Lewes railway station

Layout

The station platforms are arranged in a "V" shape, with a large courtyard in between, which is bound by the tracks (platforms 2 & 3) on two sides and the station building on the third side. The two-floor building, with the entrance from the top floor, is accompanied with a gallery, which extends to the other platforms (1, 4 & 5) as the passenger bridge.

There have been many changes during the lifetime of the station (see history section, below).

The typical arrangement for services is:
Northern platforms
Platform 1 is an eastbound platform for trains towards Eastbourne, Seaford and Hastings, from London
Platform 2 is a westbound platform for trains towards London Victoria via Haywards Heath
Southern platforms
Platform 3 is an eastbound platform for trains towards Eastbourne, Seaford and Ashford, from Brighton
Platform 4 is a westbound platform for trains to Brighton from Eastbourne and Ashford
Platform 5 is a bi-directional through platform for terminating trains towards Brighton and Seaford

Services

The typical off-peak service is:

5tph to Brighton

2tph to London Victoria via Gatwick Airport

2tph to Ore via Eastbourne and Hastings

1tph to Ashford International via Eastbourne and Hastings

2tph to Seaford

1tph to Eastbourne

(tph = trains per hour)

History

The first station in Friars Walk opened in 1846 was originally built as a terminus on the Brighton line. This station became inconvenient after extra tracks were laid to Hastings, meeting the Brighton line at a junction just west of Lewes Station (i.e. towards Brighton), necessitating reversals for trains serving Lewes. Capacity increases also became desirable because of new direct links to London. This first station was therefore replaced; the original booking hall with grand classical columns outside survived until the 1960s but was then demolished. A second station was opened in 1857 and closed in 1889. The present station opened in 1889 in connection with a new track alignment to ease the curve east of the station. The old alignment became goods lines serving the goods depot until circa 1968.

Not all of the lines serving Lewes Station survived the 20th century. The Wealden Line had headed north to Uckfield and on to London via Eridge — this line also had trains to Tunbridge Wells West. This line has been closed and lifted between Lewes and Uckfield. Branching off the Lewes to Uckfield section at Culver Junction was the southern portion of the Bluebell Railway, a section of which remains as a preserved railway.

Timeline

8 June 1846

Line from Brighton openedA terminus was provided in Friars Walk for services arriving from Brighton (1846–57).

27 June 1846

Line is extended from Lewes to HastingsA platform is provided, called "Ham (or Southover)", slightly west of the divergence for the Hastings line (1846–48).

2 October 1847

Keymer Junction to Lewes line openedPlatforms (going by the name of Pinwell) are built opposite the Terminus, west of the Hasting line divergence, serving trains to and from the Hasting direction (1847–57).

1857

A new station is built at the divergence of the Keymer lineThis was the first station at this site, the station building being of a Swiss chalet style (1857–89).

1 October 1886

a new junction for the realigned Wealden Line openedThe alignment of this line appears to have passed through the location of the original terminus; the station goods yard also being at this location. Until this date the Wealden line joined the Keymer line at a junction between the north portal of Lewes Tunnel and Cooksbridge Station (see the Wealden Line article for details).

17 June 1889

Current station opened.The 1857 station is totally rebuilt and the track layout changed; this new station is the one still in use today.

Accidents and incidents

On 3 November 1960, severe flooding affected the station, with over a foot (30cm) of water covering the lines. All electric services were suspended. Services were worked by steam locomotives and the Hastings Units until 6 November. The line to Wivelsfield was inoperable for some time.