The Birchden, Groombridge and Ashurst Triangle

The Spa Valley Railway currently uses a route that was originally constructed in 1868, when the LB&SCR station at Tunbridge Wells West (then on a cross-country route to Three Bridges) was linked to Uckfield by a line from Groombridge. The two lines separated at "Groombridge Junction", west of the original Groombridge Station.

For very many years all services coming south from Ashurst and east from the Three Bridges line turned towards Tunbridge Wells. Passengers were required to change at Groombridge to go south towards Eridge. Although there was a direct line between "Ashurst Junction" and "Birchden Junction" it was only used for the storage of out of service locomotives. It was not until 7 June 1914 that direct services ran between Ashurst and Eridge. Thus a triangle of operational lines was formed in the area.

Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells West lost their passenger services on 6 July 1985 when trains between Eridge and Tonbridge were withdrawn. Eridge remains open, on the line between Uckfield and London, but one side of the station now also serves as a terminus for the Spa Valley service from Tunbridge Wells, which arrived in 2011. In the period between 1985 and 2011 parts of Eridge Station were left in poor condition but it has since been restored to a very high standard.

Separate collections cover (a) Eridge Station up to 2008; (b) Eridge Station 2008 - 2010; (c) Eridge Station 2011 - 2020; (d) Eridge Station from 2021; (e) Forge Farm Crossing; (f) The Birchden, Groombridge and Ashurst Triangle; (g) Groombridge Station; (h) Groombridge Signal Box; (i) East of Groombridge; (j) High Rocks Station; and (k) Tunbridge Wells Station and Shed.

SCROLL DOWN to view the images. Click here to return to the main website index page.

In 2005 the old signal post and "Whistle" instruction were not needed. 19.09.2005
Birchden Old signal post and Whistle sign 190905
Looking north towards Groombridge from behind the buffers it can be seen that the up line had been lifted near the termination point. 19.09.2005
Birchden View north from buffers 190905
Birchden looking south through the Network Rail fence towards the operational Network Rail line to Uckfield. 05.10.2003
Former Birchden Junction from Spa Valley access 051003
Almost hidden by the trees a Southern 171 unit passes Birchden junction en route to Eridge and Uckfield. 19.09.2005
Oxted Uckfield train passes Birchden trees 190905
Right at the point where the Network Rail fence is erected milepost 28 rested almost hidden in the undergrowth. 19.09.2005
Milepost Railtrack boundary 190905
The track furniture gives away the date of last renewal as 1955. 19.10.2005
Track furniture dated 1955 Birchden 190905
The Birchden buffer stops looking south on 17.09.2006. The slight polish to the rails betrays the fact that the Spa Valley Railway had started running specials to Birchden, "top and tailed" by locomotives as they had no shunt or run round facilities.
Birchden Buffer Stops looking south 170906
Looking north from Birchden buffer stops on 17.09.2006, with the line cleared for limited use by passenger trains. One had just left (pictured in another gallery), but your friendly photographer had a mile walk back to Groombridge having previously walked down for the event. Still, it was a nice day...
Birchden Buffer Stops looking north 170906
Birchden looking north on 17.09.2006
Birchden looking north 170906
Pictured in 2008 the gates at Birchden which mark the Network Rail boundary with the Spa Valley Railway. New track to Eridge leads south under the gates. 14.09.2008
Birchden Gates looking south 140908 106
Looking south from the gates, the Spa Valley track curves to join the former Down line to Eridge. The Network Rail running line from Ashurst enters from the right of the photograph. A small abandoned section of the old Up line to Groombridge remains in situ in the foreground. 14.09.2008
Birchden New SVR track looking south 140908
Taken with a long lens this view looks south to the point where the Spa Valley line curves to run alongside Network Rail. The lens makes the curve appear more sharp than is actually the case. 14.09.2008
Birchden New SVR track looking south Zoom 140908
For those who doubted that the Spa Valley Railway would ever run south of Birchden the dismantled former buffers lay beside the line at Birchden. 14.09.2008
Birchden Dismantled buffers 140908 109
The other section of the buffers beside the line at Birchden. 14.09.2008
Birchden Dismantled buffers 140908 110
In 2008 pointwork was stored on the line at Birchden. This may have come from Eridge or from the former points that were still in situ at Birchden Junction (both sets having been removed by the contractors who were returning the line to operational use). 14.09.2008
Birchden Surplus pointwork 140908 104
Materials await attention at Birchden. The old Down signal post protecting Birchden Junction can be seen in the background. 14.09.2008
Birchden Looking north from gates 140908 102
Looking north towards Groombridge from Birchden Junction. 14.09.2008
Birchden Looking north Groombridge 140908 107
The same view as the previous picture, but with a long lens. The distance appears much shorter than is actually the case. 14.09.2008
Birchden Looking north Groombridge Zoom 140908 108
By 2008 the 28 mile post had been refurbished. A clearer shot was not possible as it stands on the wrong side of the fence on Network Rail land. The same milepost can be seen in a sad state earlier in the gallery. 14.09.2008
Birchden mile post refurbished 140908 103
Network Rail did an excellent job in clearing the lineside in the vicinity of the old Birchden Junction. This view looks south from the Spa Valley Railway gates towards the position of the former junction. A small section of the old Up line sits abandoned in the foreground on Network Rail land. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking south Junction area 020309
Taken with a long lens this shot shows the point at which the Spa Valley line curves south to run alongside the Network Rail line (on the right). The Whistle boards refer to Forge Farm Crossing, around the bend, and the Network Rail southbound speed limit reduces to 60mph at this point. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking south Junction area Zoom 020309
Turning round, this view looks north from the Spa Valley boundary. The Network Rail line is on the left, heading for Ashurst, and on the right the Spa Valley line is en route for Groombridge. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking north from junction 020309 100
Looking north from the Spa Valley boundary towards Groombridge. On the right is a signal post which originally held the southbound Home signal at Birchden Junction. Beyond that is the rear of an old Whistle sign. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking north Spa Valley line 020309
Looking north towards Groombridge from a position north of the old signal post in the previous picture. In 2009 there was a large amount of surplus track and other material at this location. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking north Spa Valley line 020309 104
Looking north towards Groombridge from the same position, but with a long lens. The distance appears far shorter than is actually the case. In the centre of the picture the track bends right towards Groombridge, and stock stands on the old Up line, which is now a siding. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking north Spa Valley line 020309 105
Looking south from the same spot. On the left a Stop sign marked the limit of services. Although the track and lineside was receiving the attention of contractors, services beyond Birchden to Eridge did not actually start until 2011. Lineside clearance had opened up the view and the Network Rail line from Ashurst can be seen on the right of the picture. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking south Junction area 020309 110
A closer view of the Stop board, with the gates in the background that marked the boundary with Network Rail. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking south gates 020309 107
Birchden looking south to the boundary gates on 02.03.2009. It was still two years before the railway would be able to run trains into Eridge.
Birchden looking south gates 020309 102
The gates that marked the Network Rail boundary, with the surrounding undergrowth cut down. It is interesting to contrast this view with previous years, when the area was heavily overgrown. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking south gates 020309 103
The 28 milepost has appeared before, but became something of a symbol of the on-going improvements. Logs can be seen where Network Rail had cleared the lineside beyond the gates. 02.03.2009
Birchden mile post 020309 111
A few years previously this view of the southern side of the gates would have been impossible owing to the overgrown state of the lineside. 02.03.2009
Birchden looking north gates 020309 113
The things you find when you are about the line. This old car was abandoned in the undergrowth near Birchden Junction on Saturday 04.06.1983, but how it came to be there is anyone's guess. Nick Bailey retains all rights to this image.
Birchden Junction lineside Saturday 04.06.1983 Nick Bailey