Spa Valley Railway, West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY
Telephone: 01892 537715
Email enquiries@spavalleyrailway.co.uk

Closure of the Railway

From the late 1880's onwards, your travel choices from Groombridge or Tunbridge Wells West stations would have been:

• Direct to London via Oxted,

• Brighton via Lewes,

• Eastbourne via Polegate,

• Three Bridges via East Grinstead,

• Tonbridge

• and all the stations inbetween.

Left:- J1 tank 2325 stands at Tunbridge Wells West on 6th July 1946 - Photo © Spa Valley Railway archive.

However, by the late 1960's, many crucial lines had closed, such as the:

• 'Cuckoo Line' between Eridge and Polegate,

• Uckfield to Lewes line,

• route between Groombridge, East Grinstead and Three Bridges

Your choice would have been reduced to a shuttle between Tonbridge and Eridge with some extending to Uckfield.

Left:- Oxted Units 1318 and 1319 sit in the up platform at Eridge on 17th September 1983 -  Photo © Phil Barnes

By the early 1980's under-investment had left the five miles of line between Grove Junction (Tunbridge Wells) and Birchden Junction (north of Eridge) in need of track and signalling replacement.

The track and signalling upgrade for the Tonbridge - Hastings line electrification was being planned and the removal of Grove Junction would obviously save money. Tunbridge Wells West and Groombridge station sites were obvious assets for development (as long as they did not have a railway running through them).

Right:- 1317 passes Grove Junction on 6th July 1985 - Photo © Phil Barnes

Not surprisingly, British Rail decided that the line was surplus to requirements and announced its closure on 10th September 1982, with the intention of withdrawing services on 16th May 1983.

Left:- Part of the published closure notice for the Tunbridge Wells and Eridge line. © SVR

Objections to the closure were made to the Transport Users' Consultative Committee (TUCC) by some 300 individuals, 24 councils, users, travellers groups and other organisations.

The TUCC objected to the line's closure on the grounds that it would cause considerable hardship for the line's users and the alternative bus service would have higher fares and longer journeys. British Rail surveys of the line's use indicated that around 750 passenger journeys were made daily Monday to Friday, reducing to 500 on Saturdays (there was no Sunday service by this time).

Left:- 1311 waits at Groombridge on 6th July 1985 - Photo © Phil Barnes

However, the objections were outweighed by British Rail's cost argument. They estimated that to upgrade the infrastructure, while retaining the existing services, would give a £175,000 loss per year. Even their preferred option of a reduced service and unmanned stations would give an estimated loss of around £130,000 per year.

Interestingly, these estimates included an unspecified amount for rolling stock replacement which, it turns out, was not to happen for another 20 years!

Right:- Replacement rolling stock recently introduced on the Uckfield line. On 1st May 2005, Class 171 171803 stands at Eridge - Photo © J. Homewood

So the Secretary of State for Transport gave his consent to the line’s closure which was announced on 7^th February 1985. The date given for the withdrawal of passenger services was 6^th July 1985, to allow time to set up the alternative bus services.

With only a few months to go before closure, the Eridge Line Action Group (ELAG) was formed to keep the line open, possibly by joint operation of the line by a private company and British Rail.

The ELAG campaign initially involved rallying the support of MPs and councils so that pressure could be applied to the Secretary of State for Transport, but they were willing to take the case to the High Court if necessary. The group also questioned the validity of the financial case provided by British Rail and why the line was allowed to deteriorate into a state requiring such expenditure.

Left:- The Eridge Line Action Group poster designed to gather support from the public. © SVR

The High Court set 24^th July for a judicial review of the Transport Secretary’s approval of the closure. However, the court action was not against British Rail so the closure proceeded as planned regardless of the possible outcome of the action. 

So on 6^th July 1985 Tunbridge Wells West station was decked in black bunting, a black flag flew above the entrance and a coffin stood in the gas lit booking hall. Many people visited the line to pay their last respects. Two "Oxted" diesel units were used, 1317 and 1311, to provide the shuttle service between Tunbridge Wells Central station and Eridge station. They carried headboards specially made for the occasion with the inscriptions “The Groombridge Line 1866 – 1985” and “Farewell 31 Squadron” (refering to the line’s route code of 31).

Right:- 1317 sits in the Up platform at Eridge on the 6th July 1985 with the associated closure headboards attached - Photo © Roy Coomber

Above Left and Bottom Left:- The two headboards that 1317 carried on the last day of services in 1985, and hopefully which it will carry again at this year's anniversary - Photos © S. Homewood

The final services over the line were accompanied by the customary exploding detonators and people along the route waving and cheering as the trains passed. When the last train arrived the coffin was loaded into its guard's van before it was shunted into the sidings. Then it was all over, 119 years of passenger services came to an end.

British Rail did not waste any time as the Grove Junction was removed the following day as part of the Hastings line alterations. Tunbridge Wells West was still used to stable and fuel diesel units and the line was used for access to the depot. The ELAG court action was unsuccessful as the judicial review would not allow access to the closure documents and the High Court Judge could not fault the closure decision.

The end of the line finally came on 10^th August 1985 when the depot was closed.

Left:- Tunbridge Wells West Yard in 1988, 3 years after closure - Photo © S. Homewood 

However, shortly after closure, Tunbridge Wells and Eridge Railway Preservation Society was formed with the intention of bringing the line back from the grave. Many said it could not be done but events have proved them wrong. Information regarding the society and its' successes can be found on our history page.

Twenty years later Tunbridge Wells West is once again a busy train depot, this time for the Spa Valley Railway. Passenger services run between Tunbridge Wells and Groombridge and Oxted unit 1317 has returned to one of its old haunts.  

Right:- 1317 sits at Tunbridge Wells West shortly after returning home in September 2004 - Photo © J. Homewood

In July the unit will play an important role in the 20^th anniversary of the closure, and will be re-united with the closure headboards and some of those present when the line closed.

It will be a time to reflect on the many achievements of the last twenty years and to look forward to more in the future.

Left:- Two Spa Valley Successes - Polish TKh 'Spartan' was the first steam engine to be overhauled by the Spa Valley Railway in July 2000. In July 2004, the engine stands under School Lane Bridge, which the railway completely renovated over the previous winter - Photo © S. Homewood

Last Updated 8th May 2005. ©M. Dives