Horsted Keynes

Bluebell & Primrose Line

The island platforms measured 470-feet in length, and each was host to an attractive pitched-roof canopy. The latter were 195-feet long, supported upon two lines of wrought-iron stanchions, and comprised sloping roof ends and ornate timber valances. The canopies housed timber-built platform offices underneath, and design of the former was standardised along the route. The side platform, on the ‘’down’’ side, was shorter than the islands, measuring 425-feet in length; this was as a result of a cattle dock line terminating against the platform’s southern end. The layout here was arranged in such a way that the ‘’down’’ side platform and island served the same section of single-track – thus, if a train was in, a passenger could clamber through the carriage compartments to change platforms, as opposed to using the subway! The main station building was an impressive affair, and was situated upon the ‘’down’’ side platform. It was built to a standardised design used at all stations along the Bluebell & Primrose route, and comprised a substantial two-storey-high main section housing the Station Master’s accommodation. The ground floor of the structure was brick built, whilst the first floor was fabricated from a timber framework, the gaps between the beams being in-filled with plaster. The gabled pitched roof sections, although also comprising a timber framework, were clad with vertically-hung clay tiles. The main building was flanked on either side by single-storey appendices (one of which housed the booking office), and extending from its western elevation was a 112-foot-long platform canopy, built to the same design as those which appeared on the island surfaces. Gas lighting was used throughout the station.

The layout here was spacious, and to the immediate west of the ‘’up’’ island was a trio of northward-facing sidings. These were initially used for general rolling stock storage, but later became a dump for withdrawn locomotives either awaiting overhaul at Brighton, or scrapping. They were accompanied at the site by a further six sidings; the latter were positioned immediately south of the ‘’down’’ side platform, were southward-facing, and required a head shunt manoeuvre to gain access. The station was signalled by the LB&SCR itself, and two cabins appeared, north and south of the platforms, based heavily on those designs pioneered by contractor Saxby & Farmer. ‘’South Box’’ was positioned at the end of the ‘’up’’ sidings, and comprised 33 levers to control the junction between the diverging Lewes and Haywards Heath routes. It was the largest signal cabin on the Bluebell & Primrose line, the structure at Kingscote coming a close second. This same design of signal box was used throughout on the ''Cuckoo Line'' between Eridge and Polegate. Horsted Keynes’ ‘’North Box’’ was positioned 60 yards beyond the London end of the ‘’down’’ island, and operated a series of crossovers immediately beyond the platforms.

Changes at the station occurred around the turn of the century. The wood and plaster panelling of the station building’s upper floor was completely covered over with vertically-hung clay tiling, extended down from the pitched roof sections. This was a task undertaken at all stations along the route – unfortunately, the plaster leaked badly! In the months prior to the declaration of war in August 1914, rationalisation of the layout occurred. This involved downgrading ‘’North Box’’ to ground frame status, and thus the abolition of the ‘’North’’ and ‘’South’’ designations. The former ‘'South Box’’ became the prime cabin, and a revision of the track layout at the junction gave trains using the eastern-most platform line direct access to the Haywards Heath spur – previously, onward southward travel from this line led only to the Lewes route via Sheffield Park. To afford the signalman a clear view over the entire track layout, particularly the region once covered by ‘’North Box’’, the canopy and timber offices of the ‘’up’’ island were demolished.

The Bluebell & Primrose line was absorbed into the Southern Railway on Grouping in 1923, and this company implemented its own wave of significant alterations. These began in about 1930, with the simplification of the remaining ‘’down’’ island canopy: the sloping ends were removed, and a plain timber valance installed. The eastern-most platform canopy, attached to the main building, remained largely unchanged, retaining the original 1882 shape, albeit with truncated valance. On New Year’s Day 1933, the SR implemented a full accelerated electric timetable between London and Brighton, and two years later, this was followed by the completion of electrification schemes on lines radiating out of Lewes. Installation of third rail occurred between Lewes and Keymer Junction (south of Haywards Heath), along the ‘’East Coast’’ route between Brighton and Ore, and down the branch lines to Seaford and Eastbourne. As part of the same electrification scheme, third rail was also laid along the Ardingly spur, between Copyhold Junction (north of Haywards Heath) and Horsted Keynes. This was in preparation for the commencement of a Seaford to Haywards Heath electric service: terminating the train at the latter would have used up much needed platform capacity upon an already congested main line. The proposed electric service was therefore extended through to Horsted Keynes, which was upon a route operating to a very relaxed timetable. Electric operation upon the aforementioned routes commenced on 4th July 1935, and modifications had already been made at Horsted Keynes in preparation for this. Severe rationalisation of the track layout occurred, which involved the decommissioning of the western-most platform line, and the removal of two of the adjacent sidings. The Ardingly line remained double-track, but only the sole remaining line which served the ‘’up’’ island was electrified – the rest of Horsted Keynes' layout lacked third rail. The former ‘’North Box’’, by now a ground frame, was totally abolished, and control of a much simplified track layout fell wholly to the remaining signal box at the junction between the Haywards Heath and Lewes routes. On the plus side, however, the 1935 electrification had at least seen the commissioning of electric lighting on all platform surfaces. This system was supported upon concrete lampposts and was most probably fed directly from the supply of the third rail, especially in light of the fact that Horsted Keynes was the only station along the 1882 route to receive electric lighting.

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