Forest Row railway station

Infobox UK disused station
name = Forest Row


gridref = TQ428352
manager = London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
owner = Southern Railway
Southern Region of British Railways
locale = Forest Row
borough = Wealden, East Sussex
platforms = 2
years = 1 October 1866
events = Opened
years2 = 2 January 1967
events2 = Closed

Forest Row was a railway station on on the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line which closed in 1967, a casualty of the Beeching Axe. [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/f/forest_row/index.shtml Forest Row railway station on Subterranea Britannica] ]

The station was one of the busiest of the intermediate stations on the line and was enlarged in 1897 with the addition of a new platform on the Down side, connected to the main station side via a footbridge. The station also had a goods shed and two sidings. Ironically, the station's final years saw an increased number of passengers using it as residential development took place around the old Forest Row village. In recognition of the increased patronage, commuter trains from London were extended from East Grinstead to terminate here.cite book | last = Mitchell | first = Vic | authorlink = | coauthors = Smith, Keith | title = Branch Lines to East Grinstead | publisher = Middleton Press | date = 1984 | location = Midhurst, West Sussex | isbn = 090652007 ] At the time of closure, Forest Row was taking over £5,000 per annum in revenue and 200 commuters were using the station to travel to London each day.cite book | last = Gould | first = David | title = Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells | publisher = The Oakwood Press | date = 1983| isbn = 978-0853612995 ]

After the station closed, it was used for the filming of an episode of the children's television programme Do Not Adjust Your Set in August/September 1967 featuring a young David Jason. [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/f/forest_row/index22.shtml] The site was then sold to a club for over £4,000 and the station buildings were quickly swept away. Nevertheless, the remains of the station platforms can still be found nearby, and the goods shed stands together with other light industrial units. A brick coal merchant's office can also be found on Station Road.

Gallery

See also

* List of closed railway stations in Britain

References