Hastings line

Hastings line
A Southeastern electric multiple unit at Battle with a Hastings to London Charing Cross service in 2018
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerNetwork Rail
LocaleKent
East Sussex
South East England
Termini
Stations13
Service
TypeSuburban rail, Heavy rail
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)SE Trains
Hastings area only:
Southern
Rolling stockClass 375 "Electrostar"
Hastings area only:
Class 171 "Turbostar"
Class 377 "Electrostar"
History
Opened1846–52 in stages
Technical
Line length32 miles 71 chains (32.89 mi; 52.93 km)
Number of tracks2 (1 in some tunnels)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Loading gaugeC1
ElectrificationThird rail, 750 V DC
Operating speed90 mph (140 km/h)
Route map

(Click to expand)
Hastings line
29 mi 42 ch
47.52 km
Tonbridge
Somerhill Tunnel
410 yd
375 m
Southborough Viaduct
over Southborough Bourne
32 mi 70 ch
52.91 km
High Brooms
33 mi 49 ch
54.09 km
Tunbridge Wells goods station
site of first Tunbridge Wells station
Wells Tunnel
823 yd
753 m
34 mi 32 ch
55.36 km
Tunbridge Wells
Grove Hill Tunnel
287 yd
262 m
Grove Junction
Strawberry Hill Tunnel
286 yd
262 m
36 mi 53 ch
59 km
Frant
39 mi 23 ch
63.23 km
Wadhurst
Tributary of River Teise
Wadhurst Tunnel
1205 yd
1102 m
43 mi 66 ch
70.53 km
Stonegate
47 mi 34 ch
76.32 km
Etchingham
Robertsbridge Junction Rother Valley Railway
49 mi 47 ch
79.8 km
Robertsbridge
Mountfield Tunnel
526 yd
481 m
53 mi 37 ch
86.04 km
Mountfield Halt
55 mi 46 ch
89.44 km
Battle
57 mi 50 ch
92.74 km
Crowhurst
60 mi 59 ch
97.75 km
West St Leonards
60 mi 69 ch
97.95 km
Bopeep Junction
Bo-peep Tunnel
1318 yd
1205 m
61 mi 55 ch
99.28 km
St Leonards Warrior Square
Hastings Tunnel
788 yd
721 m
62 mi 33 ch
100.44 km
Hastings

The Hastings line is a secondary railway line in Kent and East Sussex, England, linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and London via Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. Although primarily carrying passengers, the railway also serves a gypsum mine which is a source of freight traffic. Southeastern Trains operates passenger trains on the line, and it is one of their busiest lines.

The railway was constructed by the South Eastern Railway in the early 1850s across the difficult terrain of the High Weald. Supervision of the building of the line was lax, enabling contractors to skimp on the lining of the tunnels. These deficiencies showed up after the railway had opened. Rectifications led to a restricted loading gauge along the line, requiring the use of dedicated rolling stock.

Served by steam locomotives from opening until the late 1950s, passenger services were then taken over by a fleet of diesel-electric multiple units built to the line's loading gauge. Diesel locomotives handled freight, also built to fit the loading gauge. The diesel-electric multiple units served on the line until 1986, when the line was electrified and the most severely affected tunnels were reduced from double track to single.