East Grinstead (High Level) Station (Closed) and parts of the adjacent Worth Way Country Park.
A second branch then continued to the east, constructed by the East Grinstead, Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells Railway Company. Work started on 18 July 1863 but unfortunately failed four official inspections. This delayed the opening until 1 October 1866, when the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) arranged to operate the line. The section through Groombridge to Tunbridge Wells is now part of the Spa Valley Railway and covered in separate collections which can be accessed from the main website index page.
Both lines closed on 2 January 1967, victims of the Beeching cuts, and the track bed now forms part of the Worth Way Country Park to the west, and the Forest Way Country Park to the east.
Separate collections cover (a) Withyham Station; (b) Hartfield Station; (c) the site of Forest Row Station; (d) the site of East Grinstead High Level Station; (e) the site of Grange Road Station; and (f) Rowfant Station.
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East Grinstead No 2 tunnel (the one furthest from East Grinstead and 48 yards long) pictured during the construction of "Beeching Way" the road which replaced the railway in this area. There is no trace of the tunnel at ground level. It is buried under the junction of the A22 and B2110. Image from the collection of the late Steve Blaikie. Do you own this picture? If so, please contact me.
East Grinstead No 1 tunnel (the one nearest to East Grinstead and 78 yards long) looking west. This tunnel was completely opened up and dug out during the construction of "Beeching Way", the road that replaced the railway in this area. A bridge replaced it, to carry College Lane over Beeching Way, and no trace of the tunnel remains. Image from the collection of the late Steve Blaikie. Do you own this picture? If so, please contact me.
East Grinstead No 1 tunnel (the one nearest to East Grinstead and 78 yards long) looking west. This tunnel was completely opened up and dug out during the construction of "Beeching Way", the road that replaced the railway in this area. A bridge replaced it, to carry College Lane over Beeching Way, and no trace of the tunnel remains. Image from the collection of the late Steve Blaikie. Do you own this picture? If so, please contact me.
East Grinstead No 1 tunnel (the one nearest to East Grinstead and 78 yards long) looking west out of the western portal (towards East Grinstead town). This tunnel was completely opened up and dug out during the construction of "Beeching Way", the road that replaced the railway in this area. A bridge replaced it, to carry College Lane over Beeching Way, and no trace of the tunnel remains. Image from the collection of the late Steve Blaikie. Do you own this picture? If so, please contact me.
Having climbed Brambletye Bank towards East Grinstead trains encountered two short tunnels, both of which have been totally erased from the landscape. The first, East Grinstead Number 2 tunnel, passed under the A22 road east of East Grinstead prior to the railway entering a cutting. The whole area has been reshaped and the site of the tunnel is buried under a roundabout which currently joins the A22 to Beeching Way. This view looks west down Beeching Way from a point adjacent to the roundabout. 13.09.2009
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A second view looking west down Beeching Way. The old railway cutting was widened and used to form the new road which takes traffic on the A22 away from the narrow streets at the centre of East Grinstead. This has been of benefit to through traffic but the trackbed in the vicinity of the town was lost in the process. 13.09.2009
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The final picture of Beeching Way looking west with a long lens. The original level of the railway cutting is at the bottom of the ramp down from the roundabout. The railway curved left through the cutting and then entered East Grinstead No. 1 tunnel, which was a short bore under the B2110 road. This tunnel has been totally dug out and replaced by a bridge for the road above. The bridge was apparently constructed before the tunnel was dug out beneath it and the cutting widened for the road. 13.09.2009
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The western end of the A22 Beeching Way looking east. This area has also been completely reshaped by the new development but the railway originally served a large goods yard and goods shed sited in this area to the south of the running line. To the north of the running line a siding entered a timber yard. There has been so much construction and development in the area that it is hard to find any surviving relic of the railway, but just around the bend in Beeching Way (out of shot) a wall appears to be part of the old retaining wall that stood on the boundary of the land occupied by the railway. 26.07.2009
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Looking west outside East Grinstead Station, there is virtually no trace of the High Level Station, but the four tracks and platforms were carried over Station Road on a wide bridge. This view west shows a surviving part of the western wall of the bridge. The levels have changed with the construction of new roads, but the tracks would have passed through the wooded area on the top of the wall. 26.07.2009
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I am extremely grateful to Eric Kemp for allowing me to include some of his images on my site. Photographed on 9 November 1968 this is the bridge which carried the road (Station Road) under the high level line. The photographer is standing in the exit from the Low Level station forecourt and the blue car is heading into Railway Approach, and will shortly pass under a bridge which carried the line connecting the upper goods yard to the lower yard. The wall in the previous photograph is on the left of the pedestrian nearest the camera. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
East Grinstead Station Building and forecourt adjacent to the Low Level platforms, photographed in November 1968 by Eric Kemp , who retains all rights to this image.
I am grateful to John Attfield for allowing me to use this image of East Grinstead High Level station, which was taken on 20 April 1965. John's train is about to depart in the direction of Three Bridges, whilst a newly arrived DMU, complete with tail lamp, sits in the adjacent platform. It is possible that this was bound for Tunbridge Wells. Part of the water tower is just caught on the left. John retains all rights to this image.
The remains of the High level station photographed on 2 November 1968 by Eric Kemp, who retains all rights to this image. Note that the track remains in situ on the line towards Grange Road (on the left) and on St Margaret's curve (on the right).
D6582 and steam crane DS1723 clearing up on St Margaret's Curve, west of the old High Level station, on Sun 5 October 1969. Photographed by Eric Kemp, who retains all rights to this image.
D6582 and steam crane DS1723 clearing up on St Margaret's Curve, west of the old High Level station, on Sun 5 October 1969. Photographed by Eric Kemp, who retains all rights to this image.
Steam crane DS1723 clearing up on St Margaret's Curve, west of the old High Level station, on Sun 5 October 1969. Photographed by Eric Kemp, who retains all rights to this image.
Steam crane DS1723 clearing up on St Margaret's Curve, west of the old High Level station, on Sun 5 October 1969. Photographed by Eric Kemp, who retains all rights to this image.
Looking east in the direction of Forest Row, these are the bridge girders that carried the high level line over the Low Level station platforms and the Low Level track. The remains of the High Level platforms can also be seen. Photographed on Saturday 17 October 1970 by Eric Kemp, the girders were subsequently removed overnight. Eric Kemp retains all right to this image.
Further east, this is the old London Road bridge (on the line to Forest Row), pictured in December 1975, when the area was looking very sorry for itself, the track having been lifted and the old ballast bulldozed. Many years ago this was also the site of the second East Grinstead station, which was opened in 1866. A station building spanned the tracks in front of the bridge and the platforms ran south in the earth area past the camera. The station was replaced by a third station in 1882 when the line from Lewes opened (the "Low Level" station) but the London Road site actually remained open until 1883. The redundant structure was finally removed in 1908. The bridge in the picture was demolished in 1978 as part of road improvements. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
East Grinstead good shed, looking east, with shops in the background, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the goods shed was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
East Grinstead good shed, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the goods shed was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
East Grinstead good shed, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The office at the eastern end of East Grinstead good shed, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the building was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
Looking west at the eastern end of East Grinstead good shed, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the building was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The office at the eastern end of East Grinstead good shed, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the building was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The office at the eastern end of East Grinstead good shed, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the building was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The southern side of East Grinstead good shed, where lorries would draw up to transfer goods, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities were withdrawn from 10 April 1967 and the building was demolished in 1976, soon after the picture was taken. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The rear (railway) side of the goods building that fronted on to East Grinstead High Street, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Freight facilities had been withdrawn from 10 April 1967. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
Looking west at the 1855 station house at East Grinstead, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The 1855 station house at East Grinstead, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
The 1855 station house at East Grinstead, photographed by Eric Kemp on 20 December 1975. Eric Kemp retains all rights to this image.
This old shot of East Grinstead (Low Level) station, taken in 1998, shows the scene behind the trees in an earlier picture. East Grinstead (High Level) Station crossed the Low Level station at right angles where the wooden fence is on the left. On the right is the remains of a higher wall that once supported the bridge which carried four High Level platforms. Although the High Level Station has been totally demolished a footbridge in the foreground still carries pedestrians over the Low Level Station at the same point. This bridge is an access to the car park; the main station footbridge is in the background. 22.11.1998
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A pedestrian bridge now crosses over the operational station at East Grinstead (the former Low Level station). Having crossed the railway this picture is taken standing in East Grinstead Station car park approximately at the western end of the old High Level platforms. A signal box was sited roughly where the car is parked. The single line to Three Bridges and a long siding curved away from the camera passing just to the right of the radio mast, and the double track to London curved right where the wooden gate is located in the fence (see next pictures). 26.07.2009
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Moving closer to the site of the old junction, the line to Three Bridges passes to the right of the radio mast, and the double track to London curved right between the two signs in the foreground. The trees conceal the heavily overgrown cutting that curves north. 26.07.2009
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Entering the cutting that carried the double track to London in a curve to the north. A path follows the route, but the summer undergrowth conceals all trace of the former railway. 26.07.2009
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Looking west from a position just beyond the radio mast at the end of East Grinstead Station car park. The former track bed survives as the Worth Way, a leisure facility for walkers and cyclists, which follows the route of the old railway for part of it's length. Unfortunately there are now a number of obstructions on the original route to Three Bridges. 26.07.2009
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West of East Grinstead the old track bed passes under Garden Wood Road, where a modern bridge is provided which clearly does not date from the operational days of the railway. This view looks west. 07.08.2009
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Turning round at the same point as the previous picture this is the view back towards East Grinstead. 07.08.2009
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Garden Wood Road Bridge looking east. It can be seen that the railway had a relatively steep climb into East Grinstead. This bridge suffers badly from graffiti, but it has been edited from the picture. 07.08.2009
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Looking west from the bridge at Garden Wood Road towards Grange Road Station and Three Bridges. When the railway was operational the cutting sides would have been kept clear of trees and shrubs. 07.08.2009
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There are two railway bridges in Imberhorne Lane, which sometimes causes confusion. This view looks west at the three arch bridge that served the Three Bridges route. This bridge has a rather odd stone and brick combination which suggests that it is not original. The brick section shows evidence of repairs and tie-rods. There is another large single arch bridge which takes the road over the line that ran south from East Grinstead, and which is now part of the Bluebell Railway. 07.08.2009
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Imberhorne Lane Bridge (Three Bridges route) looking back east towards East Grinstead. 07.08.2009
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