Godstone

In 1986, the line east of Godstone was re-signalled, semaphores being replaced by colour aspect lights. The signal box at the station was closed and the line to the east of the site came under the control of Tonbridge ‘’Power Box’’. To the west of the station, the signals were controlled by Three Bridges Signalling Centre. Subsequent demolition of the signal box left the SE&CR footbridge and the vandalised bus shelters of 1971 as the only remaining structures at the site. Indeed, the track layout had been simplified to the extent that the trailing crossovers at either ends of the platforms were eliminated, but sidings still remained in use ¾-mile to the west. These were on the ‘’up’’ side of the line, and served a landfill site which was once in use as a clay pit for the ‘’South Eastern Brick & Terra Cotta Company’’. Dating from about 1900, the site was by this time used as a tip for spent ballast.

A £19 million electrification of the Redhill to Tonbridge line was authorised by the Government in spring 1990. Primarily, this sought to provide an alternate route for the Chunnel freight traffic that was to be hauled by the Class 92 electric locomotives, then under construction. Electrification of the line was completed in 1993, and in the following year, the diesel passenger service was replaced by an electric one. In 1994, the infrastructure was taken over by newly-created ‘’Railtrack’’ (privatised in 1996), and this body soon began implementing draconian signalling interference criteria. This prevented the Class 92s from operating along the Redhill to Tonbridge line, due to the fleet’s high electrical power rating.

Today, the station is a sorry-looking affair, being one of many victims of British Rail’s drastic rationalisation policy. Whilst the vandalised rectangular bus shelters were replaced by modern curved examples in 2008, Godstone’s days as an attractive SE&CR affair in rural Surrey are well and truly over.

The photos on this and subsequent pages were taken in 1983, after the Landfill Sidings were installed, but before the Three Bridges Re-signalling Scheme resulting in the closure of Redhill "B" signal box. The re-signalling at the western end of layout was somewhat unusual, in that additional signalling was installed and brought into use a number of formerly spare levers, namely Nos. 13, 14, 15, 18, 19 & 20, although No. 1 lever became spare (formerly the Down Distant). New colour light signalling was also installed replacing the semaphore Down Home Signal (lever No.2) and Up Advanced Starting Signals (lever No. 21) with colour light signalling. At around this time it was normal that if new signalling was added to existing layouts, that the signalling would be controlled by electric switches rather than by levers. The colour light signalling controlled by Godstone had the prefix "GD".

A new "Down" colour light Distant signal was also installed, but worked automatically according to the status of signals and levers No. 2, 3 and 4.

Godstone signal box originally could be switched out when not required until Redhill "B" signal box was abolished. This occurred between Friday 10th May and Sunday 12th May 1985. After that date Godstone became a fringe box to Three Bridges Signalling Centre, which required it to be open at all times. No new signals were placed within Godstone's area of control although the signal box diagram gained additional track circuits.

Unfortunately, this elevation in status was to be short lived, because in 1986 the line east of Godstone was re-signalled, resulting in the closure of Godstone Edenbridge and Penshurst signal boxes. This new signalling was controlled initially by Tonbridge Power box before control was transferred to Ashford IECC. To the west of Godstone, the line became the responsibility of Three Bridges Signalling Centre. The Landfill Sidings became operated by means of a locally installed switch operated ground frame which also controlled the position light shunting signals. Former Godstone Down Home and Down Distant colour light signals GD2 and GD2R became T503 and T503R respectively. All other colour light and semaphore signalling was abolished. The two crossovers at opposite ends of the station plus the connection from the Down Siding at Godstone was abolished. At the end of Godstone Up Platform a new colour light signal T508 replaced the semaphore Up Starting signal. This signal also has its own distant signal T508R preceding it, out of sight of Godstone station. The Down semaphore starting signal was replaced with a new colour-light signal numbered PE505, but was subsequently re-numbered AD505 when the control of signalling was transferred from Tonbridge to Ashford. As can be seen, Godstone now marks the boundary of control between Three Bridges Signalling Centre and Ashford IECC.