Peckham in South London. It opened on 1 December 1865 for LC&DR trains and on 13 August 1886 for LB&SCR trains...
to join their main line to London Bridge at
South BermondseySouth Bermondsey railway station is on the South London Line, between London Bridge and Queens Road Peckham. It is also served by trains from London Bridge to West Croydon via Dulwich and Crystal Palace....
.
New lines in Sussex
In East Sussex a
branch 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 and closed on 1...
was opened in July 1855 connecting the main line at Three Bridge to the market town of
East GrinsteadEast 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...
. This line was extended in 1866 to reach
GroombridgeGroombridge is a village of about 1,600 people. It straddles the border between Kent and East Sussex, in England. The nearest large town is Tunbridge Wells, about away by road....
and Tunbridge Wells. Similarly, during 1858, a
branch lineTaking its name from its route through the chalk hills of the North and South Downs of the Weald, England, the Wealden Line is a partly abandoned double track railway line in East Sussex and Kent that connected Lewes with Tunbridge Wells, a distance of ....
was built from Lewes to
UckfieldUckfield is a town in the Wealden district of East Sussex, in southern England. It is located on the southern edge of the Weald and on the River Uck, one of the tributaries of the River Ouse.-Etymology:...
, which was also extended to Groombridge and thus to Tunbridge Wells in 1868. In 1864 the Newhaven branch line was extended to
Seaford-In the United States of America:*Seaford, Delaware*Seaford, New York*Seaford, Virginia*Seaford Hundred, an unincorporated subdivision of Sussex County, Delaware; see List of Delaware Hundreds-People:*Richard Seaford, British classicist*Baron Seaford...
. A large area in East Sussex between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne remained without any railways and the LB&SCR was anxious in case the SER should venture into this territory. As a result in 1864, sought powers to build a line between these two towns. It also obtained powers for the construction of the
Ouse Valley RailwayThe Ouse Valley Railway was a railway which was to have formed part of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway . It was authorised by an Act of Parliament and construction of the long line was begun, but not completed...
, a project to build a line between
Balcombe railway stationBalcombe railway station serves the village of Balcombe in West Sussex, England. It is on the Brighton Main Line 27 km north of Brighton...
on the Brighton main line to Uckfield and
HailshamHailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the four main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The town has had a long history of agriculture.-Industry and commerce:...
. An extension of this line to St Leonards was also approved in May 1865. However, having obtained these powers, comparatively little work on either line had been expended by the end of 1866.
In West Sussex the
Horsham branchThe 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...
was extended to
PulboroughPulborough is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England, of some 5,000 inhabitants, located almost centrally within the county being due south of London. It is at the junction of the important north-south trunk road A29 and east-west routes.The village is...
and
PetworthPetworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
in 1859. In 1863 a new line was built from near Pulborough to a junction with the
West Sussex coast lineThe West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, to the west of Brighton., plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
near
Ford railway stationFord railway station is a railway station in Ford, West Sussex.It is located on the West Coastway Line which runs between Brighton and Southampton. The station and the trains serving it are operated by Southern....
. Similarly, in 1861 a line was built from near Horsham to
ShorehamShoreham is the name of several different places:* Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK** Shoreham 1974–1997** New Shoreham 1295–1885* Shoreham, Kent, UK* Shoreham, Michigan, USA...
thereby providing a direct link to Brighton. Branches were also built from the West Sussex coast line to the village of
LittlehamptonLittlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, located on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester....
in 1863 (to connect to a newly established cross-channel ferry service), to
Bognor RegisBognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and southeast of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east northeast and Selsey to...
in 1864 and to
Hayling IslandHayling Island is an island off the south coast of England, in the borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire. It is twinned with Gorron, Mayenne, France.-Geography:...
in 1867.
New lines in Surrey
The Epsom and Leatherhead Railway was an independent line leading from the L&SW main line at Wimbledon through the surrey towns of Epsom,
LeatherheadLeatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin....
towards
GuildfordGuildford is the county town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
. The LB&SCR entered into an agreement with this company to share their existing station at Epsom and for them to use the line as far as Leatherhead. The new line opened in August 1859 and in 1860 this portion of the line was transferred to the joint ownership of the LB&SCR and the L&SWR. The LB&SCR then amalgamated with the Banstead and Epsom Downs Railway, which was constructing a branch line from
Sutton-Places:Sutton, meaning 'south settlement' in Old English, is a very common place name. Places named Sutton include:-United Kingdom:In London:* London Borough of Sutton** which includes Sutton, London** historically Sutton Urban District...
to
Epsom DownsEpsom Downs is an area of chalk upland near Epsom, Surrey; it lies along the North Downs. Part of the area is used for the racecourse, the rest is used by such people as ramblers, model aircraft flyers, golfers and cyclists. Indeed there are over 20km of routeways for hack riders. There are...
for the
racecourseEpsom Downs is a grade-one racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name is the North Downs. It is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half...
traffic. This line opened in May 1865.
The LB&SCR also wished to connect
HorshamHorsham is a market town situated on the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, in the county of West Sussex, England with a population of 55,657 . It lies south southwest from London, northwest from Brighton and northeast from the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Crawley to the...
with significant towns in Surrey. Thus in 1865 it opened a line between West Horsham and join the L&SWR line near Guildford thereby giving access to that town. It also constructed a line from Leatherhead to
DorkingDorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
in March 1867, which was then continued to
HorshamHorsham is a market town situated on the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, in the county of West Sussex, England with a population of 55,657 . It lies south southwest from London, northwest from Brighton and northeast from the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Crawley to the...
two months later. This line thereby completed a final link to provide an alternative LB&SCR route from London to Brighton and the West Sussex coast.
The company also supported the independent Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway, which obtained powers in July 1865 to build a new line from Croydon to Tunbridge Wells, via
OxtedOxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
to be worked by the LB&SCR.
Development of Newhaven Harbour
Following the opening of the branch line from
LewesLewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it lies. The settlement has a long history as a bridging point and as a market town, and is today an important communications hub, and tourist-orientated town.-History:The site that is...
to
NewhavenNewhaven is a town in the Lewes District of East Sussex in England. It lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, on the English Channel coast, and is a ferry port for services to France.-Origins:...
the railway sought to develop a new shorter Continental route from
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, via
DieppeDieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
, in competition to the
South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...
routes from
DoverDover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; west of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
to
CalaisCalais is a town in northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
and
FolkestoneFolkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site lay in a stream valley in the cliffs here; and its subsequent development was through fishing and its proximity to the Continent as a landing place and trading port...
to Boulogne. The railway built their own wharf and facilities on the east side of the river, and opened the
Newhaven harbour railway stationNewhaven Harbour Railway Station is one of two active stations serving Newhaven in East Sussex, England, the other being Newhaven Town.Train services from the station are provided by Southern, and the station is on the Seaford Branch of the East Coastway Line.There is a short branch line to...
and funded the dredging of the channel and other improvements to the harbour between 1850 and 1878, to enable it to be used by larger cross chanel ferries., and in 1863 the LB&SCR and the Chemin de Fer de l‘Ouest introduced the Newhaven-Dieppe passenger service..
The impact of the 1867 financial crisis
The collapse of
Overend, Gurney and CompanyOverend, Gurney & Company was a London wholesale discount bank, known as "the bankers' bank", which collapsed in 1866 owing about 11 million pounds, equivalent to £981 million at 2008 prices...
in 1866 and the subsequent financial crisis the following year, brought the railway to the brink of bankruptcy. All work on the construction of new lines was temporarily suspended. Three important projects then under construction, were abandoned: namely, the Ouse Valley Railway, its extension to St Leonards, and the Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway. A fourth project - the line between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne - was shelved until the financial situation improved. For the next decade building projects were limited to additional spurs or junctions in London and Brighton to enhance the operation of the existing network, or else small-scale ventures in conjunction with other railway companies. The latter included a short line from
StreathamStreatham is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in the United Kingdom. It is an inner-London suburb situated south of Brixton. Streatham is 5.5 miles south of Charing Cross. The town centre is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:Streatham...
through
TootingTooting is a suburb in the London Borough of Wandsworth in south London. It is south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
to
WimbledonWimbledon is a suburb in south west London, part of the London Borough of Merton and located from Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
in 1868, and a connection from
Portsmouth TownPortsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....
to
Portsmouth HarbourPortsmouth 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,...
in 1876, both jointly with the L&SWR.
East London Railway
The East London Railway Company was a consortium of six railway companies: the Great Eastern Railway (GER); the LB&SCR; the LC&DR; the SER; the Metropolitan Railway; and the Metropolitan District Railway. Which sought to reuse the existing
Thames TunnelThe Thames Tunnel is an underwater tunnel, built beneath the River Thames in London, United Kingdom connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping. It measures 35 feet wide by 20 feet high and is 1,300 feet long, running at a depth of 75 feet below the river's surface...
built by Marc and
Isambard Kingdom BrunelIsambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British engineer. He is best known for the creation of the Great Western Railway, a series of famous steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship, and numerous important bridges and tunnels...
between 1825 and 1843. A new line was therefore built between the LB&SCR at
New CrossNew Cross is a place and an electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham, 4 miles south east of Charing Cross. It is covered by London postal district SE14...
and
WappingWapping is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. It is situated between the north bank of the River Thames and the ancient thoroughfare simply called The Highway...
with a link to the GER main line, in March 1869. The new line was primarily intended for freight transfer between these railways, but the LB&SCR introduced a passenger service between
Liverpool Street StationLiverpool Street station, also known as London Liverpool Street, is a major railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London in England...
and Croydon.
Development of suburban traffic
As originally planned, the railway was a trunk route, primarily conveying passengers between London and towns on England's South coast, with relatively little traffic in between. However, during the late 1860s it began to develop a substantial new traffic among the growing number of middle-class commuters who were beginning to live in the growing south London suburbs. This was followed by the introduction of special
workmen's trainsThe Cheap Trains Act 1883 marked the beginning of worker's train services. It removed the passenger duty on any train charging less than a penny a mile and obliged the railway companies to operate a larger number of cheap trains....
for manual workers in 1870.. As part of its suburban expansion, the company built a line from
Peckham RyePeckham Rye railway station is a station on Rye Lane in the centre of the shopping district of Peckham in South London. It opened on 1 December 1865 for LC&DR trains and on 13 August 1886 for LB&SCR trains...
running roughly parallel to the main line, through
East DulwichEast Dulwich railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark in East Dulwich, south London. The station, and the trains which serve it are operated by Southern, and it is in Travelcard Zone 2. It is outside the Oyster PAYG scheme and is not part of the planned extension to the London...
,
Tulse HillTulse Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, between railway bridges over the A205, South Circular Road and the A215, Norwood Road...
, Streatham,
MitchamMitcham railway station was a railway station, that closed in 1997. Mitcham tram stop replaced the station, and is located on the same site.- History :...
, to
SuttonSutton railway station is in the London Borough of Sutton in south London. It is the main station for Sutton town. It is served by First Capital Connect and Southern trains. It is in Travelcard Zone 5....
and
Epsom DownsEpsom Downs railway station is a railway station located on the boundary of the Reigate and Banstead and Epsom and Ewell boroughs of Surrey with the railway to the north forming a continuation of the boundary....
, which opened in October 1868. From Sutton, a line was constructed jointly with the L&SWR to Wimbledon.
The rapid development of this traffic would have a profound influence upon the
motive powerIn thermodynamics, motive power is an agency, as water or steam, used to impart motion. Generally, motive power is defined as a natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover. The term may also define something, as a locomotive or a...
policy of the railway leading initially to the introduction of new standard tank engine classes such as the
TerrierThe London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotives which were widely known as Terriers...
and
D1The LB&SCR D1 class, powerful 0-4-2 suburban passenger tank locomotives, were designed by William Stroudley of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway in 1873...
classes under
William StroudleyWilliam Stroudley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers of the nineteenth century, working principally for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
(the Locomotive Superintendent from 1870), and ultimately to the electrification of the London suburban lines in the early twentieth century.
The later nineteenth century
By the late 1870s the company had recovered its financial stability and was able to embark upon new railway building within its traditional area of operation. Some of these new lines passed through sparsely populated areas and merely provided shorter connections to towns which were already a part of the railway network,
The ‘Cuckoo’ and ‘Bluebell’ Lines
The scheme to link Eastbourne with Tunbridge Wells was revived in April 1879 with the opening of a line to connect the existing Hailsham branch to
Heathfield (Sussex) railway stationFor the station in Devon see Heathfield railway stationHeathfield railway station was on the Cuckoo Line between Horam and Mayfield, serving the market town of Heathfield....
. The link was completed the following September with the opening of the line from Heathfield to Eridge, and later became known as the
Cuckoo Line|}The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
.
Likewise in 1877 authority was granted to the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway (L&EGR) for the construction of a line between these towns, roughly parallel to the ‘Cuckoo Line’, via. This line ran, and was sponsored by a number of local landowners, including the Earl of Sheffield, and also included a branch from
Horsted KeynesHorsted Keynes is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. The village is located about eight kilometres north east of Haywards Heath, in the Weald...
to
Haywards HeathHaywards Heath is a town in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and east northeast of the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, Crawley north...
on the Brighton main line. A year later an Act of 1878 enabled the LB&SCR to acquire and operate the new lines which opened in August 1882 and September 1883. The East Grinstead-Lewes line subsequently became known as the “Bluebell line” and following closure in 1958, the section between
Horsted KeynesHorsted Keynes railway station is a railway station in Sussex. It was closed by British Railways Beeching Axe on 28th October 1963 with the cessation of trains from Seaford via Haywards Heath...
and
Sheffield ParkSheffield Park is the southern terminus of the Bluebell Railway and also the headquarters of the line. It is located on the southern bank of the River Ouse and is also situated on the Greenwich Meridian....
was taken over by the
Bluebell RailwayThe Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East Sussex and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
Preservation Society.
West Sussex and Hampshire
The LB&SCR system in West Sussex was largely completed by 1870 except for a link between
MidhurstMidhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
and
ChichesterChichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, opened in 1881, improvements around
LittlehamptonLittlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, located on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester....
in 1887 and the opening of a branch to
Devil’s DykeDevil's Dyke is a V-shaped valley on the South Downs Way in southern England, near Brighton and Hove. It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation.-Geological history:...
in 1887. The LB&SCR and the L&SWR also jointly built a branch from Fratton to
SouthseaSouthsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. The built up areas of Portsmouth and Southsea have merged, and the centre of Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
in Hampshire in 1887.
Oxted Lines
Although the proposed Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway had been abandoned in 1867, there remained a demand from the citizens of the rapidly growing town of Croydon for a rail link to the South East to towns such as East Grinstead, Tunbridge Wells, and the East Sussex coast. Likewise, the SER was looking for an additional relief route in the same general direction for its
TonbridgeTonbridge railway station is a station serving the town of Tonbridge in Kent, England. It is a junction between two important commuter routes; the South Eastern Main Line serving Ashford, Ramsgate and Dover and the Hastings Main Line serving Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, as well as a branch to...
and
HastingsHastings 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....
services. The two railways therefore collaborated with a proposal for a joint line between
South CroydonSouth Croydon railway station is in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It is on the Brighton Line at its junction with the Oxted Line. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southern.-History:...
on the main Brighton line and
OxtedOxted railway station is in Surrey, in England. Train services are provided by Southern.- History :Oxted was built as a joint London, Brighton and South Coast Railway/South Eastern Railway station when the South Croydon to East Grinstead line opened on 10 March 1884. The main station buildings are...
. Beyond Oxted, the LB&SCR would build its own lines to link with the “Bluebell line” at East Grinstead, and it existing line to Tunbridge Wells. The SER trains would join the former main line between Redhill and Tonbridge. Authority for the construction of these lines was granted in 1878 and they were opened for traffic in 1884.
The Quarry line
For historical reasons, the main London-Brighton line, inherited from the L&BR was shared with the SER between Norwood Junction and
RedhillRedhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 34 km south of London Victoria...
, with the LB&SCR owning the first half of this stretch as far as
CoulsdonCoulsdon , known by locals and historically as Coalsden, is a town on the southernmost boundary of the London Borough of Croydon. It is surrounded by the Greater London greenbelt of the Farthing Downs, Coulsdon Common and Kenley Common.-History:...
, and the SER the remainder. With the growth of traffic during the 1880s the lines around the station at Redhill (where the SER lines to
TonbridgeTonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately four miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 25 miles south east of London...
and
GuildfordGuildford is the county town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
diverged) became particularly congested, thus affecting the efficient operation of the main line. LB&SCR express trains might find themselves delayed behind SER stopping services. Eventually, the LB&SCR decided to build a new line between
Coulsdon NorthCoulsdon North is a closed railway station on the Brighton Main Line.- Opening :The station was opened as "Stoats Nest and Cane Hill" on 5 September 1899 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway . It took its name partly from the nearby Cane Hill asylum and partly from the nearby Stoats Nest...
and
EarlswoodEarlswood 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:...
which became known as the
Quarry Line, and which is still used by fast trains avoiding Redhill. It was opened on 8 November 1899 (1 April 1900 for passenger traffic).
The twentieth century
During the last two decades of its existence, the LB&SCR opened no new lines, but rather invested in improving its own existing main line and London terminals together with the electrification of its London suburban services.
Brighton Main Line
Following the completion of the
Quarry line the bottle-neck on the heavily used
main lineThe Brighton Main Line is a major British railway line running from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. The route is approximately 50 miles in length. It is operated by Southern and First Capital Connect and is electrified throughout...
moved further south. Plans were drawn up for the quadrupling of the tracks throughout, but only the sixteen miles from Earlswood to
Balcombe railway stationBalcombe railway station serves the village of Balcombe in West Sussex, England. It is on the Brighton Main Line 27 km north of Brighton...
were ever completed, between 1906 and 1909. Further extension would have involved heavy engineering at the
Balcombe tunnelBalcombe tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Brighton Main Line through the Sussex Weald between Three Bridges and Balcombe. It is 1133 yards long, with a width of 25 yards.-History:...
, over the
Ouse Valley ViaductBuilt in 1841, the Ouse Valley Viaduct over the River Ouse on the London-Brighton Railway Line north of Haywards Heath and south of Balcombe is long, high and is carried on 37 semi-circular arches with pierced piers....
, and through the South downs. The required capital expenditure was rather diverted to extending the electrification programme.
Improvements at Victoria
The rapid increase in commuting from the London suburbs towards the end of the nineteenth century created an urgent need to expand the limited facilities at Victoria Station. During the first decade of the new century the line between
Grosvenor BridgeThis article is about the London bridge. For the Chester bridge, see Grosvenor Bridge .Grosvenor Bridge, often alternatively called Victoria Railway Bridge, is a railway bridge over the River Thames in London, between Vauxhall Bridge and Chelsea Bridge. It actually consists of two bridges, both...
and Victoria was widened and the station rebuilt on a much large scale.
Railway electrification
Because of the nature of the LB&SCR traffic with a very large number of commuter journeys over relatively short distances, the railway was an obvious candidate for
railway electrificationA railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
, and sought powers to adapt its suburban lines in 1903. Although the
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
lines from Lancaster to
MorecambeMorecambe is a resort town within the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England. As of 2003 it has a resident population of about 45,000...
and
HeyshamHeysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland...
had been the first to be converted, the LB&SCR was equally a pioneer in the use of this form of traction in Britain and its lines eventually covered a far greater length of electrified track.
Third-rail electrification systems were usually preferable for suburb schemes, but the LB&SCR board foresaw the future electrification of its main line and also its routes to Portsmouth and therefore decided on a high-tension overhead supply system at 6600 volts AC. This system was of
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
origin and the main contractor was
Allgemeine Elektricitats GesellschaftAllgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft is a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
of
BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
, but some work was sub-contracted to British companies. Power supply was from the London Electric Supply Corporation (LESCo) at
DeptfordDeptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in south-east London. The area is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Dockyards. This was a major shipbuilding dock and attracted...
.
The first section of LB&SCR to be electrified was the South London loop line connecting London Bridge with Victoria via
Denmark HillDenmark Hill railway station is a railway station in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England, on the South London Line. The station is managed by Southeastern and is served by trains of that company and Southern. It is in Travelcard Zone 2. It is located on Champion Park in the south of...
, which was opened on 1 December 1909. The new service was an immediate success and other routes followed. Thus on 12 May 1911 Victoria–
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It is located in the Anerley area between the town centres of Crystal Palace and Penge...
via Balham and
West NorwoodWest Norwood railway station is in the London Borough of Lambeth in West Norwood, south London. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southern, and it is in Travelcard Zone 3. Services from Platform 1 go to London Victoria and London Bridge via Tulse Hill...
was opened, followed on 3 March 1912 by the line from
Peckham RyePeckham Rye railway station is a station on Rye Lane in the centre of the shopping district of Peckham in South London. It opened on 1 December 1865 for LC&DR trains and on 13 August 1886 for LB&SCR trains...
to West Norwood. Repair shops for the grwoing electric fleet were established at Peckham Rye, and carriage sheds at
Norwood JunctionNorwood Junction railway station is in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 4.The station is managed by London Overground and all trains operated by Southern...
.
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
interrupted what was to have been considerable further mileage of electrified line, but by 1921 most of the LB&SCR suburban lines were electrified. Plans were being laid to extend the overhead electrification to Brighton and other South Coast resorts. The final installation, carried out by the Southern Railway after
GroupingGrouping is form of hypahetical knowledge representation, similar to mind mapping, concept mapping and argument mapping, all of which need to observe at least some of the principles of grouping....
was the line to
Coulsdon NorthCoulsdon North is a closed railway station on the Brighton Main Line.- Opening :The station was opened as "Stoats Nest and Cane Hill" on 5 September 1899 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway . It took its name partly from the nearby Cane Hill asylum and partly from the nearby Stoats Nest...
and
SuttonSutton railway station is in the London Borough of Sutton in south London. It is the main station for Sutton town. It is served by First Capital Connect and Southern trains. It is in Travelcard Zone 5....
which opened on 1 April 1925.
The overhead system was a technical and financial success but proved to be short-lived, since the
London and South Western RailwayThe London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
had adopted the third-rail system; and after grouping its mileage far exceeded that of the LB&SCR. In 1926 it was announced that, as part of a huge electrification project, all overhead lines were to be converted to
third railA third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost fully...
operation, thus bringing all lines within the Southern Railway into a common system.
The LB&SCR during the First World War
Whereas the railway had carried relatively little heavy freight for much of its existence, this situation changed dramatically at the outbreak of
warWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. The railway was responsible for carrying the bulk of the stores and munitions delivered to the British troops on the Continent, principally through its ports of Newhaven, and (to a lesser degree)
LittlehamptonLittlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, located on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester....
. This included nearly 7 million tons freight including 2.7 million tons of explosives. It necessitated an additional 53,376 freight trains over the four years of the war, as well as an additional 27,366 troop trains..
This additional traffic required substantial improvements to the railway infrastructure notably at Newhaven harbour, but also at Three Bridges where a new freight marshalling yard was established, and at Gatwick and
Haywards HeathHaywards Heath is a town in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and east northeast of the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, Crawley north...
where passing sidings were constructed.
Chairmen of the Board of Directors
- Charles Pasco Grenfell (1846–1848)
- Samuel Laing
Samuel Laing, , was a British railway administrator, politician, and influential writer on science and religion during the Victorian era.He was born at Edinburgh on the 12th of December 1810...
(1848–1855)
- Leo Schuster (1856–1866)
- Peter Northall Lawrie (1866–1867)
- W. B. Barttelot, MP (April–July 1867)
- Samuel Laing (again – 1867–1896)
- Lord Cottesloe
Thomas Francis Fremantle, 2nd Baron Cottesloe , was a British businessman and Conservative politician.Cottesloe was the eldest son of Thomas Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe, and the grandson of Vice-Admiral Thomas Fremantle. His mother was Louisa Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Nugent...
(1896–1908)
- Earl of Bessborough
Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough, KP, CB, CVO was a British peer.-Biography:Ponsonby was the eldest son of Rev. Walter Ponsonby and his wife, Louisa, the daughter of Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans...
(1908–1920) – died in office
- Charles C. Macrae (1920–1922)
- Gerald Loder (December 1922)
Locomotive Superintendents
- John Gray
John Gray was an early steam locomotive engineer who introduced several innovations in locomotive design during the 1830s and 1840s.-Career:John Gray's origins are unknown but he appears to have originated from Newcastle...
(1846–1847)
- Thomas Kirtley
Thomas Kirtley was locomotive superintendent of the North Midland Railway and later the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.-Biography:...
(February–November, 1847) – died in office
- John Chester Craven
John Chester Craven was the locomotive, carriage and wagon superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1847 until his resignation in 1870....
(1847–1870)
- William Stroudley
William Stroudley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers of the nineteenth century, working principally for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
(1870–1889) – died in office
- R. J. Billinton
Robert John Billinton was the Locomotive, Carriage, Wagon and Marine Superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1890 until his death.-Early career:...
(1890–1904) – died in office
- D. E. Marsh
Douglas Earle Marsh was the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from November 1904 until his early retirement on health grounds in July 1911.-Early career:...
(1905–1911)
- L. B. Billinton
Lawson Boskovsky Billinton was the locomotive engineer of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1912 for ten years until his retirement in 1922....
(1912–1922)
LB&SCR locomotives
For the greater part of its existence the railway relied upon steam locomotives, and it owned no
dieselA Diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a Diesel engine. Several types have been developed, the principal distinction being in the means by which the prime mover's mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels .-Overview:Early internal combustion...
or
electricAn electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from an external source. Sources include overhead lines, third rail, or an on-board electricity storage device such as a battery or flywheel system....
locomotives. The electrified lines were worked by electric multiple units for passenger traffic and by steam for freight. The railway did however experiment with the use of two petrol
railcarsRailcars is a San Francisco-based shitgaze project of Aria C Jalali. After releasing an EP on Filthy Little Angels records in 2006, Jalali teamed up with Xiu Xiu front man Jamie Stewart to produce his follow up EP "Cities vs Submarines" in 2008 ....
in 1906 and 1907, but these proved to be highly unreliable and were soon taken out of traffic.
Steam locomotives
The new railway inherited 51 steam locomotives from the Brighton, Croydon and Dover Joint Committee when it was wound up. During the seventy-five years of its existence the company either built or purchased a further 1,055 locomotives. Of, these 620 were handed over to the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923. Because of the nature of the railway, with a preponderance of passenger rather than freight traffic, relatively short distances and an intensive commuter service around London, the majority of these were tank locomotives.
Electric traction
The following classes of Electric multiple units were used.
- SL (South London) stock
The Southern Railway gave the designation SL to the fleet of AC electric multiple units used on the former London, Brighton and South Coast Railway South London Line.-Construction:...
- CP (Crystal Palace) stock
The Southern Railway gave the designation CP to the fleet of AC electric multiple units used on the former London, Brighton and South Coast Railway lines in the Crystal Palace area.-Construction:...
- CW (Coulsdon and Wallington) stock
The Southern Railway gave the designation CW to the fleet of AC electric multiple units used on the lines to Coulsdon and Wallington. They were planned by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway but were delayed by the World War I and the grouping and were introduced by the Southern...
- SR multiple unit numbering and classification
The Southern Railway created classification and numbering systems for its large fleet of electric multiple units that were perpetuated by the Southern Region of British Rail until the early 1980s, when the impact of TOPS was felt...
Liveries
After 1870 the LB&SCR was renowned among British railways for the attractiveness of its locomotives and coaching stock and condition of its country stations.
1846-1870
Passenger locomotives were painted 'hunter green' with some engines being finished with black lining. Frames were painted red, and wheels were black. Buffer beams were painted the regulation 'signal red'. Goods locomotives were black with red and white lining, except those operating on routes taking them into
BrightonBrighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. It was built by the London & Brighton Railway in 1840, initially connecting Brighton to Shoreham-by-Sea, westwards along the coast, and shortly afterwards connecting it to...
or London Bridge railway station, in which cases they were painted in passenger livery. Some engines had
boilerA boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Overview:-Materials:...
s lagged with wooden strips. These were either highly polished
mahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-coloured hardwood, it is an American Indian word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany. Mahogany it was next equally applied to the wood of Swietenia macrophylla,...
with
brassBrass is any alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties. In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin. Despite this distinction, some types of brasses are called bronzes. Brass is a...
fixings or were painted in alternating stripes of dark green and
vermillionVermillion is an alternative spelling for Vermilion, a red pigment and color. It may also refer to:-Locations:In the United States:*Vermillion, Kansas*Vermillion, Minnesota*Vermillion, South Dakota*Vermillion County, Indiana*Vermillion River...
. The main shade of green used gradually became darker. By the time
William StroudleyWilliam Stroudley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers of the nineteenth century, working principally for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
became Locomotive Superintendent the colour had become a variant of the common Brunswick Green used by many other companies.
CarriageA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, these being litters or wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be...
s were either painted sea green or were left as varnished wood (the latter mainly being applied to first class stock).
1870-1905
Stroudley introduced his famous 'Improved Engine Green', which was actually a golden
ochreOchre or Ocher is term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as Red ochre. The more rarely used terms Purple ochre and Brown ochre also exist for variant hues...
colour. The colour was very similar to that used by Stroudley's former employer, the
Highland RailwayThe Highland Railway was one of the smaller British railways before the Railways Act 1921; it operated north of Perth railway station in Scotland and served the farthest north of Britain...
. On passenger locomotives Improved Engine Green was finished with olive green borders lined with black, red and white. Frames and buffer beams were painted
carmineCarmine , also called Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red 4, C.I. 75470, or E120, is a pigment of a bright red color obtained from the carminic acid produced by some scale insects, such as the cochineal and the Polish cochineal, and is used as a general term for a particularly deep red color of...
red, lined with yellow and black. The wheels were Improved Engine Green with red lining. Cab roofs were painted white.
Goods engines were painted all-over olive green with black borders, similar to the pre-1870 colours. If fitted with
WestinghouseThe air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York State in 1869. He moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company...
brakes the black borders were edged with red lines. Locomotives with names had the name applied in gold leaf to the tank side (on tank locomotives) or to a wheel splasher on tender locomotives. The letters were edged with a thin red line and given depth with black shading. This livery was one of the most ornate and distinctive ever used on British locomotives, and is still remembered with nostalgia. Carriages were all
mahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-coloured hardwood, it is an American Indian word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany. Mahogany it was next equally applied to the wood of Swietenia macrophylla,...
in colour, with white roofs and black chassis gear. Initially the actual wood of the body was varnished. Over the years it became harder to maintain a high-quality varnish finish and so at this point in the carriage's life it would be painted in a similar-coloured
paintPaint is any liquid, liquifiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film.-History:...
. Panel lining and other details were picked out with gold leaf.
1905-1923
During this period front-line express locomotives were painted a dark shade of
umber250px|thumb|Raw umberUmber is a natural brown clay pigment which contains iron and manganese oxides. The colour becomes more intense when calcined , and the resulting pigment is called burnt umber. Its name derives from the Latin word umbra and was originally extracted in Umbria, a mountainous...
. Lining was black with a
giltGilt may refer to:*Gilding, the application of a thin layer of precious metal*Gilt-edged securities, also known as "gilts", government bonds issued in the United Kingdom for HM Treasury by the UK Debt Management Office...
line either side. Cab roofs remained white. Frames were painted black, wheels were umber, and buffer beams returned to signal red. The company's initials were painted on the tender- or tank-sides (initially 'L.B.& S.C.R.', but after 1911 the
ampersandAn ampersand , also commonly called an and sign, is a logogram representing the conjunction "and".The symbol is a ligature of the letters in et, Latin for "and"...
was left out and the R removed) in gilt. Secondary passenger locomotives had the same livery, but instead of gilt lining
chrome yellowChrome Yellow is a natural yellow pigment made of lead chromate . It was first extracted from the mineral crocoite by the French chemist Louis Vauquelin in 1809...
paint was used. Goods engines were painted gloss black with double
vermillionVermillion is an alternative spelling for Vermilion, a red pigment and color. It may also refer to:-Locations:In the United States:*Vermillion, Kansas*Vermillion, Minnesota*Vermillion, South Dakota*Vermillion County, Indiana*Vermillion River...
lining. Names and numbers were painted in white letters with red shading. Carriages were initially all olive green with white lining and detailing. From 1911 this was changed to plain
umber250px|thumb|Raw umberUmber is a natural brown clay pigment which contains iron and manganese oxides. The colour becomes more intense when calcined , and the resulting pigment is called burnt umber. Its name derives from the Latin word umbra and was originally extracted in Umbria, a mountainous...
with black lettering picked out with gold shading.
Pullman-car trains
The LB&SCR pioneered the running of the all-
PullmanThe Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid to late 1800s through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
train in England. Pullman cars had been introduced on the
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1874, followed by the
Great Northern RailwayThe Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the London & York Railway Act of 1846.The main line ran from London via Hitchin, Peterborough, and Grantham, to York, with a loop line from Peterborough to Bawtry via Boston and Lincoln, and branch lines to Sheffield and...
soon after, and the LB&SCR itself in 1875.
The "Pullman Limited Express"
On 5 December 1881 the LB&SCR inaugurated the first all-Pullman train. It was known as the "Pullman Limited Express" and was hauled by Stroudley's G-class 2-2-2 locomotive No 334 "Petworth". It consisted of four cars (built at the Pullman Car Company workshops in
DerbyDerby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
): "Beatrice", "Louise", "Maud" and "Victoria"; these were the first electrically-lit coaches to run on a British railway.
The "Pullman Limited Express" made two down and two up trips per day, and one each way on Sundays. In 1887 the name of the service was changed to "Brighton Pullman Limited"; by now first-class carriages were also attached to the train. A new train was built in 1888: three brand-new Pullmans were shipped over in parts from the Pullman Palace Car Company in America, and erected by the LB&SCR at Brighton.
The "Brighton Limited"
On Sunday 2 October 1898 a new all-Pullman car train, The "Brighton Limited", came into service. It ran only on Sundays, and not at all during the holiday months July–September. From the beginning the new train was timed to make the journey from Victoria in one hour: "London to Brighton in one hour" was the advertisement then used for the first time. On 21 December 1902 it made a record run of 54 minutes. It then hit the headlines again when, faced with the threat of a competing electric railway being built from London to Brighton, the "Limited" was run to Brighton in 48 mins 41 secs, and the return to London in 50 mins 21 secs, thus matching the schedule put forward by the promoters of the new electric line.
"The Southern Belle"
On 8 November 1908 the LB&SCR introduced what it described as "the most luxurious train in the World" – "The Southern Belle". By 1910 two trips each way were running every day; later three were run on Sundays.
"The Brighton Belle"
Electrification of the Brighton line was completed on 1 January 1933, by which time the LB&SCR was, of course, part of the Southern Railway; and a year later "The Southern Belle" was renamed "The Brighton Belle". Three multiple-unit trains were built for the service, and continued to run until the service was withdrawn in April 1972.
Many of the individual cars are running on preserved railways.
Third-class Pullman cars
Third-class Pullman cars began running on Sunday 12 September 1915 from Victoria to Brighton and
EastbourneEastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 106,652 as of 2009. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to...
.
The information in this section is taken from
Pullman Perfection F Burtt & W Beckerlegge (Ian Allan Ltd 1948).
Ferry Services
Throughout its existence, the railway invested in cross channel ferry services, initially the services were from Shoreham to Dieppe, but following the opening of the line to Newhaven in 1847 the railway invested in the improvement of this harbour, building it own wharf, and dredging. In 1863 the LBSCR and the Chemin de Fer de l‘Ouest agreed to run the Newhaven-Dieppe passenger service jointly. In the same year, the railway introduced a short-lived ferry between Littlehampton-and the Channel Islands. Newhaven harbour was taken over by the military authorities and the ferries requisitioned for the duration of the First World War.
By 1880 railway lines connected to both the
RydeRyde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
Pier and the Portsmouth Harbour ferry terminals. It was therefore a natural progression for the railway companies to acquire the ferry routes themselves. In order to do this the LB&SCR and the L&SWR together formed the South Western and Brighton Railway Companies Steam Packet Service (SW&BRCSPS) which bought out the existing operators..
In 1884 the Isle of Wight Marine Transit Company started a rail freight ferry link between the Hayling Island Branch line at
LangstoneLangstone is a village near Havant, Hampshire in the south east of England, between Portsmouth and Chichester. It has good railway connections to London, Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton, from the nearby Havant railway station. There are many large gated detached houses on the main road,...
and the Bembridge branch line at
St HelensSt. Helens is a small village and civil parish located on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight. The village is based around village greens. This is claimed to be the largest in England but some say the Village Green is the second largest. The greens are often used for cricket matches during the...
quay. To provide the link the rail ferry PS
Carrier was moved from Scotland. The project was unsuccessful and despite being acquired in full by the LB&SCR in 1886 ended in 1888 .
See also
- List of early British railway companies
- South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which linked London with Kent.The company was formed from the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway...
- for the story of a bitter rivalry with the LB&SCR
- Locomotives of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
- Old Kent Road railway station
Old Kent Road railway station was a station in South London. It opened on 13 July 1866 on a viaduct and bridge crossing the road at a junction with a line to London Bridge and what became Surrey Quays tube station on the East London Line and Queen's Road Peckham railway station on the Inner South...
External links