Newick & Chailey Station (Closed)

An opportunity to take a photographic tour north from Lewes to Sheffield Park. Although the trackbed is now overgrown in places, you can see some features. The line has been closed for more than 50 years and naturally many views are obstructed by vegetation.

Please note that some sections of the line are now private property, and other parts are totally impassable. It is not possible to walk the entire length.

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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Brenda Barnes has kindly supplied this undated image of Newick and Chailey Station when it was still open. The number of the southbound engine is not quite clear enough to read but some detective work by Martin Shaw has established that it was 32484. Brenda Barnes retains all rights to the image, which has received some restoration.
Newick and Chailey Station in the process of being demolished, in an undated image kindly supplied by Brenda Barnes. The photograph probably dates from around 1959/1960, and a crane belonging to the demolition contractor Pittrail is on the right. Brenda Barnes retains all rights to the image, which has received some restoration.
Newick & Chailey Station captured on 12 April 1965 in some lovely images taken by John Attfield. John retains all rights to these images but has kindly allowed me to use them on my site. This view looks north towards the three arch bridge where the main road crossed the railway.
Newick & Chailey Station captured on 12 April 1965 in some lovely images taken by John Attfield. John retains all rights to these images but has kindly allowed me to use them on my site. A second view looking north towards the three arch bridge where the main road crossed the railway.
Newick & Chailey Station captured on 12 April 1965 in some lovely images taken by John Attfield. John retains all rights to these images but has kindly allowed me to use them on my site. This south facing view shows the highly unusual station building which catered for the heavily sloping site at the station entrance.
Newick & Chailey Station captured on 12 April 1965 in some lovely images taken by John Attfield. John retains all rights to these images but has kindly allowed me to use them on my site. The station forecourt gives little clue about the steep slope behind the building.
Newick & Chailey Station captured on 12 April 1965 in some lovely images taken by John Attfield. John retains all rights to these images but has kindly allowed me to use them on my site. The basic design of the station buildings along the line was fairly standard (allowing for the particular problems caused by this graded site) and all the buildings carried the LB&SCR 1882 markings.
Newick & Chailey Station captured on 12 April 1965 in some lovely images taken by John Attfield. John retains all rights to these images but has kindly allowed me to use them on my site. A second view of the station forecourt and public frontage.
The Newick & Chailey station site was demolished, and the land on which it stood regraded into a sloping hill. Houses were then built on the whole area to the east of the station platform, apparently leaving nothing to see at ground level. The station was, however, remembered in the Lower Station Road street name.
However Newick & Chailey Station lives on. In a quiet estate there are some unexpected revelations. 28.07.2014 9912
Whatever you do, please do not disturb the residents, and please remember that this is PRIVATE PROPERTY...!!! Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11322
The private back garden of a property in Newick & Chailey. This is a patio, but it is what lies underneath that is interesting. 28.07.2014 11329
Whilst excavating during landscaping of the garden the edge of the platform of Newick & Chailey was discovered. The top three layers of bricks are not original. The photographer is standing on the former trackbed. For years is was thought that the platforms had been torn up, but it is now obvious that the original contractor simply buried them under spoil. The position of the platform edge also shows conclusively that the original track ran through what are now private back gardens. 28.07.2014 11372
A huge amount of imagination is required, but this is the line of the railway, approaching the garden from the north through the hedge, between the yellow arrows. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11333
The same shot, but without the arrows. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11333
Turning round and looking south, the track runs roughly along the line of the lawn and away toward the direction of Cinder Hill Tunnel. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11336
Again imagine the scene. The shed is on the platform (now a patio) and we are looking down into the trackbed at the station. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11337
More of the lovely landscaped garden at Newick & Chailey. 28.07.2014 11376
More of the lovely landscaped garden at Newick & Chailey. 28.07.2014 11339
More of the lovely landscaped garden at Newick & Chailey. 28.07.2014 11374
Now standing on what would have been the northbound platform, and looking east towards the edge of the southbound platform, across the trackbed. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11338
More of the lovely landscaped garden at Newick & Chailey. 28.07.2014 11370
Owing to the landscaping the trackbed is a little waterlogged in places [insert smiley] and the owners have used some small sections of rail to add to the effect (not in the original positions). Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11373
A section of the old platform wall, now enclosing a pond. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11325
A closer view of the original platform wall and decorative rail. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11324
Looking south along the line of the trackbed. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11323
Looking east across the tracks, with a small section of platform wall just visible. Newick & Chailey 280714 11327
A closer view of the wall of the southbound platform. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11326
A closer view of the wall of the southbound platform. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11371
A nearby public footpath, which many people have (wrongly) thought to be the line of the track. Newick & Chailey 280714 11335
Some relics recovered during the landscaping and digging. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11330
Some relics recovered during the landscaping and digging. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11332/1
Some relics recovered during the landscaping and digging. On the right are parts of clay pipes, possibly discarded when the line was constructed. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11332/2
Photographs of the station held by the owners. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11340
Some relics recovered during the landscaping and digging. In this case a "hoard" of coins. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11331
Some of the property owners in the area obviously understand the railway connection. Newick & Chailey 28.07.2014 11340