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GAZETEER OF NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS IN EAST SUSSEX
Originally compiled by Kevin Payne, 23 Sandy Close, Great Linford, MK14 5EE
| Company Name | Location | Gauge | Type (1) | Traction (2) | Notes | References |
| ABCO Petroleum | Rye Harbour TQ931997 | 24" | SF | IC | Transport of waste oil, closed c5/1970 | TNG130, TNG133 (photo) SNG (map/photo) TNG135 |
| Sir P C Allen | Crowhurst Road, Battle | 600mm | Storage | S | Storage of eponymous locomotive before transfer to Leighton Buzzard | IRS Handbook EL 1970 |
| Army | Belle Tout, Seven Sisters | ? | SF | IC | Target practice. Rope worked by 'winch' (rear wheel of car used to pull canvas tank outline). East of Belle Tout. | Tyrell's List (WWII sites) |
| Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers | Asham/Rodmell, Lewes | 24" | SF | S, IC | Extensive clay pit operation, closed c1975 | INGRB (photo) SNG (photo/map) * MORE |
| Bexhill Corporation | Unknown | 24" | SF | IC | Locomotives for sale following main drainage contract | The Contract Journal 12/08/1931 |
| British Gypsum Ltd | Mountfield Mines | 24" 18.5" | SF SF (?) | H, B | Large drift mine extracting gypsum. Early system used shafts and 24" gauge lines, from 1945 became drift mine with 18" gauge lines. Narrow gauge. locomotives not used after c1966 (?) | IRSE (photo) SNG (photo) |
| Borough Surveyor | Brighton Kemp Town and possibly others | 24" | SF | IC | Believed temporary lines used on housing estate construction | |
| British Portland Cement Manufacturers | South Heighton, Newhaven | 24" | SF | H | Chalk pit | |
| Canadian Army/Air Force? | Seaford Head | 24" | EF | H? | 2nd World War target practice line. Several bogie wagons & turntables. Ran from South Hill Barn. Length c. 1 mile. Some "cuttings" remain. Similar line at Balsdean Farm nr. Woodingdean |
"Barrack to Bunkers" Peter Longstaff-Tyrrell Sutton Publishing 2002 |
| Cuckmere Brick Company | Berwick Station | 24" | SF | IC | Clay pit, closed c1956 | |
| Drusilla's Zoo Park | Berwick TQ525045 | 24" | SP | IC | Pleasure railway opened 1946 and still working | SNG (photo) |
| East Sussex County Council | Various works contract sites | 24" | SF | IC | Locomotive supplier records are main clue, but locomotives offered for sale | The Contract Journal 20/03/1940 |
| East Sussex Transport and Trading | Exceat Cuckmere Haven TV517978 TV518995 | 24" | EF | S(?), IC | Carrying shingle from near beach to main road, closed c1964 | IRSE (photo) TNG133 (photo) SNG (map/photo) |
| Freshfield Lane Brickworks (may not be correct title) | Danehill TQ385262 | 24" | SF | Unknown | Remnants of kiln cars and track found in 1980, may also have served clay pit | |
| Guestling Brick Works | Guestling | 24" | SF | H, IC | Clay pit, hand and cable worked until just before closure in c1973 | |
| Gosden Pierce Jervis, Breeders Ltd | Horam | 24" | SF | H | Presumed agricultural railway, offered for sale | The Contract Journal 26/12/1945 |
| Grimsdick's Nurseries | Haywards Heath | 16" | SF | H | Advertisement seeking additional track material | The Contract Journal 06/01/1909 |
| Hall & Company Crumbles | Eastbourne | 24" | EF | IC | Shingle extraction, closed c1964 | NGN37/8 IRSE (photo) SNG (map/photo) |
| Hall & Company | Rye Harbour | 24" | EF | IC | Shingle extraction, also serving various concrete product works, closed c1946 (?) | TNG120 TNG124 TNG130 |
| County Borough of Hastings | Brede Valley | 18" | EF | S | To carry building materials and coal from river wharf to pumping station, 1899 to 1935. |
TNG52 Brede Waterworks Tramway, Brian Clarke SNG (maps/photos) 18" Gauge Steam Railways, Mark Smithers |
| County Borough of Hastings | Crowhurst | 18" | SF | H | To carry building materials and coal from road wharf to pumping station, closed c1950. Some track in situ. | "Brede Waterworks Tramway" Brian Clarke TNG163 PHOTOS |
| County Borough of Hastings |
Powdermill Reservoir, Pebsham Aerodrome, Darwell Hole Reservoir and St.Helen's Road* |
24" | EF | S, IC |
Reservoir construction c1927 to c1933. * Road construction |
Locomotives for sale Contract Journal 29/03/33 |
| County Borough of Hastings | Unknown job for Water Engineer | 24" | SF | IC | Locomotives for sale Contract Journal 12/04/1950 | |
| Hove Corporation Destructor Works | Hove | 24" | SF | H, IC | Locomotive traction ceased 1966 | |
| Great Bush Railway Tinkers Park | Hadlow Down TQ538241 | 24" | SP | S, IC, B | Preservation site, possibly preceded by agricultural use from c1946, still in use | TNG |
| Hamsey Brick Company | South Common, Chailey TQ390176 | 24" | SF | ? | Clay pit line, possibly locomotive worked | |
| G T Jennings | Camber Circa. TQ939199 | 24" | SF | IC | Shingle extraction, rail traffic ceased 1955 | The Rye and Camber Tramway, L A Cooksey (photos) |
| W Claude Johnson | Broadstone Farm, Forest Row TQ330435 TQ333434 | Unknown | SP | E or B(?) | Two short tramways in use c1908 to c1928, owner was director of a large electrical equipment manufacturer. Lines used for pleasure, possibly also experiment. | |
| Kent & East Sussex Railway | Various | 18" | SF | H | Horse hauled 18" gauge line used at Tenterden in 1903, similar probably also used on Rother Valley section in Sussex | Branch Line to Tenterden, V Mitchell & K Smith |
| Kidbrooke Farm | Forest Row | 18" | SF | H | Line serving cow sheds | Sussex Industrial History No.25 NGN224 |
| Lavender Line Preservation Society | Isfield Station TQ452171 | 24" | Storage | IC | Preservation site | IRS Handbook 12EL, amendment list No.6 |
| Ludlay Brick and Tile Company | Berwick | 24" | SF | IC | Clay pit line and kiln car system, closed c1966 | IRSE (photo) SNG (photo) |
| Maidenhead Brick and Tile | Burgess Hill | 24" 18" | SF/ SF | IC/ IC | Two separate clay pit lines, rail traffic ceased 1965 | |
| Mid Sussex Timber Company | Vert Wood, Laughton, East Hoathly Circa. TQ520140 | 24" | EF | H,IC(?) | Forestry systems using WWI surplus material | |
| Miller Construction | Warrior Square, Hastings | 750mm | SF | IC | Bathing water contract, underground tunnels c1990 | IRS Handbook 12EL |
| Mount Caburn Chalk Pits (may not be correct title) | Mount Caburn, Lewes TQ447088 TQ457087 | Probably standard, consider deletion | EF | H | Chalk pit system descending by rope incline, crossing river and terminating at lime kilns at Glynde LBSCR station western end. Closed 1927 | Railway World 10/1977 |
| Navy | South Heighton (Newhaven) | 24" | SF | H | Construction of H.M.S. Forward 1941 Underground command centre. |
"Barrack to Bunkers" Peter Longstaff-Tyrrell Sutton Publishing 2002 |
| Newington & Company | Glynde Station | 24" | SF | IC | Lime works system closed c1960, probably preceded by hand / horse worked system, possibly of different gauge. | |
| Offham Chalk Pit | Offham, nr. Lewes TQ401115 | 44"? | SF | H | Incline to river from chalk pit. Bridge under A275 still extant. Possibly the oldest railway in Sussex. (Opened March 1809) |
SRM (photo) ** |
| Peacehaven Eatate Co. |
Peacehaven | 24" | SF | H | Temporary line used during construction of Peacehaven Hotel 1922 | MORE |
| Redland Bricks Ltd | Jarvis Brook, Crowborough | 24" | SF | IC, B | Kiln supply system closed c4/1980. Earlier clay pit line of unknown gauge. | IRSE (photo) SNG (map/photo) |
| Redland Bricks Ltd | Baxter's, Bexhill | 24" | SF | IC | Clay pit line, closed c1969 | IRSE (photo) SNG (photo) |
| Robertsbridge Sawmill (probably not correct title) | Robertsbridge Station TQ734234 | 24" (?) | SF | H | System derelict in 1984 | |
| Ross (?) Limeworks London Road | Newtimber, Hassocks | 24" | SF | IC | Rail traffic ceased before 1978 | |
| Rother Iron Works | Rye | 3'? | SF | ? | Works which supplied stock for the Rye & Camber Tramway, also advertised to hire locomotive. Short line to jetty | Machinery Market 01/04/1885 |
| Rother and Jury's Gut Catchment Board | Various sites on east and west of the Rother estuary | 24" | EF | IC | River and coastal defence works | TNG120 TNG124 TNG130 SNG (map/photo) |
| Rugby Portland Cement Manufacturers | Lewes Quarry | 18" (SG only?) |
SF | IC(?) | Chalk pit, short narrow gauge system out of use post WWII. Main system SG | IRSE (photo - SG loco) |
| Rugby Portland Cement Manufacturers | Piddinghoe Quarry | 24" | SF | IC | Clay pit system, out of use post 1939. Jubilee turnout found on site 1967, did line work later than assumed? | |
| Rye Town (location owners not known) | On the southern side of Rye town on the banks of the River Brede, which flows into the Rother near the fish quay TR209199 ? | SF | H | These were probably all associated with shipyards, or possibly timber importers. Rails can still be seen in the tarmac on the right of the yard in front of Sea Cruisers' Chandlers (near the Rye Harbour turning off the A259) | MORE | |
| Rye & Camber Tramway | Rye to Camber Sands (nearly!) | 36" | EF | S, IC | Passenger and freight carrying railway Some track in situ at Rye Harbour |
The Rye and Camber Tramway, L A Cooksey (photos) SNG (map/photo) |
| Scrap Dealer (South Wales) |
Birling Gap | 24"(?) | SF | H | Temporary track laid on beach in 1928 to remove remains of S.S. Ushla - ran aground Nov. 1916 under Bailey's Brow west of Birling Gap | "Barrack to Bunkers" Peter Longstaff-Tyrrell Sutton Publishing 2002 |
| Sheffield Park Sawmills (wrong title) | Sheffield Park Station TQ403236 | 24" | SF | H | TNG | |
| Sussex River Authority | Plant depot at Coast Road, Pevensey. | 24" | SF | IC | Portable system used on river defence works, certainly at Hamsey Weir, Lewes c1958 | |
| Sussex Tileries | Horam TQ590159 | 24'? | SF | IC | Brickworks line. Loco at now at Tinkers' Park | SNG |
| Taylor Woodrow | Brighton sea front | 900mm | SF | IC, B(?) | Sewer and storm drain construction contract | NGN209 |
| S M Tidy | Brighton | 24" | SF | IC | Locomotives offered for sale, possibly associated with East Sussex County or Brighton Borough Council | The Contract Journal 15/05/1946 |
| Timber Supply Department | West Dean (Friston Forest) | 24" or 36" ? | SF | ? | Timber extraction lines in place during 1920, possibly locomotive worked, but wording of source ambiguous | The Kerry Tramway & Other Timber Light Railways, Cox & Krupa |
| Benjamin Ware Sussex Pottery | Ridgewood, Uckfield | 20" | SF | IC | Clay pit line, locomotive worked 1945 to closure in 1967, probably horse hauled before that. | |
| Unknown, public authority d.l.o. | Brighton | 24" | SF | IC | Sea defence contract | The Surveyor 18/08/1977 |
| Volks Electric Railway | Brighton seafront cTQ326035 | Initial section 24", then 825mm | EP | E | Passenger carrying seafront railway | Volk's Railways Brighton, Alan A Jackson. SNG (map/photo) |
| George Wimpey & Company | Newhaven | 24" | SF | S | Sea defence contract 1924-25 - east of R. Ouse *** | *** |
| Woodgate Dairy | Sheffield Park Station TQ403236 | 24" | SF | H | TNG | |
| George Young | Seaford | 3'6" | SF | S | Contract at Seaford c1897-99 |
Notes:
(1)
S = short line confined within relatively small site, track length a less than about 1/4 mile
E = extensive line, typically linking more than one site with track length greater than 1/4 mile
P = passenger carrying railway
F = freight carrying only
(2)
H = hand, horse or cable
S = steam locomotive/s
IC = internal combustion locomotive/s
E = electric traction, current collection
B = electric traction, batteries
TNG = The Narrow Gauge
NGN = Narrow Gauge News
IRR = Industrial railway record
IRSE = Industrial Railways of the South East, (Chalk Pits Museum)
INGRB = Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways in Britain, Peter Nicholson
SNG = Sussex Narrow Gauge, Mitchell & Smith (Middleton)
SRM = Sussex Railways Remembered, L. Oppitz (Countryside Press)
* N.B. map shows older system. Photo shows the line NW of B2109/A26 which survived until closure
** shown on 1878ish OS map; also maps in "Kent & East Sussex Waterways", P. Vine (Middleton) - also has maps & photos of Brede Tramway
*** A photo appears to show skips with a ramp to tip into standard gauge wagons. 2' gauge skips were present in 1937. "Sand" was transported by rail to South Heighton Cement Works from this area — but this works had closed in 1914, and was used for ammunition storage during WWI
There was also a line on west side of Ouse — possibly short-lived — in connection with extension of Newhaven Fort in WWII - line was used to carry shingle to the foot of a hoist to the cliff top not far from the start of the breakwater. There was a line in the 1860s, possibly NG, to another hoist below the eastern end of the fort during a previous reconstruction.
BROCKHOUSE "ROAD TRAIN" —
This was an "0" gauge guided "road train" demonstration line at/near Mayfield (1950s) MORE
(Location needed).
There were also brickworks' lines at Aldrington TQ274053; Hailsham - nr. station TQ589091; and Ringmer TQ476141.
(from "Brickworks in Sussex" (Middleton)
Plashett Wood near Isfield was worked by German POWs in WWI — did this have a railway?
Email further details of any of the above or unlisted lines
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