Sussex Branch
Photographic Locations
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sussex is very undulating so a lot of the railway infrastructure is in cuttings or on embankments. Much of the county is heavily wooded which hides the railway. And if that wasn't enough, the London to Brighton line runs basically north/south.
At both ends of Gatwick station there are footpaths crossing the line which can provide vantage points.
If arriving by train leave by the stairs and bridge that lead into the airport concourse. On exiting the tunnel turn immediately left into the departure hall. Look for the sign suspended from the ceiling that denotes Zone L. On the left hand wall between the first and second enquiry desks will be found a doorway, Door P. Descend to the ground floor and exit the building. Turn right and follow the roadway. You will see that the roadway is also a cycle track, follow the cycle track. This will lead you under the terminal buildings and then parallel to the A23. The track then veers left into a small copse. You will now be facing the railway line. After about 10 yards the cycle path is signposted right. Turn left and you will be at the foot of the footbridge at the south end of the station. Ascend the steps and you will have a view north of the station and south towards Three Bridges. As a bonus you will have a clear view of aircraft arriving and departing (dependent on wind direction) the airport.
If you have bought a bicycle with you exit the station as above. Turn immediately left and follow into the departure hall. Pass Zone L and keep straight on until you come to the sign for Zone B. Immediately on the left hand wall is a goods lift. Enter the lift and descend to the ground floor. Then follow the instructions for the cycle track as above. If you return this way remember where you came out of the building as the entrances are not that clearly marked.The cycle path is NCN 21 in the National Cycle Network.
You can also get to this bridge by turning left out of the tunnel from the station and immediately left into another tunnel that leads to the car parks, coach station and rental cars. At the end of the tunnel descend to the ground floor and follow the signs to car rentals. The footbridge lies at the back of car rentals.
To get to the footbridge at the north end of the station there is a multiple choice. Starting from the south end footbridge there are two ways.
Firstly retrace your steps to the terminal building as far as the doorways to the departure hall. At this point follow the cycle path onwards towards Horley. Keep the railway on your right hand side and you will come to the footbridge after about a half mile.
Secondly continue over the bridge and turn to the left. Follow the footpath signs keeping the railway immediately on your left. Follow the path under the motorway link road and the bridge is a short distance further on.
If you want to go to the north end bridge first from Gatwick Airport Station leave the station by the footbridge to the airport concourse. At the end of the tunnel go straight ahead and then follow round to the right towards arrivals. Look for the signs for local buses. The exit to the bus stops is in the back right hand corner just beyond the exit from Arrivals. Be warned that this area is full of “meeters and greeters” so can be congested. Exit into a stairway. Either take the lift or the stairs and descend to the ground floor. Cross the road and turn left toward the bus stops. The footpath is behind the bus stops between the perimeter road and the main A23 road. Follow the path, turn right under the A23 through a tunnel. Upon exiting the tunnel the path runs between the road and the railway line. Follow the path and you will come to the bridge. Access can also be gained at a point near the Coppingham Arms on the parallel Balcombe Road.
The most photogenic feature on the Brighton Line has to be the Ouse Valley Viaduct. It is best seen from Borde Hill Lane which runs from Balcombe to Haywards Heath. Both stations are at least two miles distant. A footpath from the lane crosses underneath the viaduct so that shots can be taken from either side dependent on the position of the sun. An additional bonus is to capture the symmetry of the many arches from underneath the viaduct. Car parking in this area is very limited as the road is bendy, so care must be taken. The footpath leads over to the Balcombe-Cuckfield road which although a mile distant there are places a car could be left.
Further south along Borde Hill Lane and north of Haywards Heath a minor road crosses the tracks where the Ardingly branch diverges. Views can be had from here. The Ardingly branch itself lacks any vantage points except this one. Similarly there is another bridge about a mile further south of this point in Old Wickham Lane. Some members may recall this site when a class 56 took to the fields.
South of Balcombe there is a foot crossing. This affords good southerly views of approaching trains. At this point they are on a sweeping curve and a telephoto lens will accentuate the curve. Access to the footpath can be had just south of Balcombe station or by leaving the station and walking north: turn first right into Newlands and the footpath is a bout a quarter of a mile further along on the right, where Newlands runs into Oldlands Avenue. The crossing has whistle boards at either side so please acknowledge the drivers.
North of Wivelsfield Station can be found Valebridge Crossing. Leave Wivelsfield Station, turn right and walk to the roundabout. Fork left into Valebridge Road. At the brow of the hill you will find Valebridge Close. Immediately past this is a footpath on the left. Enter the footpath and after 50 yards you come to the crossing. Walking time about 10 minutes from Wivelsfield station.
Class 377-131 at Valebridge Crossing on a Victoria to Littlehampton/ |
From both sides of the crossing there are good views of the track. Northward Haywards Heath tunnel can just be seen, southward only the quarter mile to Wivelsfield as the track curves severely at this point. The track is aligned dead north/south at this point. Trees on the embankment are prone to throw shadows when the sun is low. Nonetheless a good spot.
South of Wivelsfield Station is Keymer Junction where the Lewes line diverges from the main line. Being equidistant from Wivelsfield and Burgess Hill stations there are two ways to go. From Wivelsfield turn right and walk to the roundabout. Turn right into Junction Road. After about 10 minutes walking you will see the level crossing ahead. Nearly opposite the left hand turn into Cants Lane there is a footpath.
From Burgess Hill station turn right and walk up the hill. At the roundabout turn left into Junction Road. After about 10 minutes you will arrive at Keymer Crossing. Cross the tracks, pass an allotment on the left and immediately after, on the left, there is the footpath.
A track tamper machine at work comes off the down Lewes line |
Turn into the footpath which after about 30 yards rises to cross the main line. From here the divergence of the Lewes line can be clearly seen below. The location also affords a view of Wivelsfield station. However, the bridge is fitted with anti vandal fencing. Unless you have a slender lens, or you have a step ladder, this will be a wasted effort.
There is a foot crossing over the Lewes line. From Keymer Junction walk into Cants Lane and follow along into Kingsway. After about 15 minutes walking you will cross the railway on a bridge. This bridge offers a far better view of the line. The track here is roughly aligned 300/120 degrees with trees along the embankment. Once again the trees throw shadows dependent on the height/angle of the sun. Looking in the up direction you will see the board crossing about 100 yards from the bridge.
To get there walk 100 yards further along Kingsway, turn right into The Holt and immediately right into Badgers Walk. As you enter Badgers Walk note there is a small green on the left. Turn left onto the green and take the footpath between two walls. Turn right and keeping to the right you will arrive at the crossing.
The view is not good. The best views will be from the upside of trains coming down. At this point they are accelerating uphill. The view of up trains from this side is obscured. From the downside the view of down trains is none existent. Up trains may be better viewed if the vegetation has been cut or has died. It is a pity as up trains are slowing for the signal that protects Keymer Junction. Great caution should be exercised if you use this crossing.
If coming from Burgess Hill Station turn right out of the station. Walk to the top of the hill and cross the roundabout into Silverdale Road. At the bottom turn right into Alexandra Road. At the end turn left into Ferndale Road. At the bottom of the road you will see a small green ahead. Cross the road (Marlborough Drive) and the green and enter the footpath. The crossing is 150 yards further on. Walking time is about 15 minutes from the station.
From this point to get to the bridge in Kingsway face the way you came but take the left fork of the footpath. Keeping to the left walk for about 100 yards and take the footpath on the left between two walls. You emerge into Badgers Walk. Go to the right and then turn left into The Holt and left again into Kingsway where the bridge is about 100 yards further on.
The over bridge at Burgess Hill station affords a good vantage point for shots of down trains approaching the station. Come out of the main entrance and cross the road.
Finally there is a footbridge south of Burgess Hill station. Exit the station by the side gate on the down platform into the car park. In the back right hand corner is a footpath. Follow the footpath for about 10 minutes, it runs along the top of the embankment, until you come to the bridge. Yet again the embankment is surmounted by trees which shade the line but if the sun is directly south there are no shadows.
Be aware that this footpath can become quite muddy at times. The bridge can be accessed from another footpath off Chanctonbury Way or from London Road on the brow of the hill south of the junction with Jane Murray Way.
Bus services 34/35 serve Burgess Hill and Wivelsfield Stations together with Kingsway on a 15 minute headway. The hourly 40 service serves Burgess Hill Station and runs along Junction Road. The stop at the far end of Junction Road serves Wivelsfield Station which is just around the corner. A flat fare of £1 single, £1.60 return is charged. Services are operated by Compass Buses from whom times can be obtained on 01903 – 690025.
To photograph the north portal of Clayton Tunnel is not difficult. A road bridge crosses the line about 200 yards to the north. If travelling by car it is advisable to park in Clayton village and walk back about 300 yards. Hassocks is the nearest station, about a mile distant but a footpath leads from outside the station and emerges near the tunnel. Walking the footpath will enable use of a minor bridge which gives a good vantage point. The south portal can only be photographed at a long distance from a farm access road on the west side of the A23.
Shots of the line can be had from a footbridge crossing the A23 just north of the A27. The bridge can be accessed either from the roundabout over the A27 by following the signs toward the RSPCA kennels or from Waterhall Road, which is off Mill Road.
A bridge in Dyke Road Drive, Brighton will give views south to Lovers Walk depot.
On the East Coastway, the bridge over the River Adur at Shoreham can provide a good perspective.
The West Coastway offers few good shots, however the energetic may want to climb Mount Caburn to attempt shots of trains passing Beddingham Crossing.
The Seaford branch has little to offer. The footbridge at Southease and Rodmell offers an opportunity. The site of Bishopstone Beach, closed 1942, gives the chance to photograph modern stock passing through what remains of the station. The line here runs directly east/west. The current Bishopstone station is quite unique with its pill box slits surmounting the roof.
The best place on the Mid Sussex line is at Arundel. A well known shot is taken over water meadows with the line in the middle of the shot and the castle behind.
This is a brief guide and in no way is it intended to be exhaustive. We hope to provide further updates in the future.