Station Name: EAST GRINSTEAD HIGH LEVEL

[Source:Nick Catford]
One of two views over the station complex taken in 1954, this one facing north-west. The station itself needs no description except to note the canopy length of the Low Level Up platform compared to that of the Down platform. The Up platform would have been the busier of the two at the Low Level. Such provision at High Level was more generous and until closure it was by far the busier part of the station. Low Level was something of a quiet backwater until 1967, even before the line to Horsted Keynes and Culver Junction closed. This is the line seen sneaking away at left centre. The Low Level signal box can also be seen left of centre. This was South Box and in accordance with the renaming of the High Level boxes to 'A' and 'B' on 15 September 1958 it became 'C' Box. With the closure of High Level it reverted to 'East Grinstead'. South Box dated from 1 August 1882 and had a Saxby & Farmer 15-lever frame. It survived until 18 July 1987. As a point of interest, there was also a North Box which dated from 1883 and had a Saxby & Farmer 12-lever frame. It was abolished by the Southern Railway on 9 October 1928. Further towards the bottom of the picture is the Low Level goods yard which appears to be predominantly occupied by coal wagons although there are two rakes of coaching stock present. Also visible is the connection to the High Level goods yard, with one of the tracks, which previously crossed the bridge, bottom right, now truncated. At top left of centre behind the pylon, the belt of trees marks the course of the original line from Three Bridges as it approached East Grinstead's original terminus and second station. The general area of the Low Level yard is now, 2023, largely occupied by Sainsbury's and its car park. The modern East Grinstead station building is a little further south from the original seen here and the heritage Bluebell Railway's platform is located at extreme left.
Photo from Britain From Above, reproduced with permission



 

 

 

[Source:Nick Catford]

Last updated: Tuesday, 10-Oct-2023 11:58:09 CEST
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