News archive 2004

27 November - AGM hears consultant's presentation

On a day which coincidentally saw the 'The Last Thump' railtour pass through the town twice, our first AGM to be held in Lewes attracted a healthy turnout of around 70 members.

In addition to a very positive report on the past year by Campaign Director Brian Hart, they were able to enjoy a fascinating presentation on the Lewes - Uckfield reopening project by transport consultant Nick Gallop of Intermodality. Employing a range of computer graphics wizardry, he made a forthright case for reopening, showing how the restored route would unlock a wide network of travel possibilities going far beyond local traffic, and providing Southern with an important alternative to the Brighton line.

Sadly, the need for such a route was demonstrated again this week when a death on the line near Balcombe stopped trains for more than two hours, spreading severe disruption north towards London and along the South Coast.

Taking into account the findings of last month's engineers' survey, Mr Gallop revealed that the cost of restoring the Lewes - Uckfield link as a single track route compatible with the existing Uckfield line would be around £50m. With generous allowances having been made for all rebuilding costs, it may well be that the final figure will work out somewhat lower.

It is important to bear in mind that in contrast to our previous estimates, this figure includes the cost of building a new bridge at Uckfield for the A22 Uckfield bypass -- which our own previous estimates did not.

Another encouraging piece of news is that contrary to initial impressions, it may not in fact be necessary to replace all the original bridges along the line. Considering that none of these structures has been maintained for at least 35 years, this is certainly a tribute to their original builders.

Work will now move forward on more detailed plans, further on-site surveys, including 13 bore holes, and beginning the task of contacting land owners along the route. The final decision on whether the reopening goes ahead or not rests with the Lewes - Uckfield project board, which brings together local MPs, councils, SEEDA and SEERA. It is likely that this decision will be made during 2005.

The meeting concluded with the customary question and answer session, and as members made their way home at the end of what had been one of the most encouraging AGMs for some years, few could have doubted that the forthcoming year will be a very important and perhaps a crucial one for the campaign.

27 October - New photo gallery of engineers' survey

21 October - Engineers survey route

Civil engineers today carried out an initial survey of the Uckfield - Lewes trackbed, with a view to producing a thorough and up-to-date set of costings for restoring the Uckfield line as a through-route. Guiding them in their work were representatives of local transport consultants Intermodality and the Wealden Line Campaign.

After an early start at Uckfield, the engineers, representing Norwest Holst and Bride Parks Merlin, visited key points along the route, particularly focusing on major structures and potential obstacles like the Uckfield bypass. At Isfield, thanks to the generous assistance of the Lavender Line, they were able to thoroughly examine the condition of the preserved stretch of route and gain easy access to the nearby bridge over the river Uck.

The survey is of special significance to our campaign, because it is the first time that a full engineering assessment of the route has been carried out since it was closed in 1969. Scheduled for completion late this year, it will be passed to the new East Sussex Rail Corridor Board, and if the outcome is positive, it will form the basis of any plans to restore the Lewes - Uckfield link.

30 August - New rail group goes public

After an initial meeting on 3 June, a new grouping designed to promote the Lewes - Uckfield rail project has been publicly launched (see text of press release).

The East Sussex Rail Corridor Board, which is chaired by ESCC vice-chairman Rupert Simmons, brings together local MPs, councils and regional bodies including the South East England Regional Assembly.

Although this latest initiative is by no means the first of its type, there are two important reasons to take it more seriously than its predecessors:

1) It is not dependent on public funding, which has always been a sticking point in the past.

Instead, it is a commercial scheme being driven forward by transport consultancy Intermodality, and experienced rail contractor Bride Parks Infrastructure. The latter has been involved in such successful schemes as the Portbury project in Bristol and the Jaguar railhead in Birmingham.

2) The scheme under consideration is far more practical than previous ones, having been designed with the full support of this campaign to minimise costs and maximise benefits. This means that high-cost diversions through Ringmer, and Connex's proposals for a 100-mph electrified railway are out of the question.

What is being considered is a single-track link, built to the same standard as the current Hurst Green - Uckfield route. This would allow the new Turbostar trains to offer a half-hourly frequency between Lewes and Uckfield, with journey times of little more than 10 minutes.

While, of course, there is no guarantee at this stage that the Lewes - Uckfield rail link can be restored, we believe the current scheme offers the best chance of achieving this since 1969. And that in itself is an achievement.

1 August - Campaign prompts government rethink

Strong support for the Lewes-Uckfield rail reinstatement has prompted the government to revise its new Regional Transport Strategy.

In March this year, the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) effectively proposed that the Lewes-Uckfield reopening be dropped from the new Regional Transport Strategy. However, during this spring's public consultation on the document, the issue attracted more comment than any other proposal.

In his letter of 16 July announcing the new strategy, David Cooper, GOSE's Deputy Transport Officer, disclosed that of 718 individual comments, no less than 244 were in support of the Lewes-Uckfield rail link, with the next most popular topic drawing only 30 responses.

Mr Cooper goes on to note that as a result of this:

the Secretary of State has concluded that a reference to this proposal be included in the supporting text relating the project to the development of the South East Plan.

On page 32 of the strategy document itself, there is the following reference to the Lewes-Uckfield project:

Other public transport proposals that promote mode shift and which can facilitate delivery of the spatial strategy, such as reinstating the Lewes to Uckfield line, should be considered for inclusion in the South East Plan.

Bearing in mind that GOSE indicated at the start of the consultation that it did not envisage policy revisions, this change of heart by government is a major achievement. Naturally, we would like to thank all those individuals and organisations who took the trouble to make their views know to GOSE.

18 July - Annual walk braves storm

Despite an ominous weather forecast, nearly 30 people turned out for our annual walk on 17 July, which this year was from Uckfield to Lewes.

After a hot and sunny start, it soon clouded in, and by the time we reached Isfield station, participants were being soaked by torrential rain as a thunderstorm raged overhead. Fortunately, at this point we were given a warm welcome by the preserved Lavender Line, where we stopped for an extended tea break and enjoyed a brake van ride on the mile long stretch of track they operate towards Uckfield.

By the time we arrived back at the station, the storm was clearing up and we were able to continue towards Barcombe in gradually improving conditions.

After a break for lunch on the trackbed between Anchor Crossing and Barcombe Mills, we carried on towards Lewes, via Hamsey. After a pause there to look at the original 1858 route of the line, which a restored Lewes- Uckfield link would broadly follow, we made our way into Lewes along the banks of the Ouse in brilliant sunshine.

15 July - SRA RIP

The government finally put the SRA out of its misery today, with the announcement that its duties would be divided between Network Rail and the Department for Transport, with the latter taking the lion's share.

Alistair Darling's statement in parliament this morning was a far cry from the hubris that attended the SRA's initial launch in 'shadow' form just five years ago.

At the time, it defined its role as:

"to promote and develop the rail network and encourage integration...providing overall strategic direction for Britain's railways...and steering forward investment projects aimed at opening up bottlenecks and expanding network capacity...and working on policy and strategy for the long term development of the railways (addressing passenger, freight and infrastructure issues)."

In those heady days, not long after John Prescott had promised to give travellers an 'integrated transport system', it seemed inconceivable that the new SRA could fail to grasp the opportunity offered by the Lewes - Uckfield reopening.

But now, over seven years since 'New Labour' came to power offering so much, we leave it to you to decide how far its multi-million pound brainchild has lived up to all these promises.

30 June - SRA disappoints...again

In an interview for the Argus published on 25 June, SRA chairman Richard Bowker breezily discounted the prospects of reviving the Lewes - Uckfield rail link. Although this is hardly news in itself, it's worth taking a closer look at some of the arguments he put forward (excerpts from article in blue):

He said a service between the two towns, which was stopped in the sixties, would need extensive and expensive improvements to reopen it.

WLC: the SRA has never published detailed costings for reconnecting the Uckfield line to Lewes and the South Coast -- and has refused specific requests that it do so.

"The problem for us is we do not see where the real justification for a Lewes-to-Uckfield line is."

WLC: How about these?

- Linking the growing towns of Uckfield and Crowborough with Lewes and the South Coast again
- A direct London service for Newhaven and Seaford
- Convenient rail connections to an expanding cross-Channel ferry service
- A diversionary route to London for Brighton, Bexhill, Eastbourne and Lewes
- Stimulating economic development in what is one of the poorest counties in the country
- Easing road congestion and protecting the environment
- Improving public transport access to the new South Downs National Park

"Most of the existing line is single track north of Uckfield."

WLC: In fact, single track makes only half of the 24-mile length of the route. This gives sufficient track capacity to allow a half-hourly train frequency -- identical to the off-peak service on the Hastings line.

"To make it work would be more expensive than previously suggested."

WLC: As we noted earlier, whatever figures the SRA may have, it has never published them.

"We are better to be targeting the Brighton mainline and making it work really well."

WLC: Whatever is done to improve the Brighton line, the fact remains that south of Three Bridges, it is a double-track route carrying traffic from a 60-mile stretch of the Sussex coast. It permanently operates at or near capacity and is notorious for the slightest problem delaying or halting dozens of trains. Nothing that he proposes will change this.

And no matter how efficiently the Brighton line is run, its trains will never be able to serve the growing towns of Uckfield and Crowborough -- nor will it ever provide a link between Kent and East Sussex.

"With the mainline, one of our main problems is the weight of traffic on the rails. We have been successful over the past 15 years and there are 20 per cent more trains. But, if we put more traffic on the rails, it becomes harder to manage."

WLC: Putting aside the fact that the SRA has only existed since July 1999 (initially as the SSRA), many users of the Brighton line will have their own views about how successful it has been since the late 1980s. Even Mr Bowker concedes that traffic growth has made the route harder to manage.

How then will the SRA, or its successor, cope with future traffic growth? Or is the real plan to price rail users back onto the roads?

26 June - Annual walk set for 17 July

Everyone is welcome to join our annual walk along the route of the Lewes - Uckfield route, which will take place on Saturday 17 July. This 10-mile ramble starts from Uckfield station at 10.15, arriving at Lewes station around 4.30.

As regulars will know, although we can't walk along the entire trackbed, we are permitted to use the one-mile section between Anchor Crossing and Barcombe Mills, which is open as a 'permissive' footpath. It gives an excellent impression of what a well-engineered railway this was. The rest of the way follows footpaths that parallel the route and take us through some of the Ouse Valley's most attractive countryside.

We'll be breaking for lunch at the Anchor Inn, near Barcombe Mills. For those who prefer a picnic to a pub meal, the nearby banks of the Ouse offer an attractive location for a break, and there is an excellent view of the substantial bridge across the river.

Although our party will have both a 'driver' at its head and a 'guard' at the rear, and we'll be taking a mobile phone and first aid kit, we do expect everyone to be responsible for their own safety and welfare.

17 June - MPs back campaign

Lewes MP Norman Baker gave strong support to the Wealden Line Campaign during a half-hour adjournment debate on the Lewes - Uckfield reinstatement, which he opened on 10 June. His arguments in favour of restoring the link were strongly supported by his Wealden colleague, Charles Hendry.

However, the MPs found little support from transport minister Tony McNulty, who responded to Mr Baker's arguments with a barrage of irrelevant information about Southern rail services and SRA plans, before fielding some highly dubious objections to reopening the line.

Among these was the suggestion that Uckfield trains might cause congestion at Brighton -- although neither this campaign nor Mr Baker has ever proposed this city as the terminus for a revived Uckfield - Lewes service. He also suggested flooding problems along the River Ouse might be an obstacle to the line's revival -- a very puzzling idea indeed.

Mr Baker must have been particularly frustrated by way that the minister brushed aside the route's diversionary potential on the grounds that it would not be electrified.

Putting aside the ease with which a half-hourly diesel service via the Uckfield line could directly serve big towns like Eastbourne during disruption on the Brighton line, he simply ignored the fact that Brighton passengers could divert to the route simply by changing trains at Lewes.

He also regurgitated the SRA view that reopening of the Eridge - Tunbridge Wells route would have no value beyond a local link -- totally ignoring its potential to create a new route from London to the South Coast while connecting East Sussex with important destinations in West Kent and beyond.

To sum up then, full marks to our local MPs for taking the time and trouble to see that the arguments for reinstatement are put on the record and a firm 'could try harder' for the minister, whose attitude to the scheme appears to be in complete contrast to the promises on transport with which this government gained power in 1997.

For the full record of the debate, click here

2 June - Responses to GOSE build up

Following the county-wide outcry at GOSE's proposal to drop the Lewes-Uckfield reopening, a broad spectrum of individuals and organisations have voiced their support for the rail scheme.

In a new section of this website, we present an initial selection of their arguments.

22 May - SRA gaffes raise questions

A letter from an SRA official to a local councillor has raised serious questions about the organisation's whole approach to the Lewes - Uckfield reopening.

In reply to a question from Uckfield Town Councillor Duncan Bennett, who sought to clarify the SRA's stance on the project, James McArthur Watson, Assistant Director of its "Parliamentary and Public Communications" section wrote:

This Authority is not currently working on or developing this scheme.

If it were to be taken forward, the scheme would need to have a business case developed (or updated from the earlier business case), with full consideration of the costs and operability of the service. We can provide advice on developing a business case, but at present we do not have the funds to commit to project development or implementation.

There may, however, be difficulties in implementation, even if funding could be secured, because part of the line has been built over in the Lewes area and capacity restrictions exist north of Uckfield.

(extract from letter dated 17 May 2004, our emphasis)

Putting aside our dismay that this multi-million pound agency with over 500 staff is now pleading poverty as an excuse not to investigate the project, the letter is significant because it raises grave doubts as to whether SRA bureaucrats can even grasp what the project involves.

Everyone locally has long recognised that the approach to Lewes that was closed in 1969 is beyond economic restoration. For this reason ALL interested parties accept that when the route is revived, it will have to follow a revised approach, via Hamsey and the existing Lewes - Keymer junction (Wiveslfield) line. British Rail even gained parliamentary powers to do this in the 1965-1966 parliamentary session -- and thus allow it to maintain the Lewes - Uckfield service.

But if, as this letter now suggests, SRA officials are basing their decisions on the assumption that the original approach would have to be rebuilt, then they are clearly placing completely artificial difficulties in the way of the project, as well as vastly increasing its start-up costs. Indeed, is this apparently fundamental misunderstanding the reason for the absurd figure of £100m that the SRA has bandied about?

The lack of understanding displayed in the letter also calls into question the value of the "technical and moral support" that the SRA promised to the joint parliamentary/council delegation that put the case for reopening in June 2003. What use can such support be when top SRA officials don't even understand the project?

At the same time, the suggestion that the line north of Uckfield might not be able to accept through services from Lewes is baffling to say the least. Surely, the SRA should be aware that the line as resignalled in 1990 has capacity sufficient for a half-hourly train frequency in each direction. No one has ever suggested that trains between Lewes and Uckfield should be more frequent than this.

So why should "capacity restrictions" north of Uckfield be any impediment to a restored Lewes - Uckfield service? If the route can handle half-hourly trains starting from Uckfield, why shouldn't it be able to cope if those very same trains start from Lewes or Seaford instead?

Bearing in mind the SRA's crucial role in determining when and where rail investment takes place, and its obvious influence on GOSE's recent proposal to drop the Lewes - Uckfield project, this letter from such a senior official is very worrying indeed.

Moreover, such is the incompetence that it implies, that there may be some who begin to wonder whether the SRA is actually looking for ways to kill the Lewes - Uckfield project rather than help it along. If so...why?

And looking to the future, what confidence can we have in the SRA's "Southern Regional Planning Assessment", which is due for publication next year?

18 May - Hendry: Lewes - Uckfield link vital

Wealden MP Charles Hendry has identified a revived Lewes - Uckfield rail link as vital to improving London services from stations like Uckfield and Crowborough.

Interviewed for the 14 May edition of the Kent and Sussex Courier, Mr Hendry paid tribute to train operator South Central's efforts to provide a better service for the Uckfield line. But, he added, "we are never going to get a really good service until you have got the link restored between Uckfield and Lewes and it becomes a serious route rather than the tail end of the line."

The Wealden Line Campaign warmly welcomes Mr Hendry's comments, which echo Campaign Director Brian Hart's observation of 20 years ago that the Uckfield line "is not a 'branch', but a truncated through-route".

This approach recently received unexpected support from South Central itself, whose managers firmly and successfully resisted attempts by the SRA to downgrade the Uckfield line to a 'rural route'.

14 May - Labour MEP visits Uckfield

Labour MEP Mark Watts gave strong support to the Wealden Line Campaign when he visited Uckfield on 12 May.

Mr Watts stressed his commitment to restoring the Lewes - Uckfield link as part of a comprehensive rail network for the South East. In the face of unhelpful proposals by GOSE (Government Office for the South East) to drop the scheme, he has made a powerful case in favour of the scheme and has urged all interested parties to do likewise.

He believes funding to get the reopening underway may be available from the EU, particularly in respect of the engineering assessment that would be needed; grants ranging from £15,000 to £50,000 have already been made to various groups and interests in the Wealden area. This is an idea that the campaign will now be pursuing in conjunction with Uckfield Town Council.

Mr Watts also promised to do all he could to raise the issue with the government, pointing out that this part of the South East had fallen behind other parts of the country in terms of rail investment.

Campaign Director Brian Hart said: "Uckfield should be just a stop on a renewed line from London to the Sussex Coast, not a dead-end terminus a few miles short of the rail hub of Lewes. We hear a lot about forging better links with Europe from numerous government agencies, but people are still overlooking the pivotal role which the Wealden Line could play for the port of Newhaven."

"Although many must be tired of hearing it," he added, "for the price of just seven miles of single track, we could effectively have a new railway from the Sussex coast to London."

8 May - MEP pledges support

East Sussex Euro-MP Mark Watts has pledged his support for the campaign to reinstate the Lewes - Uckfield rail link.

Mr Watts, who is Labour's European transport spokesman, will discuss the issue with local councillors, party workers and Brian Hart of the Wealden Line Campaign when he visits Uckfield station at 3.30 on Wednesday 12 May.

"I fully support the reinstatement of this important link," said Mr Watts. "Local rail services are vital to both rural and urban areas and play a key role in stimulating the local economy, as well as easing congestion on our overcrowded roads and reducing pollution."

Mr Watts added that besides freeing up capacity on the busy Hastings and Brighton lines, the scheme "would also open up a new rail corridor to the European gateway of Newhaven."

Journalists may arrange an interview with Mr Watts by calling John Clayton on 0771 203 3349.

7 May - Another step in the wrong direction

Contractors have demolished a small underbridge on the disused section of the Tunbridge Wells - Eridge route between the former Tunbridge Wells West and Grove junction. Rotten decking on the bridge across Cumberland Walk was removed in late 2003, but now the remaining steelwork has been cut up and dumped nearby.

Bearing in mind that the trackbed of the route is supposedly protected under local transport plans, and that the bridge appeared to be structurally sound, we can only view this as a thoroughly retrograde and pointless action.

Not only will the bridge's demolition make it harder to revive a train service between Lewes and Tunbridge Wells as part of the Central Rail Corridor proposals, but it also effectively puts an end to plans to use the trackbed at this point as a reversing siding for trains terminating at Tunbridge Wells. This latter initiative, which was recently considered by Connex, could have done a great deal to reduce congestion at the town's remaining station.

We would like to know who is responsible for the decision to demolish this bridge -- and why it was taken.

14 April - Campaign fights GOSE decision

The Wealden Line Campaign is rallying opposition to GOSE's decision to effectively drop plans to revive the Lewes - Uckfield route. We have already received magnificent support from local MPs and councillors and, and are continuing to lobby at all levels.

You can help

Although most media attention has focused on organisations, MPs and councillors, anyone is entitled to have their say as part of a consultation exercise that GOSE has launched.

To participate, simply print the a special form available at this address. If you are a member of the Wealden Line Campaign, you should already have received a copy in the post.

Completed forms must arrive no later than 21 May.

9 April - Quango sparks anger

GOSE, the Government Office for the South East, has angered local MPs and councillors with a recommendation that the Lewes - Uckfield reopening be dropped from a list of rail projects for the region.

The news became public when the organisation invited comments on the replacement of chapter nine of RPG9 (Regional Planning Guidance for the South East) with a new Draft Regional Transport Strategy for the South East.

Before looking at this document's conclusions, it is worth reviewing at a few of the policies it advocates. For example:

Policy T4 - Regional Transport Hubs:
i) giving priority to measures that increase the level of public transport accessibility...
Policy T7 - Ports - ...Local Transport Plans should include policies and proposals for infrastructure that maintains and enhances the role of the following ports:
i) ro-ro...Newhaven...
Policy T8 - Ports - Short Sea Services - Relevant regional strategies, development plans and Local Transport Plans should include policies and proposals that encourage the development of short sea shipping connections linking the region into the wider European network, and between, the following ports:
...Newhaven...
Policy T9 - Public Transport - Local Transport Plans should include policies and proposals that foster an improved and integrated network of public transport services that give priority to:
iv) Promoting demand responsive transport services to areas and sectors with low accessibility.
The Regional Assembly should work with other regional assemblies, Local Transport Authorities and transport delivery agencies to develop:
ii) Rail services to provide better inter and intra-regional connections

This is all well and good. But finally, on page 62 in recommendation R6.14, we see "Delete Lewes - Uckfield rail link reinstatement. Refer to the future SRA Brighton route utilisation strategy."

For a route that would create a new link between London and Newhaven via Crowborough, this is hardly a conclusion that sits very well with any of the policies cited above.

Nor does it seem to make much sense to put so many eggs in the Brighton line basket. Whatever improvements are made, this route will still have long sections of congested double track and be very vulnerable to delays. It will never be able to serve towns like Uckfield and Crowborough, or link East Sussex towns with Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and other centres in Kent.

Moreover, when the Brighton line is closed for engineering work, as it often is, the alternative Arun valley route is a mediocre diversionary route for Brighton trains and completely useless for centres like Eastbourne.

For these reasons, we completely reject GOSE's badly thought out proposal and have joined with our MPs and councillors in fighting to get it reversed.

Many of us find it hard to believe that a government that promised so much with its talk of an "integrated transport policy" is now the source of such destructive, negative thinking.

17 March - MEP backs campaign

Green Party MEP Dr Caroline Lucas has added her voice to calls for the Lewes - Uckfield rail link to be returned to the Kent and East Sussex rail network, restoring a train service that was destroyed by short-sighted planners 35 years ago.

On a fact-finding visit to Uckfield today, she said: "While road congestion in Kent and East Sussex gets worse by the day, it is quite amazing that the Uckfield line has been left as a dead-end branch, when just seven miles of track would make it into a major route from London to the South Coast."

"If we want to get people out of their cars and cut the jams in places like Lewes, it's no good just making things awkward for motorists. We have to invest in attractive alternatives that offer people a real choice: the Lewes - Uckfield link is an obvious starting point and would only be the price of a typical bypass."

During her visit, Dr Lucas was able to sample one of South Central's new Turbostar units, which are replacing the Uckfield line's existing 40+ year old trains. "These Turbostars really are superb," she said, "but if they are to achieve their full potential, the link to Lewes and the coastal towns must be restored. As it is, southbound traffic on the Uckfield line is negligible - and that's a criminal waste."

Looking ahead to this June's Euro elections, she said that voters would have to look carefully at the records of both Labour and the Tories on sustainable transport. "Although they argue a lot, their transport policies have been practically identical: Lewes - Uckfield was closed under Labour in 1969 and Eridge - Tunbridge Wells under the Tories in 1985. And since returning to power in 1997, and despite its talk about "integrated transport", Labour has done nothing to repair the damage."

At Uckfield, she met members of the Wealden Line Campaign led by Chairman Simon Anderson and Campaign Director Brian Hart, who briefed her on the current situation.

"We naturally welcome Dr Lucas' support for the campaign," said Mr Anderson. "As a representative whose constituency covers much of the South East, Dr Lucas is well-placed to see the major benefits that this project offers both Kent and East Sussex and the region as a whole."

12 March - Spa Valley planning appeal dismissed

The Planning Inspectorate has dismissed the Spa Valley Railway's appeal against Wealden District Council's refusal of planning permission for the railway's proposed new station at Birchden. The preserved railway now has the option of accepting the inspector's verdict or challenging it in the High Court; to be successful, the railway would have to show that the way its appeal was dealt with was flawed in some way.

Having consistently opposed the 'Birchden Halt' plans, we welcome the inspector's decision, because although we want the Eridge - Tunbridge Wells line to be restored, we believe this should be as part of the national rail network rather than as a preserved railway.

Given the Spa Valley Railway's known hostility to this objective, and its record of downgrading those sections of the route on which it operates, we argued that this extension of its operations would be likely to hinder rather than assist the route's restoration as a link between Crowborough and Tonbridge.

We also expressed grave doubts about the safety of establishing a preserved railway terminus in the immediate vicinity of both an operational Network Rail line (ie the Uckfield line) and a level crossing intended only for minimal traffic on which there has already been a recent fatality.

Although they do do not lie within our remit, there were also serious environmental concerns regarding the proposed 91m (300ft) concrete and steel platform, which would have been built in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty.

For background information see our news archive for 2003.

22 February - More photos from class 170 launch

With the class 170 Turbostars poised to take over more off-peak Uckfield line services this spring and the end of the line for the DEMUs not far off now, we bring you some more views of the official launch of the new trains on 15 December.

10 January - MP pinpoints rail issue

Writing in the Sussex Express, Lewes MP Norman Baker has again called for action to get the Lewes - Uckfield rail link restored:

"...we need immediate action to improve the rail network. Why doesn't the government identify, say, 100 small-scale schemes that could be achieved at modest cost within existing budgets that would make a real difference to local people - such as the re-opening of short but key stretches of line, for instance, between Lewes and Uckfield in East Sussex?" (our emphasis)

Why indeed, Mr Darling?

Giving the lie to all those misleading stories in the media about soaring motoring costs, Mr Baker also asked:

"Why have rail fares risen, in real terms, by more than 80 per cent since 1974, while the real-term cost of motoring has fallen?"

Given current levels of road congestion accross the South East, this is a very pertinent question.

He rounded off his comments on transport by promising that if in power, his party, "would change the Whitehall notion that money spent on rail is subsidy, while money spent on roads is investment" -- a move which we believe is long overdue.

Coming from one of the most effective members of the House of Commons, Mr Baker's latest remarks surely deserve careful attention from ministers. As to whether they will get it, of course, is another matter.

Sadly, on this government's present form, we are not holding our breath.

1 January 2004 - New gallery: 'Destruction of a railway'

Looking at what is left of the Eridge to Tunbridge Wells route today, it is easy to forget that it was once a well-engineered double-track railway, and one of only two east-west rail links between Kent and East Sussex.

To serve as a reminder of what was lost in July 1985 when the route closed, we have compiled a new gallery that shows it as it was and illustrates the way in which ill-planned development has made reopening more difficult -- though thankfully not impossible.

The pictures also graphically show BR's systematic and disgraceful neglect of the route, which did so much to lay the foundations for closure.