Lewes RCTS Sussex Rail Tour geograph-2663087-by-Ben-Brooksbank

The Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway was an early railway in southern England that built the East Coastway line running between the three

East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...

towns mentioned in its name. The company existed from February 1844 but only operated trains for a few weeks during June and July 1846 before it was amalgamated with other companies to form the

London Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR (known also as the Brighton line, the Brighton Railway or the Brighton)) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at ...

(LB&SCR) on 27 July 1846.

History

Authorisation

The

London and Brighton Railway Act 1837 The London and Brighton Railway (L&BR) was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway ran from a junction with the London and Croydon Railway (L&CR) at Norwood – which gives it access fro ...

( 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. cxix), which establishing the

London and Brighton Railway The London and Brighton Railway (L&BR) was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway ran from a junction with the London and Croydon Railway (L&CR) at Norwood – which gives it access fr ...

(LBR), authorised the construction of branch lines to Shoreham and to

Newhaven Newhaven is a port town in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England, lying at the mouth of the River Ouse. The town developed during the Middle Ages as the nearby port of Seaford began drying up, forcing a new port to be established. A ...

, but only the first of these was built. A new company was created in 1844 to build the second such a line, with an extension to join the South Eastern Railway at

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

, which would be operated by the LBR. The new company received approval in an act of Parliament, the ( 7 & 8 Vict. c. xci) on 29 July 1844, with permission for the directors to sell their concern to the LBR. The sale took place in 1845, although the company continued as a separate entity.

Construction and opening

The line involved constructing the London Road viaduct at Brighton, together with a long bank and tunnel at

Falmer Falmer is a small village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Lewes (district), Lewes District of East Sussex, England, lying between Brighton and Lewes, approximately five miles (8 km) north-east of the former. It is also ...

. The engineer was

John Urpeth Rastrick John Urpeth Rastrick (26 January 1780 – 1 November 1856) was one of the first English steam locomotive builders. In partnership with James Foster, he formed Foster, Rastrick and Company, the locomotive construction company that built the '' ...

. Construction started in September 1844 and the section between

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

and

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

was opened on 8 June 1846. The company ceased to exist when it was merged with others to form the

the following month. Further work on the line was completed by the LB&SCR.

References

{{reflist Transport in Brighton and Hove Early British railway companies Railway companies established in 1844 Railway lines opened in 1846 Railway companies disestablished in 1846 London, Brighton and South Coast Railway 1844 establishments in England British companies disestablished in 1846 British companies established in 1844 1846 mergers and acquisitions