Horsham
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The first Horsham station opened on 14th February 1848 with
the arrival of the LBSCR's line from Three Bridges. In 1859 Horsham became
a through station with the extension of the line southwards through Billingshurst and Pulborough
to Petworth. 1858 saw the authorisation for
the LBSCR to build a line from Horsham to Shoreham, which opened in 1861.
(Built as a single line, the route was doubled in 1880, forming a secondary
main line which was often useful when there was a blockage on the main line
from London to Brighton). Then in 1860 the Horsham and Guildford Railway was
authorised. Originally due to be operated by the LSWR, by the time the line
opened in 1864 this had been changed to the LBSCR. Finally, in 1862, the
Horsham, Dorking and Leatherhead Railway was authorised, opening in 1864 and
giving the residents of Horsham a fifth direction in which to leave town by
train! The route to Guildford was closed on 12th June 1965 and that to Shoreham
on 5th March 1966, though a short single line from Shoreham remained open for
Cement Works traffic. The three remaining routes remain open, to London via
Dorking, London via Three Bridges and to the coast via Arundel.
The present station was built by the Southern Railway and has two island platforms. The usual method of operation is to use the centre tracks for through trains and the two outer tracks for trains that terminate at Horsham, or need to be passed by a faster service. To the north of the station is the remains of the extensive goods yard that once served the town, though the sidings today are neglected and, in the main, just for engineering purposes. Horsham also boasted fine locomotive servicing facilities in days gone by, initially a three road engine shed but finally a splendid roundhouse, althought nothing of these remains. The present Signalbox was built to replace three older ones, but this is now under threat with many of its functions now controlled from the Three Bridges Power Signalbox. The line south from Horsham, though, has yet to be re-signalled and is an oasis of sempahore signalling in West Sussex. |
| The main entrance to the station, last rebuilt by the
Southern Railway to their "Odeon" design and now resplendent in the
colours of the New Southern Railway.
photograph by Peter Richards |
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Looking across to the buildings on platform 3 from platforms 1 and 2.
photograph by Peter Richards |
| Photographed from the end of the long platforms 1 and 2, a
refurbished class 455 Nº455835 with a Horsham to Victoria via Dorking
service can be seen in platform 1 whilst class 377 Nº377132 waits to
depart from platform 4 with a Horsham to London Bridge via Three Bridges
service.
photograph by Peter Richards |
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A closer view at platform 1 with the Victoria train about to depart.
photograph by Peter Richards |
| The Signalbox is sited north of the station and can be seen
here through the arch of the road bridge. The junction of the Three Bridges and
Dorking lines is just beyond this. As can be seen here, re-signalling work is
in process.
photograph by Nick Beck |
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The side entrance to the station, which is close by the station car park.
Access from here is by means of the covered footbridge which leads to all four
platforms and the booking hall.
photograph by Peter Richards |
| Looking north through the glass of the footbridge one can see
the three sidings alongside the station where EMU stock is berthed overnight.
photograph by Peter Richards |
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A second view of these sidings from the footbridge - this time looking
towards the south.
photograph by Peter Richards |
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This page was created 20 May 2006
