Lewes Station
The Lewes Station gallery is entirely the work of Eric Kemp, who retains the copyright and all rights.
Separate collections cover (a) Lewes Station; (b) Hamsey to Barcombe via Culver Junction; (c) Barcombe Station; (d) Barcombe to Newick & Chailey via Cinder Hill Tunnel; (e) Newick & Chailey Station; and (f) Newick & Chailey to Sheffield Park.
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The Lewes Station gallery is entirely the work of Eric Kemp who retains the copyright and all rights to the images. I am very grateful to him for supplying these images. Lewes Station on 01.01.1969. A 3D unit waits in the double sided platforms 4/5 on an Uckfield line train. The track was officially the "Down Brighton Loop" but was signalled for bi-directional working. In practice it was largely used by trains to and from the line through Culver Junction. The other platforms in shot are Brighton Line Platforms 6 - 8 (out of a total of 8). On the extreme right is the roof of "D" signal box and the "Up Loop Siding" which terminated in buffer stops by the box.
A magnificent array of signals at the eastern end of the platforms at Lewes on 01.01.1969. Lewes 'B' or Main Junction Signal Box is in the background. On the extreme left is the "Down Siding" serving the two goods docks. As trains left the station they would turn left towards Culver Junction (the points are just out of shot) or right towards Hastings.
Lewes Station on 01.01.1969 with the London lines (Platforms 6 - 8) on the extreme right of the picture. The double sided platform 4/5 (Down Brighton Loop) in which the train is standing has since been taken out of service and infilled.
Lewes1.01.1969.theplatformwhichtrainstandinghassincebeenfilledin.Londonlinescornerpic
Viewed from the steps of the 'B' signal box, the eastern end of Lewes Station is seen in the snow on Friday 01.01.1971. A train is leaving from the Down Main toward Hastings (Platform 2). The platforms are arranged from Platform 1 on the right to Platform 8 on the left. The two goods docks are on the right and there seems to be a puzzlingly large amount of pedestrian activity on the extreme right of the dock.
Lewes 'B' signal box diagram as at January 1971. In the top right corner a piece of paper has been pasted to the diagram showing the Uckfield line truncated after closure. A small section of track was (at the time) retained to allow access to the Down siding and goods docks. It is notoriously difficult to photograph signal box diagrams behind glass and some correction has been applied to the image to remove flash glare.
Lewes'B'boxdiagramJan.1971showingUckfieldlinetruncatedtopright
By 27.09.1971 the double sided Platforms 4/5 at Lewes had been taken out of use. The signal arms had been removed and the main line 'plain lined'. Some track remained within the platform area but debris formed a rudimentary buffer stop where the points used to be located. Meanwhile 4-COR 3107, stands in Platform 6 bearing a "1" headcode.
Lewes...But27.09.1971wasoutuseandthemainline'plainlined'3107
7324 waits in the Up platform (Platform 7) at Lewes with a Brighton train. On the right the other platform (Platform 8) is the Up Brighton Loop, although it was actually signalled for departures in both directions. On the extreme right the other track is the Up Loop siding, which ended in a buffer stop behind the camera. Colour light signals have replaced the semaphore signals. Saturday 28.07.1979
A wider view of Lewes Station on Saturday 09.01.1988. Unit 1201, in blue and grey with Network South East logos, waits in the Up platform with a Brighton train. The Up Loop siding is occupied with engineering stock. On the left the old bi-directional double-sided Platforms 4/5 (Down Brighton Loop) have been filled in to platform level with ballast, and ornamental trees now stand where Uckfield line trains terminated. On the left, nearest the camera, the platform has been extended. Note the red painted lamps on the platforms, then a feature of Network South East stations.
Lewes Station on Saturday 07.05.1988. Unit 3000 (blue and grey) has arrived from Brighton, and unit 1704 (Network South East livery) is about to head in the opposite direction. The platforms have been renumbered and the Up Brighton Loop (formerly Platform 8) is now Platform 5. Health and Safety is also beginning to take over; "Mind the Gap". In former years more reliance was placed on common sense.
LewesSat.7.05.1988.3000blueandgreytrainfromBrightonplat.1704NSEliveryheadingforB'ton.TheLoopearlierpic.nowplat.5
Outside Lewes on Thursday 13.08.1981. Class 73 73141 is about to cross the River Ouse (on the bridge just north of the A27) with a freight train. The last wagon is a very unusual specialised transporter for DEMU engines (see next image).
LewesThurs.13.08.1981.73141aboutcrossTheOusewithfreight.lastwagontransporterforDEMUengines
This is actually Eastbourne on 10.05.1980, but the image allows a closer look at the engine transporter wagon in the previous picture. The legends are MEs, 13T, tare 10 100kg. The number is ADB998052, with a wheel base of 15' 0. At the end away from the camera staff are instructed "WHEN LOADED THIS WAGON MUST NOT BE FLY OR HUMP SHUNTED" (a sensible stipulation for a DEMU engine, although "humps" were not frequently found on the Southern Region....). I am advised that the wagon was one of four specially built for the purpose.
DEMUenginetransporterWAGONEastbourne10.05.1980.MEs13Ttare10.100kgADB99805215'WHENLOADEDTHISMUSTNOTFLYHUMPSHUNTED