East Coastway Line
| East Coastway Line |
| Principal stations
(Brighton Main Line) |
East Coastway is the name given by Southern Railway to the services operated from London Victoria along the south coast of Sussex and Kent to the east of Brighton, UK. Those to the West of Brighton from Victoria are named the West Coastway Line. The trains running under this name serve Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford. Southern Railway was formerly South Central Trains.
Most of the lines operating within East Coastway were originally built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway; the line between St Leonards Warrior Square and Ashford by the South Eastern Railway.
Initially the services use the Brighton Main Line route; at Keymer Junction, south of Wivelsfield they turn off in a south-easterly direction. Stations along the route are then
- Plumpton
- Cooksbridge
- Lewes Tunnel [396 yd (356 m)]
- Lewes: the station has been the junction for four other routes; only two remain open:
- Lewes - Brighton
- Moulsecoomb opened 1980
- Kingston Tunnel [107 yd (96 m)]
- Falmer Tunnel [490 yd (441 m)]
- Falmer
- here was the now closed Kemptown branch junction
- Ditchling Road Tunnel [63 yd (58 m)]
- London Road (Brighton)
- Brighton - trains from Lewes use the eastern platforms here
- Lewes - Seaford
- Southerham Junction
- Southease & Rodmell Halt
- Newhaven Town
- Newhaven Harbour
- Bishopstone Beach Halt: operated from 1939-1942 only
- Bishopstone
- Seaford: the branch is just over 7 miles (11 km) long
- Lewes was also the junction for two branch lines to the north: one for Eridge via Uckfield; the other to East Grinstead and beyond, via the Bluebell Railway.
- Lewes - Brighton
Continuing the main route:
- Glynde
- Berwick
- Polegate
- here the route to Eridge via Hailsham diverged to the north. Beyond the station was a triangular junction allowing direct access to Hastings. This is now closed, and all trains run into Eastbourne and reverse to continue their journey. On the top part of the triangle was once:
- Stone Cross Halt - now closed
- the line to Eastbourne continues southwards:
- Hampden Park
- Eastbourne: a terminus.
- from here trains reverse through Hampden Park, and continue east at Willingdon Junction
- Pevensey
- Pevensey Bay this station was originally opened as a halt
- Normans Bay this station was originally opened as a halt
- Cooden Beach
- Collington this station was originally opened as a halt, being named in turn Collington Wood Halt; West Bexhill Halt; and Collington Halt
- Bexhill
- St Leonards (West Marina) closed 1967
- St Leonards (Warrior Square)
- Hastings
- Trains from London continue beyond Hastings to Ore where there are extensive carriage sidings, although the remainder of the East Coastway line to Ashford is named the Marshlink Line.
Passenger services are operated by Southern (formerly South Central Trains). The line was electrified by Southern at 750v DC (third rail) during the interwar years.
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