Oxted line

Oxted line
A Southern Class 171 approaches Uckfield station
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	Greater London, Surrey, West Sussex, Kent, East Sussex
Termini	London Victoria / London Bridge East Grinstead / Uckfield
Service
Type	Commuter rail
System	National Rail
Operator(s)	Southern, Thameslink
Rolling stock	Class 171, Class 377, Class 700
History
Opened	1868-1888
Technical
Line length	42 mi 79 ch (69.2 km)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail (South Croydon–East Grinstead) None (Hurst Green Junction–Uckfield)
Route map

Oxted Line
South Croydon Brighton Main Line Brighton Main Line Woodside and South Croydon Railway Selsdon Sanderstead Southern Hts Lt Rly to Orpington Authorised line not built Purley Downs Golf Club Halt Riddlesdown 837 yd 765 m Riddlesdown Tunnel Riddlesdown Viaduct Upper Warlingham Woldingham Viaduct Woldingham Oxted Tunnel 2266 yd 2072 m M25 Oxted Oxted Viaduct Limpsfield Tunnel 565 yd 517 m Hurst Green Hurst Green Junction Monks Lane Halt ( 1907− 1939 ) Crowhurst Spur (closed 1965) Edenbridge Tunnel 319 yd 292 m Redhill–Tonbridge line to Redhill Redhill–Tonbridge line to Tonbridge Edenbridge Town Lingfield Hever Mark Beech Tunnel 1341 yd 1226 m Dormans Cowden 2nd Ashurst Ashurst Junction East Grinstead High Level│Low Level LL 1st to Three Bridges Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells (Spa Valley Railway) National Rail Bluebell Railway Groombridge Junction East Grinstead (Bluebell Railway) Birchden Junction Eridge to Sheffield Park Redgate Mill Junction Cuckoo Line to Eastbourne Crowborough Buxted Uckfield Uckfield ( original site ) Wealden Line

A 1910 Railway Clearing House map of the interaction of the Oxted line and the Redhill to Tonbridge Line.

The Oxted line is a railway in southern England and part of the Southern franchise. The railway splits into two branches towards the south and has direct trains throughout to London termini.

It was opened jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway in the late 19th century.

The line branches from the London to Brighton Main Line (which has two diverging northern branches) at South Croydon in Greater London. The line then passes under the North Downs in two tunnels, and then splits into two branches at Hurst Green, adjoining Oxted in Surrey. One of these branches ends at East Grinstead, the other at Uckfield, both market towns in Sussex.

The line between East Croydon and Hurst Green is double-track throughout, as is all of the East Grinstead branch, and all this route is electrified. The Uckfield branch has two tracks as far as Hever; the rest of the line is mostly single-track, but with two short double-track sections (a passing loop at Ashurst, and a short distance between Crowborough and just north of Buxted).

History

Conception

A line was proposed in 1864 from Croydon to Tunbridge Wells via Oxted by a group of former LB&SCR directors. Their proposal for the Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway (S&SJR) was to have the scheme underwritten and then operated by the LB&SCR.

However, the South Eastern Railway (SER) saw the S&SJR, and particularly the involvement of the LB&SCR chairman Leo Schuster, as a significant incursion into its territory. In addition to creating a rival to its own line to Tunbridge Wells, the SER saw the LB&SCR's direct involvement as contravening an 1849 agreement between the two companies. In retaliation, the SER put forward proposals for a 'London, Lewes and Brighton' railway together with the London Chatham and Dover Railway. As a result of these difficulties and the financial crisis of 1866–7, the LB&SCR signed a new agreement with the SER in which it withdrew support for the S&SJR, and the SER abandoned its scheme. Work on the S&SJR immediately ceased, but the holding company remained in existence until 1869, when it was merged with the LB&SCR and then closed.

On 10 March 1884, the LB&SCR and the SER formed a joint venture company, the Croydon, Oxted & East Grinstead Railway. Surveyed and engineered by the LB&SCR's Chief Engineer Frederick Banister, the proposed route in part used trackbed constructed for but never used by the S&SJR. The line was jointly owned and operated until Hurst Green, when it split into three:

• to Crowhurst South junction, allowing connection to the SER's Redhill–Tonbridge line
• to East Grinstead, owned by the LB&SCR but jointly operated with the SER
• to Eridge, owned by the LB&SCR with junctions with the Wealden Line, the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line, and the Cuckoo Line

Part-electrification

The Southern Railway electrified the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway in 1935 but the line closed in 1983. Some of the redundant materials were used to electrify the short section between South Croydon and Selsdon railway station in 1984 and a few electric trains then operated from London to Sanderstead via East Croydon. The section beyond Sanderstead to East Grinstead was electrified in 1987 at 750 V DC third rail. However, the Uckfield branch is not electrified, and is worked by Class 171 diesel multiple units, which replaced Class 205 and Class 207 DEMUs.

Route

South Croydon to Hurst Green

The line branches off from the Brighton Main Line at South Croydon. It runs roughly parallel to the Caterham line until Upper Warlingham as it passes across Riddlesdown Viaduct and through Riddlesdown Tunnel, and the stations of Sanderstead and Riddlesdown. Leaving Greater London the line then passes through Upper Warlingham and Woldingham before traversing the 2226 yard Oxted Tunnel under the North Downs. After passing beneath the M25 motorway, the line calls at Oxted.

Previously, most Uckfield branch services would terminate here, but since the mid 2000s, they now run through to London Bridge. On Sundays however, the old practice persists, with services to and from Uckfield departing from the rarely used bay platform.

Immediately south of Oxted station, the line passes over the A25 and the town of Oxted by means of the Oxted Viaduct. After another shorter tunnel the line reaches Hurst Green. Hurst Green junction lies immediately south of the station, with trains to Uckfield veering left, and trains to East Grinstead continuing straight on.

Hurst Green to East Grinstead

The East Grinstead branch continues south through Surrey and into West Sussex. The first stop from Hurst Green is Lingfield, best known for being adjacent to Lingfield Park Racecourse, and trains are busy on race days. Further south, the line crosses a series of viaducts before arriving into the village Dormansland, served by Dormans station. The line then enters a cutting, passing under a series of roads including the A22 as it passes through the suburbs of East Grinstead. It then terminates at East Grinstead station, though the line used to go further, towards Haywards Heath and Lewes.

The line south of East Grinstead is now preserved as the Bluebell Railway and interchange is available at the station.

Hurst Green to Uckfield

The Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line is unelectrified. It passes under the Redhill–Tonbridge line just north of Edenbridge Town station, and then arrives at Hever. South of Hever, the line's single track section commences. This runs through Mark Beech Tunnel and Cowden station before entering a Passing loop at Ashurst. The off peak timetable on the line means that trains to and from Uckfield usually pass here. The line skirts the Kent and East Sussex border for a while before finally entering the latter county and passing a series of junctions where long closed lines to East Grinstead High Level, Three Bridges and Tunbridge Wells diverge. The line to Tunbridge Wells West is now the Spa Valley Heritage Railway and runs parallel to mainline trains on the old down line. Interchange between the two lines is available at Eridge, an old junction station.

South of Eridge, the line passes the former Redgate Mill Junction, where the Cuckoo Line to Heathfield and Eastbourne used to diverge from before arriving at the lines second passing loop at Crowborough. South of Crowborough the line becomes single for the final time calling at Buxted and finally Uckfield. The line used to go further, with Uckfield's original station on the other side of the now closed Level crossing. Trains used to continue towards Lewes and Brighton via the Wealden Line.

Services

Hourly off-peak service pattern

Typical off-peak services on the Oxted Line are:

• 2 tph from London Victoria to East Grinstead calling at Clapham Junction, East Croydon, Sanderstead, Riddlesdown, Upper Warlingham, Woldingham, Oxted, Hurst Green, Lingfield and Dormans
• 1 tph from London Bridge to Uckfield calling at East Croydon, Oxted, Hurst Green, Edenbridge Town, Hever, Cowden, Ashurst, Eridge, Crowborough and Buxted. In peak hours, this service increases to 2 tph.

In peak hours, 2 tph between Bedford/Luton and East Grinstead. This service calls at all stations between South Croydon and East Grinstead, except in the mornings southbound, and evenings northbound, it skips stations between Sanderstead and Oxted exclusive.

On Sundays, the London Bridge to Uckfield service runs only between Oxted and Uckfield.

Oyster and contactless payment cards are valid on the Oxted route as far as Upper Warlingham.

Connections with heritage railways

The two branches of the line connect with different heritage railways directly:

• the Spa Valley Railway runs from Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge, where it has restored the disused down island platform and commenced services on 25 March 2011.
• the Bluebell Railway runs from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead, where it has built a new single-platform station which interchanges with the National Rail station. Through running to Network Rail started in March 2010, when GB Railfreight was contracted to run occasional trains carrying 1,000 tons of excavated material from the Bluebell's northern extension to a disposal site at Calvert, Buckinghamshire. Passenger services started on 23 March 2013.

Former connections and sub-branches

One branch formerly had three sub-branches:

• from East Grinstead to:
  • Three Bridges
  • Lewes; the northernmost section of this branch is preserved as the Bluebell Railway, operated by steam and classic trains.
  • Tunbridge Wells.

(All three of these terminus towns are served by other lines.)

• Ashurst on the Uckfield branch was a junction for Tunbridge Wells (Kent) part of which is used by the Spa Valley Railway.
• Eridge on the Uckfield branch is a junction for Tunbridge Wells (Kent) used by the Spa Valley Railway It was until 1965 a junction for Cuckoo Line to Eastbourne.

A short stretch of the "main line", between Uckfield and Lewes is preserved at Isfield as the Lavender Line.

Between Hurst Green and Lingfield (in Surrey) there was a connection with the Redhill to Tonbridge line until 1965. Until 1983 there was a junction at Selsdon (in Greater London) with the Woodside and South Croydon Joint line to Elmers End.

Proposals

A Class 171 diesel multiple unit at the buffer stop at the current Uckfield station, opened on 13 May 1991

Electrification of the Hurst Green Junction–Uckfield section of the Oxted line, currently operated by Class 171 diesel multiple units, was identified as a priority by Network Rail in 2022. The East Sussex Rail Strategy and Action Plan, published in November 2013, favoured electrification as well as redoubling the single-line sections. It suggested that these infrastructure improvements would reduce journey times and allow a more efficient use of rolling stock, which could lead to an increase in service frequencies. The Surrey Rail Strategy, published in March 2021, was also supportive of electrification, noting that it would increase capacity and reduce carbon emissions.

An independent report, authored by Chris Gibb and published in March 2017, estimated that electrification of the line between Hurst Green Junction and Uckfield would cost £75-95 million and indicated that the existing infrastructure could support a half-hourly service without the need for redoubling. A July 2023 conference reported that the Office of Rail and Road was considering a form of third-rail electrification for the line, in which the conductor rail would be switched off in stations unless a train is present. In March 2024, Govia Thameslink Railway suggested that battery-powered trains could be suitable for the route.

The former Uckfield station in June 1994, looking along the disused track bed towards Lewes

There have been several proposals to reopen the Uckfield–Lewes line, including as part of longer-distance high-speed route dubbed "Brighton Main Line 2", intended to relieve the direct rail route between London and Sussex via Gatwick Airport. Although the track bed has been protected from development since May 1980, the rail infrastructure operators and the British government have repeatedly refused to authorise the schemes. The report published by Chris Gibb in March 2017 indicated that there would be no business case for rebuilding the Uckfield–Lewes line unless there was strong housing growth in the area. Furthermore, Gibb suggested that works to increase the capacity of the Brighton Main Line should be prioritised ahead of the construction of a new high-speed link.

Accidents and incidents

• 1 August 1882: Two trains, one transporting navvies and the other carrying ballast, collided in Riddlesdown Tunnel while the line was still being constructed. Ten of the workers were seriously injured.
• 3 January 1909: A locomotive collided with a broken-down passenger train, which it had been sent to assist, between Crowborough and Buxted. Eight people were injured.
• 5 April 1916: A passenger train derailed between Crowborough and Buxted. Seven people were injured, including the driver and fireman.
• 7 December 1948: A driver was injured in Mark Beech Tunnel when part of his locomotive's boiler failed.
• 21 April 1988: A track maintenance worker was killed and a second was injured when they were hit by a train in a tunnel near Crowborough.
• 15 October 1994, Cowden rail crash: Two trains collided on the single-line section south of Cowden station after one passed a signal at danger. Five people were killed, including the drivers of both trains and a guard.

External links

• Bluebell Railway
• Spa Valley Railway