The late Glyn Morgan was a lecturer at the then Lewes Technical College, and Vice-Chairman of Isfield Parish Council at the time of the line's closure. He was deeply concerned at the effect that the route's destruction would have, both on his students and throughout the wider community. He was also quick to recognise that its importance as a regional transport asset meant that far more was at stake than closing two small stations, or even the Lewes - Uckfield link itself.
Because of this, he was a firm opponent of the closure plans and devoted much time and energy to the battle to save the line. Unfortunately, although Mr Morgan and his many fellow campaigners won all the arguments, they could not prevail against the brute force of bureaucrats and politicians who seemed determined to kill the railway.
After his death in 2002, a number of his papers and press cuttings relating to the railway from the 1968-69 period were passed to the Wealden Line Campaign. We present a small selection of them here to give a flavour of those times, and as a reminder that many of the transport problems we face today were foreseen by people like Glyn Morgan over 30 years ago.
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Letter to the Traffic Commissioners 22
October 1968
Even more crowded roads would follow rail closure: article
- November 1968
British Rail have to think again about closure date: article
- 6 December 1968
Minister's 'no' to rail closure: article - 7 January 1969
'Tragic miscalculation' broadside at bus services enquiry:
article - 24 January 1969
British Rail slammed over line closing plans:
article - 26 January 1969
Marsh says "I can't change my mind":
article - 30 January 1969
Letter from the Ministry of Transport
- 18 February 1969
Letter to the Sussex Express - 1 April
1969
Other documents
The Compton report - an official reply to another opponent of closure
If you have any similar papers or cuttings, and think they would be of interest to visitors to this site, please do get in touch.