Ardingly Station (Closed) (including the Hanson Plant)
The section of the line from Horsted Keynes to the eastern end of Ardingly station is private property owned by the Bluebell Railway.
There is no expectation that the Bluebell Railway will restore the section of the line that they own in the near future, and there is no finance for any significant works.
Separate collections cover (a) Horsted Keynes to the site of Sheriff Mill Viaduct; (b) The site of Sheriff Mill Viaduct to Ardingly Station; (c) Ardingly Station and the Hanson Plant; and (d) Ardingly to Haywards Heath.
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Ardingly Station building, now a Hanson office, looking south west.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
Ardingly Station building, looking north west.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
The original entrance to Ardingly Station. The slightly tatty lawn was originally part of the Station Master's front garden (shown in an old postcard depicting the station when it opened in 1883), but the Station Master did not keep his garden for very many years. It was lost when the forecourt was enlarged to cater for cars, not horses with carts.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
The entrance to Ardingly Station captured on 12 April 1965. On the right is part of the footbridge which took passengers down to the platforms but this no longer survives. The platforms appear in subsequent photos. An old Lens of Sutton postcard shows that when the station opened the Station Master had a front garden larger than that shown here. Bushes enclosed by ornamental stones ran along the front of the nearest window and the fenced area to the right of the post box was a little larger; probably following the line of the kerb. The post box was sited elsewhere when the station opened (it would otherwise have been in the front garden) and it moved to the position shown in the reign of King George. John Attfield retains all rights to this image.
Some of the wall decorations on Ardingly Station.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
Another close-up of the wall decorations at Ardingly Station.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
Ardingly Station still retains it's post box but unusually this is a G:R box, installed in the reign of King George, and surrounded by blue bricks. As the line opened in 1883 a V:R post box would have been fitted, so this is obviously not the original box. As explained above the position in which we see it would have been within the Station Master's front garden when the station opened, so a new, re-positioned, box was clearly installed when the Station Master lost his front garden. The original position of the now lost V:R box is not known.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
The entrance to the Hanson site at Ardingly Station.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
Ardingly Station captured on 12 April 1965. This shot looks east along the platforms towards the footbridge. The signal box is on the right and largely conceals the main buildings at the station entrance, which are in the right upper section of the photo. John Attfield retains all rights to this image.
Taken slightly further west than the image above this is Ardingly Station looking east on 9 August 1970. The signal box has deteriorated and the conductor rail has vanished. However the photo nicely captures the main station buildings and the footbridge. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
Ardingly Station captured on 12 April 1965. The reverse of the previous photo, looking west along the platforms from under the footbridge. The signal box is in the distance and behind it are some of the industrial buildings in the stone plant. On the right the very tall signal post originally carried two arms; one at high level and one very close to the platform for sighting purposes. John Attfield retains all rights to this image.
Five years later Eric Kemp's photo of Ardingly Station looking west on 9 August 1970 captures the surviving station platforms (and canopies), and also provides a nice vista of the industrial buildings then on site. The conductor rail had by then been lifted but the yard is full of wagons. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
Compare the historical views above with this image (taken from the bridge) which looks west along the trackbed through the Ardingly Station site.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
A small part of Ardingly Station platform survives, on which this building stands.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
Ardingly Station looking west away from the station towards Copyhold Junction on 9 August 1970. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
If you had visited the Ardingly plant on 09.08.1970 the wagons would have looked different to those in use today. Eric Kemp describes them and retains all rights to the image: "22T, B431957K, HOUSE COAL CONCENTRATION Built Pressed Steel, lot 3157, Bauxite, fitted, instanter couplings".
Ardingly9.08.1970.22TB431957KHOUSECOALCONCENTRATION.BuiltPressedSteellot3157.Bauxitefittedinstantercouplings
If you had visited the Ardingly plant on 09.08.1970 the wagons would have looked different to those in use today. Eric Kemp describes them and retains all rights to the image: "HOP 21 VB, 21T, tare 9-16, B431091, HOUSE COAL CONCENTRATION Built Pressed Steel 1958, lot 3157 Instanters."
Ardingly9.08.1970.HOP21TtareB431091HOUSECOALCONCENTRATION.BuiltPressedSteel1958lot3157.Instanters
If you had visited the Ardingly plant on 09.08.1970 the wagons would have looked different to those in use today. Eric Kemp describes them and retains all rights to the image: "21T, E260654K, 11-2 Built Hurst, Nelson & Co , Motherwell, 1944 Rusty grey (partly repainted at some point), instanters, unfitted." Note the huge hopper behind the wagon.
Ardingly9.08.1970.21TE260654KBuiltHurstNelsonCo.Motherwell1944.Rustygreypartlyrepaintedsomepointinstantersunfitted
If you had visited the Ardingly plant on 09.08.1970 the wagons would have looked different to those in use today. Eric Kemp describes them and retains all rights to the image: "21T, E260654K, 11-2 Built Hurst, Nelson & Co , Motherwell, 1944 Rusty grey (partly repainted at some point), instanters, unfitted."
Ardingly Station building pictured on Saturday 09.05.1987. The wall decorations show up nicely and someone was maintaining the flower bed to the right of the post box. The notice on the black door on the left says "Amey Roadstone" and they were expecting the milkman. Nick Bailey retains all rights to this image.
Ardingly Station building pictured on Saturday 09.05.1987. Nick Bailey retains all rights to this image.
Ardingly Station building pictured on Saturday 09.05.1987. A closer view of the wall decorations. Nick Bailey retains all rights to this image.
The railway cottages located north of Ardingly Station, pictured on Saturday 09.05.1987. Nick Bailey retains all rights to this image.
Some of the industrial buildings on the private Hanson site can be glimpsed through the trees.
bluebell railwayardinglylywood tunnelcopyhold junctionhorsted keynesardingly station
An autumnal view of the approach to the Hanson plant at Ardingly. I am very grateful to Adrian Backshall for supplying images of the rail operation at Ardingly, and he retains all rights to this image. I am required to point out that the plant is private property, and that appropriately trained staff are authorised to be about the track.
The Ardingly plant at night. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Newly arrived fully loaded wagons standing on the approach to the Ardingly plant. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Newly arrived fully loaded wagons standing on the approach to the Ardingly plant. Each wagon carries 100 tons of material. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Inside the dropper shed, looking west. The small section of narrow track on the left carries two little motorised unlocking tools that unlock the wagon doors. They move along their track as required. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Inside the dropper shed, looking east towards the buffers. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Inside the dropper shed as the train runs slowly through and discharges. The wagon door unlocking mechanism is in the foreground. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Inside the dropper shed as the train runs slowly through and discharges. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Looking down into the hopper at Ardingly. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Dawn approaches as 59203 emerges from the eastern end of the dropper shed. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
59203 and train passing through the dropper shed at Ardingly, as seen from the top of the conveyor. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
59203 running round in the loop at Ardingly. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
59203 running round in the loop at Ardingly. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Shunting wagons at sunrise. The train is split in half for unloading and subsequently has to be reformed. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Shunting wagons at sunrise. The train is split in half for unloading and subsequently has to be reformed. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Shunting wagons at sunrise. The sun catches the smoke from the chimney.
59203 shut down on it's train, awaiting scheduled departure. The camera is looking east towards the plant. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
Just to the right of wagon 17928 an old signal post still survives, but the ladder has seen better days, having broken off. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
An old railway telegraph pole survives, but (now large) trees have grown through it. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
59203 leaves Ardingly, passing under Rivers Farm accommodation bridge as it heads for Copyhold Junction. Adrian Backshall retains all rights to this image.
