The introduction of the railway to a town gave rise to processes of modernisation that profoundly transformed the local area and social life between the 19th and 20th centuries. The arrival of the railway cannot be interpreted merely as the introduction of a new means of transport, but rather as a structural phenomenon that reshaped economic dynamics, patterns of mobility, forms of urban organisation and cultural frameworks.
In memory of my friend Bob Johnson, whose passion for the world of railways accompanied him throughout his life, I am including in this blog, by way of a tribute, a selection of facts relating to the arrival of the railway in Eastbourne (his hometown), as well as various reflections on railway lines and train journeys, written by George F. Chambers in his book "Eastbourne: Memories of the Victorian Period, 1845–1901".
José Ruiz
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"My first visit to East-Bourne as a tourist was when I was 6 months old, but ray personal remembrance of things naturally begins at a somewhat later date, namely at a time when the railway being opened only from London as far as Lewes, the remainder of the journey had to be performed by Coach. The last driver of the London and East-Bourne Coach was a man named Samuel Rason.
The journey of tlie through coach before any railways, began at the Golden Cross, Charing Cross, at 8.30 a.m., and ended at the New Inn, South Street, at 6.0 p.m. The fares were outside 16s., inside 21s. Up journeys on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays ; Down journeys on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Haltat Godstone for dinner.
As the railway from Lewes through Polegate to Hastings was opened in 1847, the coach drive which I remember (from East-Bourne to Lewes), was probably a year earlier, because I think it was in the spring of 1846 that my grandmother was in London for the Season, and took me with her down to East-Bourne in her own carriage. She had bought in that year an additional half acre of land to enlarge The Gore lawn, and had had constructed in it an ornamental fish pond. At a later date, I developed piscatorial tastes, and acquiring rod and line considered that catching gold and silver fish would be great fun ; but that particular developement of my ambition was disapproved of by the Authorities, and I was subjected to a severe reprimand, ending probably in being sent to bed.
Railways of course have revolutionised the horse and carriage traffic of the country. Up to the middle of the 19th Century, most people of all ranks knew something about horses, and distaaces in miles were not thought much of.
The Branch Railways from Polegate to East-Bourne and Hailsham were not opened until May 14, 1849, and between 1846 and the opening of the branches, an Omnibus of sorts belonging to D. Burford, landlord of the Anchor, plied between Polegate and the Sea Houses at East-Bourne. The starting point for the London Coach had been the yard of the New Inn, South Street, which yard some years ago was built over when the New Inn was re-built and enlarged and re-named the New Hotel—a much les interesting designation. The tree which obstructed the foothpath till quite recent years was itself a remanet of coaching days. The office for coach tickets was further down South Street. It may here be noted that the last Turnpike Trust in the neighbourhood, the Lewes and Polegate one, came to an end on November 1, 1878, more to the satisfaction of the driving public than of the ratepaying public.
OPENING OF THE EAST-BOURNE BRANCH RAILWAY, May 14, 1849.
I was present at the opening of the Railway, and, of course, witnessed with intense interest the ceremonies which had been arranged for the occasion. The preparations were of a very complete character, and the programme lasted for fully 15 hours or more, almost from daylight till midnight. Of course, the excitement amongst the natives was very great for many of them had never travelled by train, or even seen a locomotive engine. The actual opening may be said to have taken place at about mid-day, or soon after, when a special train from Brighton brought in a number of officials of the Railway Company, and a brass band to enliven the proceedings. A luncheon took place in a large booth erected in the grounds of the Orchard Farm, the residence of Mr. Smith, Lord Burlington's steward, on or near the site of what is now Orchard Road. My father came down from London to sit at the festive table, and he wished me to accompany him, but my mother's remonstrances against my introduction into public life at the age of 7½ prevailed. When the luncheon was over there were, of course, toasts and speeches ; the principal speaker being Mr. Leo Schuster, the then Deputy Chairman of the Railway Company and afterwards Chairman, who proposed the health of the Chairman of the luncheon party (Mr. Freeman Thomas, of Ration, the grandfather of the present Lord Willingdon). The items in the programme which attracted my special attention and approval were the efforts made by certain amateur acrobats to climb a greasy pole for the sake of the leg of mutton at the top ; and the fireworks in the evening.
So far as the Railway part of the day's ceremonial was concerned that concluded with a trip of the directors and officials to Hailsham in the afternoon. A very good account (of which I have a copy) of the whole day's proceedings appeared in the Brighton Gazette, of May 17, 1849.
The railway being open from London to East-Bourne, it may be a matter of interest to inquire what the train service was like. In the early " Fifties," the oficial time-tables of the Brighton Company appeared in the form of a small pamphlet of the size which printers call "16mo," cased in a bright yellow cover. Subsequently the size of the page was slightly altered and the yellow wrapper discontinued. I saved up some of these books for many years, but unfortunately in a house move, they were made away with, and the oldest record of Sussex trains I possess is, Bradshaw^s Monthly Descriptive Railway Guide for June 1857, which in train tables does not mention East-Bourne ; only Brighton, Lewes, Newhaven, St. Leonards and Hastings, as the important coast stations. The oldest complete time-table I possess is dated March 1866.
The trains then running were as follows:
DOWN
London Bridge... 6.40 8.0 10.0 12.10 2.10 4.5 6.40
Victoria... 6.35 7.55 9.55 12.5 2.5 4.0 6.35
East-Bourne … 9.15 10.40 12.7 2.47 4.30 6.5 9.17
UP
East-Bourne … 6.30 9.15 10.30 12.7 2.15 4.40 7.15
Victoria … 9.20 11.15 1.22 2.45 4.35 7.30 9.50
London Bridge … 9.17 11.10 1.15 2.37 4.25 7.25 9.45
The developement in the 44 years to 1910, cannot be described as very remarkable as regards the daylight trains, and comparing the above figures with the Bradshaw of 9 years previously, there was only an increase of one train each way to and from Hastings, and the trains were very closely identical in both years. The Sunday trains were in each case only two each way. Would that that modest provision had been maintained!
A few words about Railway carriages. The Brighton Company's carriages were always much below par compared with the carriages (in Railway parlance "Coaches") of the great northern Companies, and they continued to be so until pretty well the commencement of the 20th Century. Down to about 1865, there were four classes, the 4th Class having open sides, though roofed, but at an earlier period the cheap carriages had not even roofs. The last Railway carriages without roofs which I remember were used on the Woodford Branch of the Great Eastern Railway.
I can well recollect the excitement caused on the Brighton Line by the 2nd Class carriages having their seats covered with leather and being provided with a narrow leather cushion for one's back. These were regarded as a delightful innovation, and a proof that the Brighton Company were going ahead in the way of propitiating the public.
AN EAST-BOURNE BRANCH TRAIN OF EARLY DATE.
When the East-Bourne branch was opened, one engine did the whole of the work on the East-Bourne and Hailsham branches, running in turn, first to one place and then to the other. It will therefore readily be inferred that neither were the trains numerous nor the traffic heavy. A reserve engine was stabled at East-Bourne. The driver'sname was Jackson, the guard's Foster, and the station-master's Dickinson. This modest state of things lasted without material change for several years. The station buildings and platform were to the W. of the present station, and were pulled down at a later date in order that the Upperton Road should pass over their site. The date of the new station on the now site was about 1866, with a new station-master named Bond. There had been built about 1857, adjacent to the old station, two long sheds facing one another with a paved open space between them, the whole being dignified by the name of the " East-Bourne Market." As a market it did not last long, but the buildings were used on August 26, 1858 (and I rather think on a previous occasion also), for a Fancy Bazaar got up for a Church Building Fund, and they served that purpose very well.
A third station was built in 1872 ; this was partly pulled down and transformed and the present station erected in 1886. The roof on the arrival side is still more modern."
George F. Chambers
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Recreation: arrival of the train at a town
