| Cliftonville Curve | |
|---|---|
.JPG) The Cliftonville Curve looking northeastwards | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Locale | Hove, Preston Village, Brighton, East Sussex |
| Termini | |
| Connecting lines | |
| Stations | 2: Hove, Preston Park |
| Service | |
| Operator(s) | Southern |
| History | |
| Opened | July 1879 |
| Technical | |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
Cliftonville Curve is a short railway that links the West Coastway Line to the Brighton Main Line between Hove and Preston Park.[1] It was opened in July 1879.[1][2] The curve includes a 535-yard (489 m) tunnel.[2]
The line, which is also known as the Cliftonville Spur,[3] was named in reference to Cliftonville station (now called Hove) which had opened in 1865.[4] Cliftonville was an area of Hove which was developed speculatively as a "fashionable neighbourhood" in the mid-19th century.[5] Construction of the curve allowed trains to travel between the Brighton Main Line and the West Coastway Line without having to reverse at Brighton,[3] reducing congestion there and shortening journeys.[2]
- ^ a b Jeffs 2013, chpt. "A Brief History of the 'Brighton'"
- ^ a b c Hymans 2016, chpt. "The West Coast Route"
- ^ a b Middleton 1979, p. 55.
- ^ Middleton 1979, p. 54.
- ^ Middleton 1979, p. 53.