Uckfield - The Oxted Line.

[roundhouse]

_{One to complement Roundhouse view of the southern end of Uckfield.}

 

_{Uckfield shunt box looking to yardb.jpg}

Lovely shot showing the canopies in place.

 

I didnt get there till just after they got demolished.

 

Ian

[Jack00]

Fantastic shot looking at the old goods area.

Thanks for posting it up!

 

I've managed to get some cork underlay down for the trackbed.

And then its just playing trains for a bit until im happy with everything and its running smoothly.

 

Then payday! For some new goodies.

 

Jack

[Jack00]

Thanks Bobster!

Something a little different to what I normally model.

 

Jack

[Thumper1315]

Here's a link to a nice shot of the goods shed and the next picture shows the platforms with their canopies.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21602076@N05/4312744126

 

Peter

[Jack00]

Very nice, will help alot with the building of the goods shed.

 

Thanks

Jack

[Eggesford box]

Hi,

a few shots of Uckfield taken on 25/04/1986 though I am afraid one suffers from flare being taken into the sun.

I always thought it was an attractive line and can remember seeing a signal post still standing at Redgate Mills Junction some twenty years or more since the box had closed. Also walking along the line to Birchden Junction from Eridge and finding the relief man there used to work at odd times for my grandfather many years previously. I believe the resident signalman used to work both Eridge and Birchden Junction on their roster but where not classed as relief men but gained an extra grade out of working both boxes. I thought it must have been a lovely job sat out at Birchden in the summer. Always had a soft spot for those Sussex branches, nice scenery and attractive architecture. My first memories of the railway was waving to the driver of the remaining freight service to Heathfield from the kitchen window of the grandparents bungalow just south of Heathfield station (by the footpath that came down the side of the cutting and across the line if anyone knows the area)

[roundhouse]

And now for something a bit differetn.

 

These were all taken in 1986 aswell.

 

A hybrid unit. These started to appear on the Oxted lines after the electrification of the Hastings line.

 

A photo looking SOuth from the station platforms showing the down home starter which effectively became a shunt signal(note the smaller lenses) with the line closed towards Lewes.

 

If you want to run soemthing even more unusual for the area, a rialtour. The light was poor hence not the best photos.

Edited March 13, 2014 by roundhouse

[Pete 75C]

Ooh, nice photos. 1986 was one of the years I was still working the line out of Norwood.

One of the pictures has reminded me of something I saw regularly... that Southdown single decker with it's windscreen plated over and bars on the windows. Never did figure out what that was all about...

[Thumper1315]

According to this website it was used as a store by Southdown. It's the 11th bus down.

 

http://www.focustransport.org.uk/xnius.aspx

[Oldddudders]

 

One of the pictures has reminded me of something I saw regularly... that Southdown single decker with it's windscreen plated over and bars on the windows. Never did figure out what that was all about...

Skool bus for St Trinians?

[Thumper1315]

Here's another couple of the goods shed with one on the inside.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49864388@N06/8516447596/in/photolist-dYz2ao-8iEErb-fspwpC-dNZqQP-dNZre6/

[Pete 75C]

Skool bus for St Trinians?

 

Either that or a rail-road connection for an arriving football special...

[David Todd]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southdown_Motor_Services

[Nick Holliday]

Just a minor point, which doesn't affect anything else that has been said, but the original posting says:

     "The Original station, served the line which continued to the Eastbourne and Brighton junction.
       Built in 1868, the building was typical of the line, almost identical to others along the branch, ......"

The actual history of the line and main building is not quite so straight-forward.

Uckfield first opened as the terminus of a single line from Lewes in October 1858.  There were stations at Isfield and Barcombe Mills and the line approached Lewes from the west, via the Lewes to Wivelsfield line.

A single line was eventually built from Groombridge, opening in August 1868, with intermediate stations at Buxted and Crowborough (then called Rotherfield) and the line from Groombridge to Uckfield was doubled in 1894, ten years after the line from Oxted was opened and a direct route to London was possible. By this time Lewes station had been rebuilt and the line now approached the latter station from the east, offering a direct route to Brighton.

Eridge was opened in 1880 when the Cuckoo line was built, and its building is an unique blend of styles.

The station buildings at Isfield and Barcombe Mills were similar to each other, reflecting the then current style, similarly those at Buxted and Crowborough were to a later style then in use.  Uckfield itself had a timber building, probably reflecting its temporary nature.  This was not like the familiar LBSC timber buildings, but was very similar to the one provided at Carshalton on the Peckham Rye - Sutton line that opened in 1868, so perhaps this building was erected once the through route was open.  Like Carshalton, this "temporary" building lasted over 40 years, and were replaced at the turn of the century, with Uckfield's new building dating from 1901.  As a result, it is more typical of buildings of that era on the Brighton, such as Carshalton and some others in the London area.  One particular dating feature is the loping canopy valance, seen on many of the suburban stations that were on the quadrupled main lines. Crowborough station was also rebuilt, but in 1905, when a rather more austere design had been adopted. So, by 1905, only Isfield and Barcombe Mills had the only two station buildings with common features.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Nick Holliday

[bobster]

Great photo's and links being posted here - Very useful Info.

 

Cheers.

Bob.

[Oldddudders]

By this time Lewes station had been rebuilt and the line now approached the latter station from the west, offering a direct route to Brighton.

 

Eridge was opened in 1880 when the Cuckoo line was built, and its building is an unique blend of styles.

 

 As a result, it is more typical of buildings of that era on the Brighton, such as Carshalton and some others in the London area. 

I think Lewes from the east, rather than west?

 

A pity Eridge didn't benefit from the Myres buildings that all the Cuckoo except Hailsham received. These look lovely at road level, e.g. Heathfield.

 

Christs Hospital, sadly long gone, was a near-twin to Carshalton.

[Nick Holliday]

I think Lewes from the east, rather than west?

 

A pity Eridge didn't benefit from the Myres buildings that all the Cuckoo except Hailsham received. These look lovely at road level, e.g. Heathfield.

 

Christs Hospital, sadly long gone, was a near-twin to Carshalton.

Oops, sorry about the lapse in direction - post edited - thanks Ian!

Although going rather off-topic, I have to say that, apart from being contemporaneous, there is nothing that links the buildings of Carshalton and Christ's Hospital apart from the fancy ridge tiles.  The latter building was one of the finest examples of poly-chromatic brickwork, with fantastic detailing over the pairs of arched windows, and an almost symmetrical two storey layout.  (A Google Images search for Christ's Hospital Station should come up with a result.)

Carshalton, on the other hand, is built of a rather harsh red brick, with areas of render at high level, a projecting bay window and single enormous windows, and in layout it has a two storey building at one end, a single storey structure at the other, between which is the booking hall area, which has an unusual glazed dormer above. See http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/48/55/485539_6cecc8f7.jpg

[Oldddudders]

Can't argue with that! I had obviously mis-remembered. I note that Wikeley & Middleton quote Carshalton as 1868, so had overlooked the rebuild, despite the present station bearing no resemblance to Mitcham Junction or Hackbridge.

[Thumper1315]

Hi JackOO,

 

 As you're doing some mock up I thought it might be useful to send you the track plan I have. Unfortunately it's rather long and had to be scanned in sections. They have been reduced to different sizes to come under RMweb's 1Mb limit. As I said in my PM to you the originals are around 30Mb each. If you feel the full size ones would be useful someone did suggest I could try to email them to you.

 

 Still working on the building scans as my scanner has packed up!

 

Kind regards,

 

Peter

 

[pwr]

It should be noted that the signal box was altered relatively recently. The steps and door used to be at the road end of the box. I have no idea when it was done though

 

Paul R

[Jack00]

Hi Peter, Eggesford box and Ian.

Thanks for uploading those images and trackplan.

 

Certainly going to keep me quiet for a bit.

 

Given me a good idea of the surrounding area too, I.e the cutting and roads/river.

 

Many thanks

 

Jack

[roundhouse]

I am certain that I have more detailed photos of the building but haven't yet got to them to scan in.

 

Ian

[Thumper1315]

Here are the scans for the Down platform. Again they have been reduced to fit on RMweb. The ones labelled Section refer to the cross sections shown on the Ground Plan. Again apologies some had to be scanned in two parts.

 

Peter

 

[Thumper1315]

One more for the Down platform. Will get on and do the Up platform.

 

[Thumper1315]

The Up platform