Railway to reopen?

[Lord Bracknell]

It would be great if the line were to reopened and while they're at it could they have a line between Lewes and Hastings (to Ashford and Rye) that doesn't involve pulling into Eastbourne and pulling out again.

One other point: is it fair to call the objectors NIMBYs. Aren't NIMBYs people who are in favour of a particular project but don't want it built near them (the Hollingdean waste protestors are classic NIMBYs)? AFAICS, the people at Hamsey don't just want a line built near them, they don't want a new line at all and they must be BANANAs.

The problem with avoiding Eastbourne on the journey from Lewes to Ashford is exactly the OPPOSITE of NIMBYism.

The good citizens of Eastbourne don't want to be left off the route. They are right.

When the direct line between Polegate and Pevensey was in service, it was only used by local trains that terminated at Polegate. NO long distance trains used that track, apart from the odd excursions and specials.

Incidentally, the new hourly Brighton-Eastbourne-Ashford service is excellent.

 

[Gwylan]

The problem with avoiding Eastbourne on the journey from Lewes to Ashford is exactly the OPPOSITE of NIMBYism.

The good citizens of Eastbourne don't want to be left off the route. They are right.

When the direct line between Polegate and Pevensey was in service, it was only used by local trains that terminated at Polegate. NO long distance trains used that track, apart from the odd excursions and specials.

Incidentally, the new hourly Brighton-Eastbourne-Ashford service is excellent.

You could say the same of any station off the main route though. The good folk of Seaford are left on a branch line while the mainline trains roll by: should all trains divert there as well?

I don't see why there can't be a line by-passing Eastbourne for those people who have no need to go there. Eastbourne could still get direct trains from Brighton and London (which is more than Seaford gets now) and there would faster access to the Eurostar station at Ashford.

As other people have said on this thread, this could be the age of the train (sooner or later, the cheap flight boom will come to an end as we realise that we can't pay the environmental price). Ashford is an attractive gateway to the mainland for those of us on the south coast but, at the moment, it's not a reasonable option.

I disagree about the hourly service from Brighton, I think it's poor: it takes nearly two hours to travel about 50 miles - the Victorians did better than that. We're not going to encourage more use of the railways while we offer such slow journeys.

 

[Kent Seagull]

Isn't there a stream line already at Isfield?!?! I think the Lavender Line may get a little upset at that.

The Lavender Line have already said that they would be prepared to re-locate their operation to the Rother Valley Railway at Robertsbridge Station. They would then eventually become a part of the Kent & East Sussex Railway when the RVR and K&ESR join up at Bodiam.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

As other people have said on this thread, this could be the age of the train (sooner or later, the cheap flight boom will come to an end as we realise that we can't pay the environmental price).

Therein lies the rub.

With the state of the national rail network, we need to be sorting our priorities out.

For our corner of the country, I would rank three projects much, much higher than re-opening Lewes-Uckfield or by-passing Eastbourne.

Those would be:-

1. Increasing the capacity of the Brighton Main Line;

2. Actually building the Thameslink 2000 Project, relieving congestion on the London Underground and providing a connection into the East Coast mainline at Peterborough for passengers travelling from Sussex, South London and Kent;

3. Getting the infrastructure in place to allow a fast, frequent direct service from Brighton to Birmingham and the West Coast Main Line, bypassing London altogether.

Throw in Crossrail (Berkshire to Essex, with connections with Thameslink at a new major interchange Farringdon), and you have the makings of a seriously good rail network for the 21st century.

Unfortunately, everybody gets diverted into piffling issues like what should be spent at Isfield.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Surely LDC will put a stop to this progressive and advantageous to all nonsense.

 

[Heffle Gull]

I think the lavendar line may be part of the old line, i grew up in uckfield, and it is a stupid idea, what next, re open the line between heathfield and eastbourne

Not in my back yard you don't , where else am I going to walk the dog?



Besides its not going to happen, the track bed has been built on in at least 2 places in Hailsham, so it would only ever re-open if it could be diverted round Hailsham.

On second thoughts thats not such a bad idea!!

 

[Giant Seagull]

It could take some traffic of the overworked A267 , which is a shit and dangerous road. but frankly i couldnt see anybody plouighing in the investment of basically a branch line in a rural area. The reason why it was shut in the first place

 

[goldstone]

Great idea and sensible way forward for many reasons. Believe the Wealden Line folks also want to reopen Eridge to Tunbridge Wells West and through the tunnel to Tunbridge Wells Central as part of their plan.

Would certainly offer a great route to Brighton from Tun Wells, Crowborough and Uckfield as well as a diversion route for the Brighton main line.

The need to negotiate the Y junction at Lewes surely should not be too great a problem.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Crap idea, always has been always will be. Noone will use it. A few years back they put on a bus service from Lewes to Uckfield.

Result? Noone used it and it went down to one or two buses a day (and now been scrapped?)

Lord B's projects are far better

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Crap idea, always has been always will be. Noone will use it. A few years back they put on a bus service from Lewes to Uckfield.

Result? Noone used it and it went down to one or two buses a day (and now been scrapped?)

Lord B's projects are far better

Why did no one use the bus from Uckfield to Lewes? Because if you lived in Crowborough, for example, and wanted to get to Brighton, it involved getting a train to Uckfield, getting a bus to Lewes and then another train to Brighton. Imagine not wanting to do that and driving instead? Thickos or what?

If there was a train all of the way, or involving a change at Lewes, would those people drive, queue to park, pay to park and drive back? I dont think so.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Why did no one use the bus from Uckfield to Lewes? Because if you lived in Crowborough, for example, and wanted to get to Brighton, it involved getting a train to Uckfield, getting a bus to Lewes and then another train to Brighton. Imagine not wanting to do that and driving instead? Thickos or what?

If there was a train all of the way, or involving a change at Lewes, would those people drive, queue to park, pay to park and drive back? I dont think so.

But when would people use this train? Do people actually want to go from Crowborough to Brighton? This route can't be just about people wanting to go on day trips or shopping. For it to be feasible it has to be used all the time, not just for leisure.

 

[Stinkers Bridge]

Do people actually want to go from Crowborough to Brighton? [/B]

Yes. I think there would be enough interest in being able to travel to the Coast from towns such as Crowborough by train, without having to spend an hour or so getting to Croydon first and then doubling back on themselves.

 

[Giant Seagull]

But when would people use this train? Do people actually want to go from Crowborough to Brighton? This route can't be just about people wanting to go on day trips or shopping. For it to be feasible it has to be used all the time, not just for leisure.

I beleive the idea is it would be a good route for Eastbourne to London trains and take some strain off the congested main line

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Surely the Uckfield-Oxted line would have to be up-graded ? First.

 

[British Bulldog]

The opening or re-opening of any railway line can only be a good idea, And with the right determination and investment the Uckfield - Lewes line could be made to work. Unfortunatly as I've mentioned on an earlier post the general lack of investment on the Railway means it is unlikely to happen.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Crap idea, always has been always will be. Noone will use it. A few years back they put on a bus service from Lewes to Uckfield.

Result? Noone used it and it went down to one or two buses a day (and now been scrapped?)

Lord B's projects are far better

The Connex bus service that ran from Lewes to Uckfield was hopeless ... mainly because Connex were no good at running bus services.

It duplicated the main Brighton - Lewes - Uckfield - Crowborough - Tunbridge Wells service, which has now been upgraded, since the Brighton & Hove Bus Company took over all of the journeys that Stagecoach & Arriva used to run.

The service at Uckfield is every half-hour during the daytime (hourly in the evenings, last bus arrives at Uckfield at 11.45pm).

And the fares are incredibly good value. If you buy your ticket off the bus, it's £2.60 return from Brighton to Tunbridge Wells and back.

 

[bigc]

Connex were no good at running anything.

LB, whatever happened to Thameslink 2000?

 

[vauxhallexile]

On a Sunday - when fewer trains are running.


The fact that a change of train would be necessary at Lewes would discourage people from using the train, especially when there is a more frequent direct bus service from Brighton to Uckfield (currently charging much lower fares than any ticket on offer on the railway).

Even when the Lewes - Uckfield line WAS open, more people used the bus to travel between Uckfield and Brighton than ever used the trains.

But doesn't the bus still take about an hour to get from uckfield to Brighton? Surely a train would be faster if people didn't have to wait too long for a connection (plus of course means another convenient route to Falmer!)

I remember having to get a bus from Heathfield to Brighton when I studied at Brighton tech. Stayed over with friends and relatives in Brighton when I could, but it was a right pain in the arse taking the bus and took an hour and a half...

 

[BensGrandad]

transport minister Richard Beeching's

Thought his name was Thomas Beeching but I may be wrong, memory plays havoc in old age. If any man made a bigger balls up when conducting an inquiry than Beeching, what ever his christian name was , I dont know of it.

 

[British Bulldog]

Thought his name was Thomas Beeching but I may be wrong, memory plays havoc in old age. If any man made a bigger balls up when conducting an inquiry than Beeching, what ever his christian name was , I dont know of it.

Dr. Richard Beeching. The butcher of British rail.

Unfortunatly his handywork will never be undone.