Seaford branch line

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Seaford branch line" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Seaford branch line
standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Route map (Click to expand)

v t e Seaford branch line
Legend
East Coastway line to Lewes Southerham Junction 51 mi 11 ch 82.3 km East Coastway line to Eastbourne & Hastings Southease 53 mi 40 ch 86.1 km Newhaven Town Yard B2109 Newhaven Town Level Crossing (MCB-CCTV) 56 mi 21 ch 90.55 km Newhaven Town 56 mi 25 ch 90.63 km Newhaven Harbour 56 mi 51 ch 91.15 km Newhaven Harbour Level Crossing (MCBR) Newhaven Harbour Junction 56 mi 55 ch 91.23 km Beach Road Level Crossing (MCB-CCTV) 56 mi 62 ch 91.37 km Newhaven Marine 56 mi 67 ch 91.47 km Newhaven Marine Aggregates Terminal Bishopstone Beach Halt 57 mi 34 ch 92.42 km Tide Mills Bishopstone 58 mi 03 ch 93.4 km Seaford 58 mi 77 ch 94.89 km
Mileage from London Bridge via Redhill

The Seaford branch line is a rural

• Services, generally originating from
  East Coastway Line
  , the last station before the branch line splits off.
• The branch line starts at Southerham Junction on the
  East Coastway Line
  .
• The first station on the line is Southease, which serves the village of Southease and also has links to the South Downs Way
• The line then continues, running alongside the
  Newhaven, across a swing bridge over the nearby river
  .
• The following station Newhaven Harbour no longer serves ferries to France.
  • Immediately after Newhaven Harbour station, a small branch splits off to Newhaven Marine, which was closed to passengers in August 2006 but remained technically open until October 2020.^[3][4] Originally built to link with cross-channel ferries, this short branch line is now closed to passengers, but occasional freight trains still use the sidings, as well as a small number of passenger trains terminating at Newhaven Harbour using the branch line to reverse.
• The line then becomes a single-track and is one of a few single-track third-rail lines in the country.
• It passes the closed station of Bishopstone Beach Halt, and over a foot crossing that offers access to the abandoned village of Tide Mills.
• The line then straightens out and calls at two more stations.
  • Bishopstone (serving the village of Bishopstone and the western end of Seaford) and
  • Seaford (the end of the line, serving Seaford
    town centre)

Currently, there are no regular direct services from the branch line towards London, with passengers needing to change at Lewes in order to travel towards Gatwick Airport and London Victoria.

Passenger volume

Comparing the number of passengers in year beginning April 2002 to the year beginning April 2010, Southease has increased by 96%, Newhaven Town by 45%, Bishopstone by 58% and Seaford by 56%. Newhaven Harbour has declined by 51%.^[6]

References