Dr Beeching's Hometown Had FOUR Stations - The Three Bridges Line
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- Welcome to #EveryDisusedStation Number 45 where we attempt to visit all 6800 abandoned stations Line by Line. This weeks see's us visit a handful in Sussex on The Three Bridges line, through East Grinstead and onwards!
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Great fun, thanks for inviting me along, look forward to the next one, love from Dumpman x
Thanks for having us Chris. 🙏
Always good to see you on a video, Dumpman!
“Roll the VT” is “roll the video tape”. In Live TV production they would have pre-recorded element literally on video tape to be played into the transmission. The term has stuck even though the pre-recorded element is no longer on tape though.
I love how a land owner could get his own station. Thank you to your guest, Chris, for the historical tidbits. And as usual a great job by Paul and Rebecca.
There’s a good ‘private station’ on the Monsal Trail.
I guess people who owned a lot of land were quite powerful... I wonder what it would be like if that were still the case... oh... hang on.
Landowners could also insist on having tunnels built on their land as part of the deal - look at Catesby tunnel on old GCR
If it had not been for the landowner who owned land immediately south of Lincoln, Lincoln would have been on the ECML and not on a branch from Newark.
There's a private station at Kiplingcotes on the old York to Beverley line which is only a few miles from me, built for Lord Hotham. Another private station on the route was at Londesborough which was built for George Hudson, the railway king
Oh that was just fantastic. Chris was certainly a wealth of knowledge. Enjoyed every second. I did notice some pretty flowers coming thru. Thanks for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care
This used to be almost my neck of the woods; at least, I once cycled to Forest Row to visit the bike shop there and a couple more times to go down, and later up, Kidd’s Hill. That was when I lived in Uckfield, but I have since been repatriated. I do miss that bit of England between Ashdown Forest and the South Downs. I like to relieve the ache with your videos.
Hi both ... Clicked like before I watched the vid .... Knew I wouldn't be disappointed. As always ... GREAT ☺☺
My local line cycled and walked a few times' The station at Hartfield appears in a British Transport Film entitled Farmer Moving South, which shows the moving of the entire farm stock of Robert Ropner, by special train from Skutterskelfe Hall in Yorkshire to Perryhill Farm, Hartfield in December 1950.
I highly recommend a cycle along this route, surface quality is generally good "trail" and mostly flat.
I also recommend Dumpman Films in the link above, as hosted by Where in Sussex!
You wasn’t far from the source of the River Medway at Turners Hill. A Kent river that starts in West Sussex . 👍 Walked a few of those lines 👌
Nice one guys. Another line of use that should never have closed. Funny how Beeching closed this one yet he left the Sheerness Branch in, according to legend, so that his Mum could shop in Sittingbourne... I doubt that's true as there was a Royal Navy Dock Yard at Sheerness and that would have needed the rail link, but as he was from there it was always picked up on. Great show as ever, thanks guys.
Dr Beeching didn't close any lines. He compiled a report as requested on lines which were not economical to run. Others took the decisions.
The town centre by-pass in East Grinstead is on the trackbed of the old line towards Tunbridge Wells. It's in a cutting, which they have called "Beeching Way!!!"
@@andrewvictor1865 True, but he said himself before he died that he thought his report had "gone too far."
My paternal grandma was from Sittingbourne. We have a photo of her sitting on her father's Thames barge, dressed like Mary Poppins.
The steelworks was also just about to open in Sheerness so that would have have provide a future source of revenue to the line. The main structure on the line is the bridge over the Swale which takes the road, then the only road, and railway. The government would still have to pay for the bridge to be maintained even if the railway was scrapped.
that route was a saviour in lockdown! I used to walk from Crawley down to Crawley/ Worth or the other way to East Grinstead.
Fabulous. Two P&R rules are always include a viaduct, and always include some doobry-doos, job done ✅.
I remember reading that Beeching kept one Railway line from East Grinstead, the one that took him to his office! Very selfish man, Ernest Marples puppet!
Great video again Paul and Rebecca.
true, it was the branch that was lifted past his house ,hence the time it took to lift it completely
As events have subsquently proved, he was right to keep that line going.
The line that took Dr B to London was the line that was remunerative. The others were not. The 3 Bridges to East Grinstead to TWW was partially in profit but not wholly. Hence the reason why it was closed by Castle in 1967. Blame the wording in the 1962 Transport Act stating that lines had to be in profit to survive. In 1968 there was a new Transport Act that allowed lines that were unremunerative but of a social need and could be grant aided to survive. But that's another story.
Bit late to the party, but really enjoyed this one as a Crawley lad. I can remember when maidenbower was being built, I also worked with a chap whose family had lived generation after generation in one of the railway workers cottages near three bridges station. The apartments at the bottom billington used to be the site of a petrol station, later otters ford dealer. The snooty fox pub open site the station was the railway hotel site before the road was widened. You could also do a vlog walking from three bridges to tilgate park via the old manor access route which is still passable today 👍
When I was younger I walked from Salisbury to Priddy pool (Mendip) along the Roman Road. Priddy pool is where lead and other metals were mined. I thought you might be interested to have a look.
The loop from the Oxted line was called St Margarets loop. Named after a local convent . Also , for a short time trains from the Bluebell line used to call at the 2nd Station using the old goods spur from low to high level . That's why the spur road bridge had 3 spans as shown in books etc . A very interesting area and another great video , well done everyone .
The song is now in my head …’oh Dr Beeching ……
Thank you Paul and Rebecca. I know Chris very well and his knowledge of former Sussex Railways is encyclopaedic!
Another lovely video from a lovely couple team.
You two are unbelievably great at this great channel two lovely people well done 🇮🇪🏴🤘
Ah thank you
I was wondering when you were going to do my 'local' disused railway line.I live a few minutes from the Three Bridges end and walked that part of it almost every day during the first lock down two years ago.The wooden footbridge goes over what is now a footpath,but used to be the main road between East Grinstead and Horsham.
it so reminds me of the landowner in the film love on the branch line, absolutely brilliant video
Great as ever. I could write this to any recent video from this area.
Just returned from this area and I'm so saddened by how this county and neighbouring ones were so decimated by Beeching. Vandalism to tear up the lines straight away.
Lovely video just right for my birthday - thanks guys. Remember fondly that last Saturday of service got a cab ride fromThree Bridges through to Groombridge on the last evening service - now that was special. Managed to buy a station swat from Rowfant Station - lovely.
Ahhh HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉
Incredible...got your wires( lines ) crossed , lol great history and photos..
Absolutely love what you two do Brilliant narrative and photography !!
There’s a house with a stone nameplate called Beechings near to Withyham at the end of a road called Ladies mile , could this be the Dr’s former residence ? Seems like a big coincidence . Good video but you missed so much like how the Bluebell line runs up to East Grinstead , a few seconds of Beeching way and the buried tunnel at the end of it . Allow more time. There’s also a lovely old British transport film somewhere on TH-cam where a farmer from up North relocates his animals by train to Hartfield ,some of your viewers might like . I don’t know how to link to it but type in ‘A farmer moves South ‘ it’s in two parts 👍
Dr. Beeching lived in East Grinstead along Lewes Road. I think it was in a house called Brockhurst.
Nice One Guys, Had a Great Aunt who lived in Forest Row, visited a couple of time in the late 1950s arriving by train.
You should contact ITN TV news reader Nicholas Owen. He knows a lot about the railways around East Grinstead and has I believe written a book or two on the subject and has also written books about other UK railway's history too. Great film this week as always.
Another great video and good to see Dumpman again.
Dr Beaching, as a railway guru he made a bloody good GP.
So glad to see Dumpman, a local legend in Sussex. Another great video.
Used to cycle from Groombridge to East Grinstead. A cracking ride away from traffic and a lovely valley.
Great video - Dumpman (Chris) was a wonderful surprise, I’ve seen him on a few Bald Explorer videos and he comes across as a genuinely nice chap and a very knowledgeable chap too.
Very interesting video, East Grinstead really looked interesting back in the day
As ever your movie is great. I cycled this many years ago from Three Bridges to Groombridge, then caught the Heritage train to Tunbridge Wells. Great day. Some of it wasnt as clear as on your trip :P
I used to work by Three Bridges. I worked out it was 9 minutes walk and in the winter I made sure to leave 10 minutes before the train!
What fascinating video. Thank you so much for all the hard work You two put in to entertaining us.
Always enjoy seeing those old branches. Especially when the old stationhouses and platforms are still there; otherwise the current view compared to old photos.
Imagine that 'footman' nowadays having his coffee there, freshly made from a coffeemachine.
Another great vlog Whitewicks!
That Sustans sign at the S end of the St Marys curve used to have a sign pointing along the line to Hospital, sadly that bit of cycle lane never got built so they took the sign down
Brilliant, thank you!
Very interesting video thank you from NZ
Great wee video again folks. Remember that SPF50 ! 😎
Brilliant there was a shunter named ‘Three bridges’ and I always wondered where the name game from.
Enjoyed that both ,cheers .
Nice video as always. Really enjoyed it. Thanks.
That was superb. Lovely day. Beautiful walk and explore. So interesting. Thank you. And Chris too.
What an absolutely brilliant video. Really interesting and I absolutely loved to see the stations in all their glory! I love your videos and I can’t wait to see the new one every Sunday. You NEVER disappoint Paul and Rebecca! Look forward to next Sunday’s video! Thanks guys 👍🏼👍🏼
"Four stations, Jeremy? Four? That's insane"
do the Epping and Ongar railway (if you havent) its the old central line that has been restored back to use , North weald station is a great building.
Excellent as always. At least you had some good weather. I know the area quite well and used to cycle the route with my kids many moons ago.
Hee hee you've been all over the country, but I came from Crawley, and I lived for the first 40+ years of my life just 100 yards or so from the closed Three Bridges - East Grinstead line. As a 3 year old, I can just about remember seeing a train go over the bridge just down the lane. A year later it was closed with the railway gone, the bridge became a kind of adventure playground!! If it had survived Beeching, I don't think they would be considering closing it today; they may even have electrified it by now.
Surprisingly, another Southern Region line closed as long ago as 1967. It's nice to see that there's still some station buildings and platforms still in existence along this route. In a lot of railway walks I've been watching lately, sometimes there's absolutely nothing left. Many thanks Paul & Rebecca + Chris, great stuff!
A little town near me in Ireland called Collooney had 3 stations despite a population of only a few hundred people. One line went to Enniskillen, one went to Limerick and one to Dublin. Today one station is gone, one is a house and one is still operating. Even now the population is only about 1,600 people.
Pedant alert: Three Bridges is IN Crawley, not NEAR Crawley.
The Worth Way line you walked forms a massive part of my childhood - a special place.
It was my local station for many years, about 10-15 minutes walk up the road. The old Edmundson card tickets actually used to say on them "Three Bridges for East Crawley," in fact there were proposals to rename it East Crawley at one time, with Ifield becoming "West Crawley, " but these came to nothing. Similarly, Christ's Hospital Station once had the suffix (on maps ar least), "West Horsham." Crawley New Town, when formed, swallowed up the villages of Three Bridges, Ifield and eventually Worth, but these were originally small villages in their own right. Today, Gatwick Airport is also in the Crawley area since the county boundary was moved (it used to be in Horley, Surrey) but I don't think one could knock anybody fir saying "Gatwick Airport, near Crawley." !!
'Roll VT' was an abbreviation for (pre-recorded) video tape.
Fun video. I have camped at that Scout site at Forest Row, had no idea it used to be a station.
I think it was the only one that doesn't retain much
I remember travelling from T.Wells West to East Grinstead by train in the late 1950s - a lovely line with lots to look at, including the triangular junction (with the Oxted-Eridge line) just west of Groombridge. The locomotives were class 4 4-6-0s or 2-6-4Ts, hauling a real mix of coaches which any heritage line would love to have today! One time we came back by bus, which took a lot longer. Later, someone told me that Hartfield station was lit by natural gas, there being a local source there.
I think you may meen Heathfield station regarding being lit by Natural Gas .
Thanks both (all three!) for this one.
Remember as a kid we used to have tea with my Mums former landlady in East Grinstead.
The road to there followed much of the line - must have been soon after it closed.
I was fascinated, and tried to see as much of the the line from the back seat of the car.
Also like the old line through Mayfield to Polegate. All many many years ago.
Thanks again
👍
I went to my first Cub camp at Forest Row over Easter about 60 years ago. I didn't realise there was a railway anywhere near there!
We went on Maundy Thursday afternoon and set it all up OK. When we woke on Good Friday, there was 3 or 4 inches of snow on the ground - no wonder it was so cold overnight!
This didn't put me off though as I have been camping almost every year since then - just not at Easter!
Actually I was in area as took a train from Three Bridges to Brighton on Sunday as was taking part in the Marathon, certainly will at least do some of that route next time I am down there as looked really good
I have cycle from Tunbridge Wells to Hartfield and back on that track bed and is a bit of a bumpy ride. The bit of line left from Groombridge that swing round to the Uckfield/Croydon line has now gone BUT the track bed is still there for now.
Lived just around the corner from the Worth Way for quite a while and regularly used to walk / cycle it. Never knew about Grange Road station but used to park regularly at Rowfant. Really enjoyed that video thanks.
More nice brick and stonework, and I appreciate the walking paths that have been retained.
Thanks Paul and Rebecca, another really interesting jaunt through a gorgeous part of the country!
Forest Row, if you were interested in Buses in the days of Regulation, was interesting as the incumbant operator was not Southdown, Maidstone and District or London Country (in whoms area it bordered), but Tony McCann? Coaches , whom seemed to operate the most boring Brown Bedford SB bus from memory.
I have been to Hartfield and had a good time amongst the ‘Hundred Acre Wood’. I am now known as ‘Tigger Tim’ 🐯 (as Alan Sartain will recall!) because I bounced around the wood like Tigger! It is a long story but it really help me get rid of my Eeyore demons (my mum used to call me Eeyore 😂), and be more ‘Tigger’ in my character. It worked!
Next time I go there, I will take a look at the line as I had a brief look at the station from the car.
Cheers again for the video.
You should have walked from Forest Row, you missed out on a lovely route with much to see. The River Medway runs alongside in parts also, although its not particularly big at that point.
I think there was quite a bit we missed. Lack of time unfortunately
My home town. Been waiting for the worth way video for a while.
Lord Rowfant, or whatever, got his own station, but the dreaded Beeching 'got', or at least kept, his own line. From East Grinstead the only line he kept open was the one that took him from home to his work in London. Did Paul and Rebecca omit this fact to avoid getting political?
Quite true though. He looked like a typical selfish git.
That's what I always quote when talking about Beeching and EG. Glad to hear it from someone else.
VT is Video Tape :)
Slightly surprised you (or Mr B) didn't mention the substantial fuel and oils depot W of Rowfant stn. This was part of the national network created in the 30s though never actually connected by pipe
Fabulous story and in my back yard too :-)
I always get East Grinstead and West Grinstead mixed up great video as always nice to see the Motorhead t-shirt again and the dumpman
I remember this line when it was in service. I think it must have been one of the last lines to still be using steam locomotives in the 60's, though before the line was closed, they changed over to diesel trains. The old platform at Three Bridges was made up enormous flagstones that sloped backwards from the main line. Apparently it has all been demolished now. We used take it to go to the swimming pool in East Grinstead and the children I knew used to call it the Puffing Billy.
My mum lives in Southborough just outside Tunbridge Wells. Every time visit i plan to go on the Spa Valley Railway.
I assume the loop from Croydon to the Three Bridges line would have to be to allow trains to go towards Tunbridge Wells, and maybe on towards Eastbourne or Hastings rather than west towards Three Bridges and Crawley
That is correct .
The regular (steam-hauled) service in the late 1950s was TWells West - Groombridge - E.Grinstead - Oxted - London, using the St Ms curve. I don't think there were regular through trains from TWW to Three Bridges: I remember seeing a push-pull (with H Class tank) running between EG and TB.
How about covering some in East Anglia, you would get a warm welcome, love to see you cover the M&GN
Good job getting that horse into the shot at the beginning! Added even more flair than the lovely weather! Also "roll the vt" could be referring to videotape.
It's not sunburn Paul, it's a hot flush, change of life mate. That was a great film, really interesting when you get a local guide, that retaining wall was immense. The Beeching cuts were very harsh and vandal like, why did they rip it to bits instead of mothballing. Our transport in this country is dire, expensive and limited, imagine if we had cheap trains for commuting these days when running cars is so expensive, the country would be a better place for it. Thanks as always you two, love watching your stuff. Nick.
It wasn't done for the publics convenience, it was for the car lobby and Mr Marple's profits!!!
@@johntyjp I see the Marples myth is alive and well!
Such a great video! I’ve walked along some of the old line at Hartfield, and the added bonus of having Dumpman, what more could you ask for!
Some superb bass in the music on this one Paul, my speakers (if not neighbours!) thank you. Also enjoyed the video very much especially the poor carriage drivers niche.
An excellent jaunt, as ever! Great to see the excellent Dumpman and his Motörhead t-shirts back on the channel - no one else has the knowledge of old Sussex lines!
This one is pretty local to me but I’ve never walked any of it, but it’s a lovely route and Hartfield is of course Winnie the Pooh country!
I think Withyham’s signal box is the one that is part of the museum at the Bluebell.
Thats correct re Signal box , it's at Sheffield park .
So wierd to see a youtube video filmed so local to me.
I've cycled/walked crawley-east grinstead and back more times than i can count down this old train route :)
I recognise that car park at East Grinstead. Was doing some service work in the little white building just to the right of your shot recently.
3 year old me never even knew that part of the A22 used to be a railway. But years later I discovered that this line did exist, shouldn't of been closed really, would make it easier to get from East Grinstead to Crawley or Gatwick airport on the train.
It would have been pretty much ideally placed to be part of a London orbital. East Grinstead, Crawley, Guildford (or Woking), Slough. St Albans (or Watford), Harlow, Romford, across to Dartford, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells.
I went to the national railway museum York. To me ages to go in cos the weather was so good .once in took me ages to get out lol x Chris x
I was hatched in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1952
Many thanks for another informative and entertaining video! Epsom is another town that had or still has more than its fair share of stations if you include Tattenham Corner. The original Epsom (later Epsom Town) on the LBSCR has a rather unusual addition on it's platform too. Tattenham Corner and Epsom Downs stations had 16 platforms between them (7 and 9 respectively)
hello again paul and rebecca , another cool interesting video , well done and thank you again guys , oh and hissssss beeching lol 😊
Very good - Thank you as per usual 🙂🚂🚂🚂
Current EDS completion estimate: 01/11/2071. That's 6 months added to the estimate following EDS 44, the "The Isle of Portlands Railways - A Short History" video.
You two were in a playful mood for this video! Maybe it’s the spring air?
Great video guys. Excellent
Oddly enough, the Three Bridges - East Grinstead line was still profitable when it was closed, as was Forest Row, which had healthy commuter traffic. East Grinstead High Level was the used bit, at that point - all London trains used the curve. On Lingfield race days, engines were coupled up and run down to EG, turned via the curve, High Level, goods yard spur and back North via the Low Level.
Four stations is nothing, My hometown of Greenock, Scotland currently has 7: Bogston, Cartsdyke, Greenock Central, Greenock West, Fort Matilda, Drumfrocker, and Branchton.
Before Beeching It had 3 separate lines with NINE stations: Bogston, Cartsdyke, Greenock Central, Greenock West, Fort Matilda, Greenock Upper, Ravenscraig, Greenock Lyndoch Street, and Princes Pier. I don't know if that is the record for towns in Britain.
Well it's definitely up there!
Video tape!! Video TAPE!!!! You guys are so young!!
Amazing work
Roll VT was said on a few shows back in the day. Perhaps Live and Kicking?? VT = Video Tape. It's what video came on when the dinosaurs ruled the world in shoulder pads and stonewashed jeans!
Also... love you guys. The perfect balance of informative, fun and relaxing.