Dominated by the lines inherited by the Southern Railway from the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway combined with those of the South East & Chatham and Kent & East Sussex railways, there was an intricate network of lines that served the area of Sussex to the east of the London to Brighton main line. In the immediate postwar years and the first decade of British Railways, this network was to remain largely intact.
By the end of the 1950s the first closures were threatened and by the time of the Beeching report of 1963 (which resulted in further losses), the first lines in the area had closed – albeit not without considerable controversy. Although the major destinations such as Newhaven, Eastbourne and Hastings remain open, many of the secondary routes have now closed. Fortunately preservation, in the guise of the Bluebell, Kent & East Sussex, Lavender and Spa Valley railways, has seen some of these lost lines survive to remind visitors of the county’s railway heritage.
Under BR ownership, steam gave way to modern traction, whilst economics saw the closure of a number of attractive lines. Featuring some 60 rare or unseen images, Railways of Sussex: 1948-1968 portrays the railways of the region in a period of change. Photographs are presented in one-per-page format, with an extensive caption accompanying each. An introduction to the railways of East Sussex during this period is also included. 64 pages.