Kemp Town branch line

Kemp Town
branch line
London Road
Ditchling Road Tunnel (
63 yd
58 m
)
Lewes Road
Lewes Road Viaduct
Hartington Road Viaduct
Hartington Road Halt
Kemptown Tunnel (
1024 yd
936 m
)
Kemp Town

Kemp Town branch line was a railway line running from Brighton to Kemptown in the UK that operated between 1869 and 1971. It ran from a junction off the Brighton to Lewes line between London Road and Moulsecoomb stations, to Kemp Town railway station.[1] It opened in 1869 and was expensive to construct, requiring a tunnel and a large viaduct.

The passenger service declined after 1917 due to tramway competition, and ceased at the end of 1932, but goods trains continued to operate on the line until 1971.

For a time during the Second World War the tunnel on the branch was used for night storage of main-line passenger stock, as a precaution against bomb damage from enemy action.

Pre-grouping, the line was operated by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. Post-grouping it was operated by the Southern Railway then the Southern Region of British Railways.

  1. ^ Riley, R. C. (December 1952). "By Rail to Kemp Town" (PDF). The Railway Magazine. pp. 832–836. Retrieved 8 June 2019.