SOUTHERN TOTHECOAST
subsequentlyre-openedbyapreservationsociety,andoflines toVentnor,Cowes,HaylingIsland,HytheandAllhallows-onSea.Ihavetakenasomewhatliberalinterpretationoftheword “Coast”inthatafewestuarineresortssuchasTopshamonthe RiverExe,BarnstapleontheRiverTaw,InstowontheRiver TorridgeandWadebridgeontheRiverCamelhavebeen includedinthisselection.TheIsleofWightresortshavebeen deliberatelyomittedastheyarefeaturedinthecompanion volume“IsleofWightRailwayArt”.
Thisunashamedlynostalgiccollectionlooksbackatthe stations,locomotivesandstockthatcouldbeseeninthe 1950sandearly1960satavarietyofresortsservedbytheSR. Thesedestinationsappealedbothtodaytrippersandlonger termholidaymakersdelightinginwhatmightbecalledthe masstourismofthe“kissmequick”and“bucketandspade” brigadesandtothediscerningtouristwishingtosample perhapsthemoreselectdestinationsonoffer.Toenhancethis senseofnostalgia,introductoryquotationsfromthe1958 editionof“HolidayHaunts”areprovidedforeachoftheresorts coveredrevealing,inanageofgreaterinnocenceandsimpler pleasures,justwhathasbeenlostintheintervening60years andhowtruethosefamousopeninglinesof“TheGo-Between” byL.P.Hartleyare- “Thepastisaforeigncountry:theydo thingsdifferentlythere”.
JefferyGrayer.Devon2021
Above:ThisviewlookingtowardsLondonshowstheplatformextensionsfabricatedfrompre-castconcretecomponentswhich wereinstalledtoaccommodatetwelvecarEMUstockintroducedaspartoftheKentCoastElectrificationscheme.Oneofthe twenty-fourE5XXXlocomotives,laterdesignatedClass71,builtin1958anddesignedtooperateoverthethirdrailand,withthe aidoftheirpantographs,oversidingsandnon-electrifiedtrackwhereoverheadwireswereprovided,isseenpassingthroughwith ashortfreightservice.Althoughasmixedtrafficlocomotivestheyhauledprestigepassengertrainssuchasthe“GoldenArrow” and“NightFerry”,theyfoundthemselvesallocatedmoreandmoretofreightturns.Tenwereconvertedin1967/8toClass74 electro-dieselsgivingthemmorerouteflexibilitybuttheoriginallocomotivesremainedunderutilisedandwithdrawalcamein 1976/77.ThisviewwastakenfromtheoverbridgecarryingtheformerhistoricCanterbury&Whitstable(C&W)lineonwhich passengerserviceshadceasedin1931.Thefinalscheduledfreightranin1952althoughthelinewasbrieflyre-openedduringthe severefloodingof1953toenabletraffictobypassthebreachinthemainlinebetweenWhitstableandFaversham. HW358
SANDWICH
90¾milesfromLondon.Servedbyfrequentexpress trainsfromCharingCross.Alsoservedbythe“Manof Kent”fromCharingCrossanddirectthroughexpress trainsfromtheMidlands.
Sandwich,oneoftheoldCinquePorts,pulsateswith historicalassociations.Theseahasrecededamileor
sosinceSandwich’sheydayasaport,butthereare manyeloquentremindersofitslongrecord. FlourishinglightindustriesindicatethatSandwichis stillpullingitsweight.InAD43theRomanslandedat Richboroughandthewallsofthecastle,1½miles fromSandwich,aresomeofthefinestexamplesof RomanmasonrystillexistinginBritain.
Lookingeast,SchoolsClassNo.30928“Stowe”entersSandwich’splatformNo.2onanunrecordeddayinSeptember1958witha servicefromRamsgatetoDover.No.30928wasaBricklayersArmslocomotivefrom1949untilOctober1961.Itwentonto becomeoneofthetriooftheseMaunsell4-4-0sthatsurvivedintopreservation,beingcurrentlybasedontheBluebellRailway.It hasalastingclaimtofameinthatitwasclockedachievingatopspeedof95mphin1938,apparentlyarecordfortheclass. PH367
DEAL
86¾milesfromLondon.Servedbyfrequent expresstrainsfromCharingCrosswithjourney timeofapprox.2½hours.
Dealisfamousasarendezvousforrecuperation andconvalescence,havingitsfullquotaof bracingairwhichhasinspiredmanyanartist,
commercialandotherwise,andcontributedso muchtothereinvigorationofsomanyless picturesquepersonalities.Therearenomusty holes,nocobwebbycorners.Vigourpoursinwith everybreath.Thiswasagrandplaceforfamily holidaysinoldendayswhenbathingmachines andsoforthwerederigueur.Howmuchmoreso today,whensomanyoldtimerestrictionshave beenconfinedtotheW.P.B.!
Oppositetop:Fairburn2-6-4TNo.42098entersDealstationon6September1958withafourcoachservicesportingaheadcode whichindicatesatrainfromAshfordtoDoverviaMinster.AnumberoftheseLMRtanklocomotiveshadbeenbuiltatBrighton Worksin1950/1.AfterspendingtimeallocatedinitiallytoTunbridgeWellsWestshedandthenAshforditwastransferredtothe LMRatWatford.ItwaswithdrawnfromservicefromCarlisleCanalshedinFebruary1963.Ofthe277membersoftheclassthat wereconstructed,41werebuiltatBrightonforuseontheSRtoreplaceearlierdesigns.Sevenofthesewerelatertransferredto theNERegionbetween1952-4andtheremaindertotheLMRattheendof1959inexchangeforBRStandardClass42-6-4Tsthat werebecomingavailable. PH000029
BEXHILL-ON-SEA
62milesfromLondonservedbyfrequentSouthern ElectricexpresstrainsfromVictoria,alsoexpresses fromCharingCross.Journeytimeapprox.2hours.
TodayBexhillisacompactmodernresortinwhich mostoftheaccommodationforvisitorsissituated alongthefrontsothattheseaisneverfaraway. Compactthoughitis,Bexhillmanagestoconveya senseofspaciousness.Thereisplentyofroomonits
sandybeaches,onthesportsgreensandgolf courses,and,aboveall,spacetositandjustdo nothingatallforaslongasonelikes.EgertonPark hasapavilionfortheatricalandvaudeville productionsbutthetown’spiecederesistanceisthe DeLaWarrpavilion,amagnificentmodernbuilding whichcontainsarestaurant,sunterraces,aroof gardenandcolonnade,atheatreandconferenceor concerthall
Above:ClassD30-4-4TNo.32388waitsatBexhillWestterminuswithatwocoachshuttleservicetothemainlineatCrowhurst, 4½milesaway,on16July1950.Theshorttrainswhichoperatedlatterlyweredwarfedbythescaleofplatformprovisionatthe terminus.Althoughthemainstationbuildingwaselectricallylit,theplatforms,ascanbeseenhere,werelitbygas.Whilstonthe subjectofgas,itwillbeseenthatparkedontherunroundroadisagascontainerwagonnormallyusedforreplenishingthegas supplyfordiningcarcookers.In1926sixfirstclassPullmankitchencarswereintroducedtotheCharingCross-Hastingslineby theSouthernRailway,thegascontainersbasedatBexhillWestbeingusedtoreplenishthesevehicles.Pullmansremainedonthe HastingsrouteuntildieselisationinJune1958andtwoofthem,“Theodora”and“Barbara”,werepreservedandcanbeseen todayontheK&ESR.TheBillintonD3tanksdatingfromthe1890swerecomingtotheendoftheirworkinglivesatthistimewith thisexamplebeingwithdrawninDecemberofthefollowingyearandmostgoingby1953althoughonedidsoldieronuntil1955. OntheBexhillWestbranchtheywouldbereplacedbyWainwrightHClasstanklocomotivesuntildieselisationcamein1958. RCR4093
Oppositetop:AlthoughtheexteriorofBexhillWest,formerlyBexhill-on-SeaatopeningandthenplainBexhill,showsittohave beenahandsomebuilding,itwassomethingofapoorrelationwhenitcametorailservicesservingtheresort.Thiswasoftenthe casewhenalatecomerontherailwayscenearrivedinatownalreadyservedbyanestablishedroutesuchasoccurredwith BexhillwhichhadbeenservedbytheLBSCRsince1846.Itwasnotuntil1902thatthelocalrailwaybackedbytheSERopened theirstationinBexhill.WhilstofferingashorterjourneytoLondonitsufferedfromtwodisadvantagesnamelyitspositioninthe moreunderdevelopedwesternendofthetown,whichwasreinforcedwhenthemainstationwasaffordedthesuffix“Central”in 1923whilsttheSERstationbecame“West”in1929,andtheinertiaithadtoovercomeindislodgingtravellersfromtheir establishedpatternsoftravel.NonethelessitwasalavishbuildingconstructedinyellowandredbrickwithBathstonedressing.It hadaWelshslateroofadornedwithaclocktower.Evenwiththeoddthroughtrainandsomethroughcoachesfromthecapital beingdetachedfrommainlinetrainsatCrowhurst,thusavoidingtheneedtochangetrains,passengertrafficneverreallylivedup toexpectationsandthebranchclosedin1964.Afinecollectionofmotorvehicles,includingtheunmistakeable“teardrop”shape ofaJowettJavelinoutsidethemainentrance,adorntheforecourtat,iftheclockistobebelieved,4.35pmonthesunnyafternoon of28July1953.Thestationbuildingnowhousesafinerestaurant, RCR4700
Oppositebottom:ReplacementsfortheD3scameintheformofHClass0-4-4Tssuchasthisexample,No.31519,seenhereinthe expansivethoughseeminglydesertedstationon7th.August1956withatwocoachpush-pullcarriageset.Thereweretwoisland platforms700feetinlengthwithonlythelefthandonehavingacanopy.Platform4,outofviewonthefarright,neverreceived anytrackandplatform3,whichwasrarelyusedaftertheearlyyears,was,ascanbeseen,largelycoveredingrass.No.31519was basedatnearbySt.LeonardsshedatthisdatealongwithsixothermembersoftheclassandwaswithdrawninFebruary1961.
AEB1540
Oppositetop:GenerationsofrailwayenthusiastsmusthavewalkedupfromthestationtoHowardPlacewhichwassituatedatop thechalkcliffthatwasleftwhenthewestcoastlinetoShorehamwascarvedoutofthehillside.Forthosebrave–orfoolish–enoughtoclimbupthewallandsitonthefenceorevenworsetodropdowntheothersideofthewalltoperchonthesmallledge whichhadasheerdropdowntotherailsbelow,therewardwastheviewseen.On1July1951therewasplentytoseeonshed withC2XNo.32443intheforegroundsharingthewheeldropwithaFairburntankandadjacenttoaMaunsellmogul.C2X consecutivelynumberedclassmateNo.32442isingoodexternalconditioninfrontofthewatersofteningtankswhich,giventhat Brightonwassituatedinchalkcountry,wereverynecessarytoreducescalingproblems.Behindthemassivewatertankisthe pitchedroofoftheformercarriageshed,whichbecamepartofthelocoshedfollowingtheremovalofthecarriageworksto Lancing.Thisfunctionceasedinthe1930sandthebuildingwasconvertedintoaworkshopforusebytheRoadMotorEngineers Department.BeyondthatontherightisthedistantLondonRoadviaduct.BrightonshedwasclosedtosteaminJune1964and demolishedin1966. RCR4251
Oppositebottom:AstunningpanoramaacrosstherooftopsofBrightontakenon23August1952revealsthearchitecturalgemof thesharplycurvingLondonRoadViaductconsistingof27archescontainingareportedtenmillionbricksandstretchingfora totallengthof1,200feet.Thisshothastheaddedbonusofasixcoachsteamhauledservicecrossinghauledbywhatappearsto beoneofthenewStandardtanklocomotiveswhichintheearly1950swerebeginningtoreplaceoldermotivepower.Theviaduct carriestheeastcoastlinefromBrightontoLewesandbeyondandopenedin1846,affordingpassengersabird’seyeviewofthe town.ThelargearchtowardsthemiddleofthepicturecrossesPrestonRoad,themainA23LondonRoadoutofthetown.When firstbuilttheviaductstoodaloneinacountrysettingbutdevelopmentquicklyswallowedupthegreenfieldsanddenseurban housingnowcoverstheforegroundandthehillsbehind. RCR4366
Above:PrestonRoadanditsloftyviaductarchtakenon23August1952.Thepiersofthearchare22feetthickatthebaseand 19½feetthickatthetopandeachpiercontainsajackarchwithasemi-circularsoffit.Apartfromthemainrailwayfeature dominatingthisview,closestudyrevealsawealthofdetail.Oneoftheshopsontheleftadvertisesthefactthatfurniturewas boughtandsoldandnexttothePostOfficeisanestablishmentwhichsoldpipes,cigarsandwhereyoucouldhaveyourfilms developed.OutsidethePostOfficewasapillarboxpartlyobscuredbyoneofthepolessupportingtheoverheadwiresforthe trolleybuseswhichcontinuedtooperateinBrightonuntilJune1961.Ontheoppositesideoftheroadisastonemason’s emporiumnexttotheassortedsecondhandappliancesandfurniturestackedonthepavementwhilstfurtheralongisabuilding advertisingEvangelisticMeetingseverySundayat6:30pmwithBiblestudyonWednesdaysat7pm.Advertisinghoardings attachedtotheviaductextolthevirtuesofthelocalTamplinsales,PersilandGuinness.Inthedistanceadoubledeckerbusis approachingonavirtuallyemptymainroadwhichisjustaswellasthephotographerisobviouslystandingintheroadtotakethis shot.ThebusstopseenontherightisreservedforSouthdownservicesonly,theotheroperatorsintheareabeingBrightonHove &DistrictandBrightonCorporation.TheviaductsufferedinBrighton'smostsignificantbombingraidoftheSecondWorldWar whentwoarchesandonepieratthewestendoftheviaduct,acoupleofarcheswestofthePrestonRoadspanseenhere,were demolishedandthetracklefthangingoverthevoid.Prompttemporaryrepairshadthelineoperatingagain24hourslater–impossibletoimaginethesedays! RCR4367
TheexterioroftheattractivestationbuildingatSidmouthon13July1960revealsaMorrisMinorconvertible(thephotographer, DickRiley’sperhaps?),aRoyalMailMorrisJtype10cwtvanandamotorcycleparkedontheforecourt.TheseRoyalMailvehicles wereproducedbetween1949and1961andthePostOfficepurchased6,000examplesforpostalandengineeringduties.Sadly mailisnolongercarriedbyrail.Theprimarydisadvantageofthestationinthisseasideresortwasthedistancefromtheshore–200feetabovesealevelandalmostamilefromthetowncentreandesplanade,necessitatingbusesortaxistotransfer passengersandtheirluggageto/fromtheirhotels.ThiscomparedunfavourablywiththesituationofnearbySeatonstationwhich wasvirtuallyontheseafront.ThechoiceoflocationforSidmouthstationwasnodoubtacombinationofgeographyplus Victoriansensibilitiesaboutallowinghordesoftrippersintotheirratherselectresort.Fortheholidaymakerwhocouldfacethe uphilljaunttothestationfromtheirhoteltherewasthechancetoexplorethelocalareabytrain,purchasingoneofthethree availableHolidayRunaboutticketsthatincludedSidmouth.Area12gaveaccesstoLymeRegis,Chard,Seaton,Budleigh Salterton,ExmouthandExeterCentralwhilstArea14,withSidmouthasitswesternmostpoint,allowedtraveltoSeaton,Lyme Regis,ChardandThornfalconontheChardJunction-Tauntonbranch,Yeovil,MartockontheYeovil-Tauntonbranchand Sherborne.Area20gaveaccesstoHoniton,Exmouth,Torquay,Brixham,KingswearandTotneswithanadditionaloptionof addingrivertripsontheRiverDartbetweenTotnesandDartmouth/Kingswear.Duringtheperiod27Aprilto25October1958for exampleoneoftheseticketscouldbehadfortheprincelysumof20/-(£1),beingvalidforsevendaystravelfromSundaytothe followingSaturdaywhichwasconvenientasmostholidaybookingsranfromSaturdaytoSaturday.However,therewasthecaveat that “NoallowanceorextensionofdatecanbegrantedontheseticketsinconsequenceoftherebeingnoSundayservicein certaincases.”RCR14999
