KEMP TOWN
Exterior
Kemp Town Station in May 1968. Photo by Nick Catford
Kemp Town. Photo by Dave Crockatt
Kemp Town station
Kemp Town 1205 26.6.1971
Kemp Town 1205 26.6.1971 - in colour!
Train passing site of Hartington Road Halt c1960
Lewes Road Halt 1952. Photo by R C Riley
Lewes Road Halt 1962
After complete closure - the cutting near Hartington Road is filled in.
An unusual little branch line which lingered on for almost 40 years since closure to passengers was Brighton's Kemp Town branch, which in under two miles managed to possess three stations plus impressive viaducts and a tunnel - in fact the line consisted of little else!
The line closed completely on 26 June 1971. Although I was only 14 at the time I had freedom to do pretty much what I wanted so I joined one of the last trains, which were formed by unit 1205 running a shuttle between Brighton station and Kemp Town. Sadly I didn't take my first railway photo until 2 weeks later, so I missed the branch and have had to find pics on the internet to accompany this article.
Since 1971 the line has graduially vanished and if pushed to think of a line that will never be back it's this one - but who knows? A second terminus in Brighton would be very useful operationally as the railways get busier and busier ...
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