Culver Junction - The former line from Hamsey to Barcombe (now closed)
Separate collections cover (a) Hamsey to Barcombe via Culver Junction; (b) Barcombe Station (closed); (c) Barcombe to Sheffield Park; (d) Newick & Chailey Station (closed).
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The tour starts at Hamsey Church, south west of Culver Junction. This view looks south towards the village of South Malling. The old line from Lewes enters the picture on the middle left, and curves round following the line of trees on the right of the houses. Nearer the camera you can see the remains of an old bridge where the line crossed the River Ouse. The slope directly in front of the camera is a cutting which has been totally filled in (shades of the Imberhorne Lane Tip). Nearest to the camera is a venting system for gases to escape from the fill in the cutting
The line ran away from the bridge across the river flood plain, and there are many historic pictures showing the excellent view at it curved away towards Culver Junction. Such pictures are now impossible owing to trees, and the only view I could find was this distant shot of the raised embankment beyond this private pond.
As it leaves Hamsey the old trackbed runs directly north east and for the majority of the time forms a farm track, although in some places the line is now part of fields. This view looks south east from Culver Farm towards an area where the trackbed is a little less well defined. (This area is private property, photographed with permission).
Passing through the bridge and looking back south west the site of the old Culver Junction signal box is on the left adjacent to the bridge. The remains of a signalbox outbuilding can just be seen, covered in weeds, in front of the bridge. This whole area is private property (photographed with permission).
Thinking of visiting the private land that contains the old trackbed near Culver Farm unannounced? Err, not such a good idea! This VERY large bull is loose in the area (and yes, I absolutely DID take the picture with a LONG lens!!! The bull tends not to bother to check whether you have permission to be there).
A well-known picture by Michael Welch, taken about 1994, shows the cutting leading up to the bridge with a long surviving garden shed (that featured in many photos taken at this location). Sadly the shed seems to have disappeared and it was not possible to gain access to the cutting to reproduce the view. I had to content myself with this picture from the top of the bridge looking south east. It can be seen that the area is now slightly overgrown.