"the recently closed railway-line between East Grinstead and Lewes. John Leeroy was the first chairman of the Railway and Bernard was Signalling Engineer. Under his guidance the Bluebell Railway became the first preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service running its first services in August 1960, less than three years after the line from East Grinstead to Lewes had been closed by British Railways. As an active Superintendent of the Line and later President of the Bluebell Society, Bernard Holden oversaw the retention and then the expansion of the railway from Sheffield Park"
"East Grinstead, with their own separate station south of the mainline station. The line south of Sheffield Park has been abandoned, although the society has long-term plans to re-open this. Despite the closure of the line from Lewes to East Grinstead in 1958, station remained open as the terminus of the line from . By the time this line had closed in 1963, the Bluebell Railway was operating trains into the station from . The station has been restored to reflect the 1920s, when it was operated by the Southern Railway and the main station building is a Grade II"
"constructed to take double track. However, only the section between East Grinstead and Horsted Keynes (and thence to Haywards Heath via Ardingly) was laid as such; south of the junction at Horsted Keynes the line was single track with passing loops at stations. The line was opened in 1882. Goods traffic on the line consisted of local produce; milk: farm products and coal, and timber to and from Albert Turner & Son, a sawmill. The only time Sheffield Park received a substantial number of passengers was when Lord Sheffield entertained the Australian cricket team, with a match between them and"
"with minor detail differences. Newick & Chailey was built in a cutting under the Haywards Heath to Uckfield road (now the A272). After a long dispute with rail users, the line between Lewes and East Grinstead was closed by British Railways in 1958. Following closure, East Grinstead station was rebuilt with all the Myres buildings being demolished and replaced by a prefabricated CLASP structure opened in 1972 immediately south of the old building. The line between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes was re-opened by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society in 1962; in March 2013, the society re-opened the line to"
"unrealised plans to link the Forest Way from Groombridge with the Cuckoo Trail, another trail following the route of a disused railway line, which runs from Heathfield to Hampden Park near Eastbourne. Forest Way The Forest Way is a linear Country park providing walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead to Groombridge. The Forest Way lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the heart of the picturesque East Sussex countryside with the Ashdown Forest lying to the south. It takes the route of"
"East Grinstead railway station East Grinstead railway station is one of the two southern termini of the Oxted line in the south of England and serves East Grinstead in West Sussex. It is from , although off peak trains run to and from . The station is managed by Southern. The station was formerly divided into two levels: the higher level platforms serving the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line, whilst the lower level platforms received services from the Oxted line and the East Grinstead to Lewes Line. Only the lower level platforms remain open today, the high level"
"Forest Way The Forest Way is a linear Country park providing walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead to Groombridge. The Forest Way lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the heart of the picturesque East Sussex countryside with the Ashdown Forest lying to the south. It takes the route of a disused railway line and now provides an important habitat for wildlife forming a ‘green corridor’ through the upper valley of the River Medway. The route runs from East Grinstead, via Forest"
"until the 1950s it was notable as being worked by shunting horses rather than locomotives. The Southwold Railway Trust is ""Committed to restoring the historic narrow gauge railway link between Halesworth & Southwold; preserving it for future generations to enjoy."" East Suffolk line The East Suffolk line is an un-electrified 49-mile secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by Greater Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are operated by Direct Rail Services. The Halesworth, Beccles and Haddiscoe Railway opened between those"
"busy interchange station with trains arriving or departing every 15 minutes. The funds raised from this event went towards the ""Return to Eridge"" appeal to raise £500,000 for the extension to the Uckfield mainline at Eridge. The heritage railway opened the line to Eridge in 2011. When the Mid Sussex District Council carried out a preliminary study before putting together an Area Action Plan, it conducted an enquiry into public transport which threw up some interesting results. Based on a survey of over 1,000 local residents, the Council acknowledged that most felt public transport facilities in East Grinstead to be"
"1920s and early 1930s, before his death in 1932. Forest Row Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles (5 km) south-east of East Grinstead. The village draws its name from its proximity to the Ashdown Forest, a royal hunting park first enclosed in the 13th century. From its origins as a small hamlet, Forest Row has grown, first with the establishment of a turnpike road in the 18th century; and later with the opening of the railway between East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells"
"Forest Row Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles (5 km) south-east of East Grinstead. The village draws its name from its proximity to the Ashdown Forest, a royal hunting park first enclosed in the 13th century. From its origins as a small hamlet, Forest Row has grown, first with the establishment of a turnpike road in the 18th century; and later with the opening of the railway between East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells in 1866; the line, which included an intermediate station"
"Imberhorne Viaduct Imberhorne Viaduct is a Grade II listed railway viaduct located in East Grinstead, West Sussex, South-East England. Closed in 1958, the structure was brought back into use as part of the preserved Bluebell Railway heritage line in 2013, allowing trains to continue to East Grinstead railway station. Built to span the lands of Imberhorne Farm, it was designed and engineered by Frederick Banister, then Chief Engineer for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. Built as part of the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway and built to allow double-track operations, it is in length and spanning the valley"
"features a restored signalbox that is operational during special events and a running/restoration shed. The length of the restored line is a little under . The line extends north to South Meadow Lane (a few hundred yards from the site of a proposed Farfield Lane halt) near Cricklade, and south to Taw Valley Halt on the outskirts of Swindon, near Mouldon Hill Country Park. A southern terminus, , is proposed within the park. Swindon and Cricklade Railway The Swindon & Cricklade Railway is a heritage railway in Wiltshire, England, that operates on a short section of the old Midland and"
"East Suffolk line The East Suffolk line is an un-electrified 49-mile secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by Greater Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are operated by Direct Rail Services. The Halesworth, Beccles and Haddiscoe Railway opened between those points in 1854, and the East Suffolk Railway took over and extended southwards to Ipswich and north and east to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, opening in 1859, and forming a more direct route to London from the coastal towns. There"
"Grinstead town centre, running along a disused railway cutting, part of a line which closed as a consequence of the Beeching Report, which cut large numbers of local rail services. Richard Beeching was a local resident, and as a result, some local residents wanted to call this section the ""Beeching Cut"". To the south of East Grinstead the A22 crosses into East Sussex, just north of Forest Row. Between Forest Row and Nutley the road crosses the ancient Ashdown Forest. The A22 is the only road through the forest not subject to 40mph speed limits. The A275 branches south to"
"would appear to stand in the way of such action, most notably: East Grinstead railway station East Grinstead railway station is one of the two southern termini of the Oxted line in the south of England and serves East Grinstead in West Sussex. It is from , although off peak trains run to and from . The station is managed by Southern. The station was formerly divided into two levels: the higher level platforms serving the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line, whilst the lower level platforms received services from the Oxted line and the East Grinstead to Lewes"
"East Grinstead was electrified in 1987. But the branch line to Uckfield remains operated by diesel multiple units. The Southern Region was abolished in 1992 because British Rail had decided to move from regional management to business sectors. The Region was divided between two of the new passenger businesses: Network SouthEast and InterCity. When the British Rail passenger services were privitised in the 1990s the lines of the former region were divided between South West Trains, Thameslink, Island Line, Thames Trains, Gatwick Express, Connex South Central and Connex South Eastern. In 2002 the South Central franchise was awarded to Govia"
"""The Pioneer"" to Sheffield Park hauled by LB&SCR A1X class 55 Stepney. The first through service from London Victoria since September 1963 and the first service through to Sheffield Park since 1958, a 12-coach railtour worked by GBRf Class 66/7 66739, ran on 28 March 2013. Two GBRf Class 73s, 73207 and 73119, provided heating and also operated services between East Grinstead and Sheffield Park using the Bluebell's own rolling stock. In the year following the opening of the extension, the Bluebell's annual passenger figures rose from 60,000 to 250,000 and annual revenue increased by 25% to £4 million. The"
"Felixstowe branch line The Felixstowe branch line is a railway branch line in Suffolk, England, that connects the Great Eastern Main Line to and its port. The line is in length from to Felixstowe. The stations and all passenger services are currently operated by Greater Anglia. The passenger services originate at but the branch itself starts one station further along at Westerfield. The line also carries freight trains operated by DB Schenker, Freightliner and GB Railfreight, to the port of Felixstowe. The line was opened by the Felixstowe Railway & Pier Company in 1877, although the first station in Felixstowe"
"is from the town, whilst Redhill Aerodrome and Biggin Hill Airport are both within half an hour's drive. Hammerwood Park has a helicopter landing site for visiting pilots ( from the town). East Grinstead has been a railway terminus since 1967, after the line from Three Bridges, to Royal Tunbridge Wells was closed under the Beeching Axe, a rationalisation of British Railways' branch lines based on a report by Dr Richard Beeching, a resident of the town at that time. (""See also"" East Grinstead railway station for history of rail lines). The closure of the line to Lewes, part of"
"East Lancashire Railway The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway line in north west England which runs between Heywood in Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall (Lancashire) with intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street, , Summerseat, Ramsbottom all in Greater Manchester, and Irwell Vale in Lancashire Passenger services between Bury and Rawtenstall were withdrawn by British Rail on 3 June 1972. Coal services to Rawtenstall ended in 1980, and formal closure followed in 1982. The East Lancashire Railway Trust reopened the line on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was"
"industrial 0-4-0ST ""Askham Hall"". The former Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway locomotive is currently at Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum having asbestos removed. Eden Valley Railway (heritage railway) The Eden Valley Railway (EVR) is a standard gauge heritage railway in Cumbria, England. It runs over a section of the original Eden Valley Railway in a north-westerly direction from the line's base at Warcop station. The line is run by the Eden Valley Railway Trust, formerly the Eden Valley Railway Society. The railway operates passenger trains from March to September on the weekends and Bank Holidays and some weekday workings in summer."
"in 1989. This link was finally re-opened to passengers again in April 2011, allowing heritage services from Wirksworth to connect with the Midland Main Line. Through ticketing is available from all main line stations. Duffield railway station Duffield railway station serves the village of Duffield in Derbyshire, England. The station is located on the Midland Main Line from Derby to Leeds, north of London St Pancras. It is also a junction with the former branch line to Wirksworth, which has now been reopened as the Ecclesbourne Valley heritage railway. The unmanned station is served by East Midlands Trains, who operate"
"Worth Way The Worth Way is a footpath and bridleway linking the West Sussex towns of Crawley and East Grinstead via the village of Crawley Down. Mostly following the trackbed of a disused railway the path is an important wildlife corridor. It is part of the National Cycle Network. The Worth Way follows for much of its route part of the course of a dismantled railway - the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line - which opened in 1855 and closed in 1967 as a result of the programme of closures put forward by East Grinstead resident and British"
"Worth Way The Worth Way is a footpath and bridleway linking the West Sussex towns of Crawley and East Grinstead via the village of Crawley Down. Mostly following the trackbed of a disused railway the path is an important wildlife corridor. It is part of the National Cycle Network. The Worth Way follows for much of its route part of the course of a dismantled railway - the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line - which opened in 1855 and closed in 1967 as a result of the programme of closures put forward by East Grinstead resident and British"
"the name of the nearby village was dropped in 1883 following objections by the Earl. It was originally closed in May 1955 but was reopened in August 1956 after it was found the closure was illegal. Following the line's closure in 1958, a group of students formed a society with the intention of preserving part of the East Grinstead to Lewes line. On 7 August 1960 the group began working a short stretch of line between Sheffield Park and Bluebell Halt, just south of Horsted Keynes which was leased to it by British Railways. By 1968, the group had raised"
"the Heywood Collection, have recovered various items of interest. Of the locomotives, only ""Muriel"" survives in heavily modified form working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway as ""River Irt"" claiming to be the oldest surviving narrow gauge loco. However, parts of ""Ella"" survive in the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway's 4-6-4 diesel locomotive ""Shelagh of Eskdale"". The line also is home to the remains of ""Katie"" (mainly the frames), which is currently being rebuilt. The Perrygrove Railway in Gloucestershire was built with Sir Arthur's work very much in mind. Duffield Bank Railway The Duffield Bank Railway was built by Sir Arthur"
"to Framlingham and Aldeburgh. Branch services on the Felixstowe line have, with the exception of the first few years of that line’s existence, started for Ipswich as have local stopping services on the East Suffolk, Norwich and Cambridge lines. One interesting working in the 1920s and 1930s was a train that operated from Sheffield via Worksop, Spalding, March and Ely to Felixstowe during the summer months. By far the most interesting working was the “Boat Train” which operated between Harwich Parkeston Quay and various destinations until the 1990s. The privatisation of British Rail in the 1990s saw this service terminated"
"on a UK heritage railway. Many locomotives are owned by private individuals or an owning group, which co-operate as the ELR Diesel Group. Note that the locations given may not be current as locomotives move between railways from time to time. East Lancashire Railway The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway line in north west England which runs between Heywood in Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall (Lancashire) with intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street, , Summerseat, Ramsbottom all in Greater Manchester, and Irwell Vale in Lancashire Passenger services between Bury and Rawtenstall were withdrawn by British Rail on 3 June"
"started to run through to its new terminus station. At East Grinstead there is a connection to the national rail network, the first connection of the Bluebell Railway to the national network in 50 years, since the Horsted Keynes – line closed in 1963. Today the railway is managed and run largely by volunteers. Having preserved a number of steam locomotives even before steam stopped running on British mainline railways in 1968, today it has over 30 steam locomotives - the largest collection in the UK after the National Railway Museum. The Bluebell also has almost 150 carriages and wagons,"
"services between Leeds, Wakefield and either Doncaster or Sheffield. Inter-city operators are London North Eastern Railway, East Midlands Trains and CrossCountry who provide services from Leeds to London and the South of England. Some sections of the line are shared with the Huddersfield (orange) and Pontefract lines (light blue). West Yorkshire ""Metrocards"" are available for all trains as far as South Elmsall on the Doncaster section of the line and to Moorthorpe on the Sheffield section. At the time of the 1923 Grouping the line was owned by different railway companies: Great Northern Railway (GNR) – with Wakefield Westgate station"
"first station to serve East Grinstead was built by the East Grinstead Railway as the terminus of its single-track line from . It was opened on 9 July 1855 in Swan Mead off the London Road, well-situated for the town centre, with the first train out at 12:12 pm. Constructed at a cost of £3,000, the station comprised a sandstone main building which survives to this day, as well as timber goods and engine sheds with slate roofs. The goods facilities were described in a specification as being equal to those at Hailsham railway station. There were probably two platform"
"under the Beeching axe. Ironically, Dr. Richard Beeching lived at East Grinstead (adjacent to the line) and regularly travelled up to London on the line when he was Chairman of British Rail. The disused railway line was bought by East Sussex County Council in 1971 and designated as a Country Park in 1974. Major improvements to the track surface in 2002 led to its inclusion in the Sustrans National Cycle Network. To the west of East Grinstead, the cycle route continues as the Worth Way along the disused section of line to Three Bridges. In addition, there are as yet"