West Hoathly railway station

West Hoathly
The station remains seen in early 2006
Location
Place	Sharpthorne, West Hoathly
Area	Mid Sussex, West Sussex
Grid reference	TQ371328
Operations
Pre-grouping	London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway Southern Region of British Railways Bluebell Railway
Platforms	2
History
1882	Station opened
28 May 1955	station closed
7 August 1956	station reopened
17 March 1958	Station closed
1992	Line reopened
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z

West Hoathly is a closed railway station on what is now the Bluebell Railway. The station was finally closed in 1958 but was used by the contractors in the 1960s demolishing the line as a good place to bring equipment in and out.

The station site was purchased by the Bluebell Railway in the 1980s as there was a possibility that the land would be sold for housing development. When approval was given for construction of the railway, in order to overcome objections from local residents, the station was not reopened. Trains returned to the site of the station in 1992 with a loop installed just north of the station to allow engines to 'run round' their trains, however this was removed with opening of the extension to Kingscote in 1994.

Today much of the platforms remain in place and it has recently become the site of a large store of ballast and sleepers for the future extension to East Grinstead. Despite its name it is situated in the village of Sharpthorne, half a mile from West Hoathly. It is sited immediately to the north of Sharpthorne Tunnel, the longest tunnel in UK preservation. Plans to reopen the station are proposed as it is the only urban area on the line south of East Grinstead, but these have been held for the future if funds permit and there is support from local residents.

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Horsted Keynes		Lewes and East Grinstead Railway London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Southern Railway Southern Region Lewes to East Grinstead line (The Bluebell Line)		Kingscote

See also

• List of closed railway stations in Britain

External links

• Disused stations
• Photos of the Station

• 

  Track workers walking the line through the old station with the tunnel beyond

• 

  A train with Terrier 672 Fenchurch leading exits the tunnel

• 

  A view of the supplies used to construct the East Grinstead extension delivered here due to the ease of road access