Lost Railways of Sussex

Sussex was once rich in rural railways. The first line to open, in May 1840, linked Brighton and Shoreham and by September 1841 the service between London and Brighton was completed. It had taken three years to build and during its construction some 3,500 men and 570 horses had been used. Further lines were to follow and Sussex became a railway paradise. But it was not to last. Most of the lines did not survive the competition from the roads and the consequent rationalization of the 1930s and the Beeching Plan of 1963. In this meticulously researched book, Leslie Oppitz explains the history of these lost lines, the reason for their construction and for their closure. He also covers the lines which have been painstakingly preserved and restored by enthusiasts. Modern photographs accompany those from earlier times, many of which are published for the first time in book form. These, together with seven specially drawn maps, will help enthusiasts to locate the closed lines and railway stations that have survived from the heyday of the railway age. Originally published under the title Sussex Railways Remembered, this book appears here in a revised, updated and expanded new format.