Drawings of LB&SCR Buildings
Last updated 8 December 2006
Buildings
The aim of this page is to list known published drawings of LBSCR buildings, with annotations, and to briefly review books discussing LBSCR architecture. No attempt has been made to catalogue drawings that can only be obtained from archive sources. The publications covered are indicated by author and abbreviated title in the tables, and are listed fully in the Bibliography.
Web sites listing Southern Railway drawings by Mike Watts and Mick Field were of considerable value in listing magazine sources; Dave Searle helped in checking some of those references and advising on editorial matters. A few references still had to be marked "not seen" and they were all from the aforementioned SR drawing list (some of these may be of structures built after 1923). Thanks are also due to Mike Watts, Nick Holliday and Edward Hart for the provision of additional information, and several other members of the Brighton Circle who commented on earlier drafts.
Drawings
Most of the drawings listed here appear to have been made after the building was constructed. Even original drawings must be compared to photographs to check what changes were made, e.g. the drawings of Cocking Station in Off the Rails show the "gents" at the wrong end of the building! Many are "modeller's drawings", e.g. Derek Bidwell's drawings in Modelling Historic Architecture consist of a plan with horizontal dimensions, plus elevations with counts of brick courses to indicate vertical dimensions. Similarly, drawings at 2mm=1ft scale in Vivien Thompson's Period Railway Modelling Buildings were based on a combination of field measurements and careful study of photographs. The substantial collection of drawings of Wealden style buildings in Alan Elliott's The Cuckoo Line are also to this convenient scale. Two web sites offer drawings of LBSCR interest for sale, namely Derek Bidwell and XlistPlans ."
Background
There is no work specifically on the stations of the LBSCR. However, John Hoare's Sussex Railway Architecture discusses each period of development of the railway in Sussex and provides a classification of the stations, most of which were originally LBSCR. An important photographic survey was carried out by Nigel Wikely and John Middleton in Railway Stations, Southern Region, and it gives examples on a line by line basis with dates of station opening. By far the most comprehensive photographic survey is the series of books by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith (see Bibliography). There is also a database of published station photographs.
Many of the early main line stations were designed by David Mocatta and a brief account of his work was provided by Gordon Biddle in Victorian Stations. He credits Mocatta with producing the first unit designs for a railway, i.e. many stations could be built as variants of a single design. Gordon Buck's Pictorial Survey of Railway Stations includes a chapter on the LBSCR in which he summarises the major "families" of designs that were common to several stations and includes photographs of many examples, e.g. the stock design (Hoare's group 5b) used at Ockley & Capel (1867) on the Dorking-Horsham line, and similarly at Buxted (1868) on the Oxted-Uckfield line. The Wealden style buildings provide the best example amongst the available drawings. They were designed by the architect Terence H. Myers and usually built by James Longley of Crawley, and were initially half-timbered. However, by about 1900 most had their upper story clad in hanging tiles to prevent damp penetration, e.g. those on the Bluebell Railway. The underlying basic design was easily modified to fit each platform layout, e.g. the single story booking hall could be left or right of the two story house section, and the "gents" at left or right ends, and at larger stations a refreshment room was inserted. Modellers not wishing to build to a single prototype can study a range of stations built to a single basic style, and apply the same system of modifications to suit their station, knowing that they are simply following tradition!
Livery
The livery applied to LBSCR stations is largely unknown. After about 1895, borders and structural frames, stanchion posts, and doors, were said to be dark red-brown or maroon, with wooden walls and window frames white/pale (Peter Wisdom, The Brighton Circular, 19: 41); Sheffield Park Station on the Bluebell Railway is painted in this scheme. Photographs taken in the 1880s indicate that earlier, wooden walls, including their framing, doors and stanchion posts were all pale coloured, and window frames were white. The only application of a dark colour appears to have been to framing and guttering above canopy valances, and the exposed half-timbering of Wealden-style stations. It has been suggested that the pale colour may have been buff, and it is possible that frames were a darker shade of similar colour; the very dark colour used on gutters and half-timbering is also unknown but may have been similar to that used in later years (dark red-brown or maroon).
Table 1. Station Main Buildings
This list is arranged according to the classification of Sussex Stations (John Hoare's Sussex Railway Architecture); non-Sussex stations have been allocated to the same categories by the author. Where possible, dates are those of the building rather than the station, which may have had an earlier origin. Where a building is known or presumed to date from station opening, the date was usually taken from History of the Southern Railway (Dendy Marshall & Kidner).
| Style | Station | Year | Publication | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. L&B 1840-46 | Hove | 1840 | Hoare, Sussex Railway Architecture: 13 | Rail elevation only; half-tone copy of original drawings |
| 1. L&B 1840-46 | Hove | 1840 | Mitchell & Smith, Brighton - Worthing: follows pl.22 | Rail elevation plus plan; half-tone copy of original drawings |
| 1. L&B 1840-46 | Chichester | 1847 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 67-69 | Rail, road and one end elevation, plus extension elevations |
| 4b. Early roadside 1846-60 | Hailsham | 1849 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 142 | Rail and end elevations; drawn before major modifications |
| 5b. Stock designs 1860-80 but modified | Belmont | 1865 | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 2: | Forecourt, north and south elevations |
| 5b. Stock designs 1860-80 ? but modified | Banstead | 1865 | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 2: | Road & rail elevations; plan. |
| 5b. Stock designs 1860-80 but modified | Epsom Downs | 1865 | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 2: | Platform and fourcourt elevations, plus plan |
| 5b. Stock designs 1860-80 | Lingfield | 1884 | Bidwell, Historic Architecture: 64-65 | All elevations + plan |
| 5b. Stock designs 1860-80 | Groombridge | 1889 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 159-160 | All elevations plus plan |
| 5c. Stock designs 1860-80 | East Grinstead | 1866 | Gould, Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells: | West and north elevations; plan |
| 5c. Stock designs 1860-80 [but note "Wealden" timbering?] | Eridge | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 157 | Drawn before half-timbering removed; road and both end elevations, plus plan |
| 5c. Stock designs 1860-80 | Glynde | 1874 | Model Railways, Apr. 1978: 195-201 | Platform, yard and east elevations; plan; canopy; staionmasters's house (platform, yard and side elevation) |
| 5c. Stock designs 1860-80 ? | Sutton | 1882 | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 2: | Road elevation |
| 5d. Stock designs 1860-80 | Slinfold | 1865 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 58-59 | All elevations plus plan |
| 5d. Stock designs 1860-80 | Slinfold | 1865 | Railway Modeller, Apr. 1969: 106-107 | All elevations plus plan |
| 5x. Period of the mid-Victorian designs but unique | Hayling Island | 1867 | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 1: | Platform & section elevation, plus plan |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Heathfield | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 149-151 | Drawn post tile hanging; rail (end) plus front and rear elevations |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Hellingly | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 146-147, 156 | Drawn post tile hanging; all elevations plus pre and post 1905 floor plans |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Mayfield | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 156 | Drawn pre tile hanging; end elevation only |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | 1880 | Model Railway News, Mar. 1960: 86-91 | All elevations plus plan |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 154-156 | Drawn pre tile hanging; all elevations, plus plans |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Waldron & Horam Rd. | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 148, 156 | Drawn post tile hanging; road and end elevations, but notes Hellingly rail elevation similar |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Cocking | 1881 | Gage et al., Off the Rails: 24 | Rail and end elevations; very small copy of annotated original drawing |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Lavant | 1881 | Clark, Chichester & Midhurst Railway | Road elevation |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Midhurst | 1881 | Mitchell & Smith, To Midhurst: 83-85 | Drawn pre tile hanging; all elevations |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Singleton | 1881 | Gage et al., Off the Rails: 42 | Road elevation; very small copy of original drawing |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Horsted Keynes | 1882 | Railway Modeller 2005 (9): 568 | Platform and end elevations (as preserved) |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Kingscote | 1882 | Railway Modeller 2005 (11): 712 | Details of platform and end elevation |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Newick & Chailey | 1882 | Welch, Rails to Sheffield Park: | Drawn pre tile hanging; rail, road and one end elevation. |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Newick & Chailey | 1882 | Marx, Lewes & East Grinstead: 57 | Drawn pre tile hanging; rail, road and one end elevation (after Welch). |
| 6. Wealden 1879-83 | Sheffield Park | 1882 | Railway Modeller 2005 (7): 422 | All elevations (as preserved) |
| 7x. Period of the type 7 designs | Havant | 1889 | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 1: | Forecourt & section elevations, plus plan |
| 7x. Period of the type 7 designs | East Southsea | 1885 | Robertson, Southsea Railway | Road, platform and one end elevation |
| 9. Brick stns 1895-1914 | Purley Oaks | 1899 | Model Railway Constructor, Nov. 1960 | Road elevation |
| 9. Brick stns 1895-1914 | Bognor | 1902 | Mitchell & Smith, Worthing-Chichester: adj. pl. 86 | Part of road elevation; copy of original drawing |
| 10. Timber (all dates) | Petworth | 1859 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 70-71 | All elevations |
| 10. Timber (all dates) | Oxted | 1884 | Mitchell & Smith, East Grinstead: adj. pls. 4-5 | Road and rail elevations; very small copy of post LBSCR drawing (road elevation rendered) |
| 10. Timber (all dates) | Fittleworth | 1889 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 72 | All elevations |
| 10. Timber (all dates) | Fittleworth | 1889 | British Railway Journal 1986 (14): | Platform elevation; plan and section |
Table 2 - Signal Boxes
This list is arranged according to the classification of Saxby and Farmer, and LBSCR boxes, proposed by the Signalling Study Group (The Signal Box, A Pictorial History); boxes not specifically mentioned in that work were allocated to each category by the author. Dates were derived from a range of works.
| Style | Station | Year | Publication | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&F early | general design plans | 1856 | Signal Study Group, Signal Box: 13 | Front elevation |
| S&F 1b | Groombridge | 1866 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 161 | Front and both end elevations |
| S&F 2b/5 ? | Chichester | 1875 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 64 | All elevations; drawing appears to be of type 5 but East box was 2b (1875) |
| S&F 5 | Crawley | 1877 | Model Railway Constructor, Sept. 1964: 242 | Front & side elevations and details |
| S&F 5 | Drayton | 1876 | Pryer, A Pictorial Record of Southern Signals: 116 | All elevations |
| S&F 5 | East Grinstead | 1883/4 | Model Railways, Sept. 1986: 574-5 | South Box, front and end elevation; 1950 condition |
| S&F 5 | Eastbourne | 1882 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 54 | All elevations |
| S&F 5 | Eridge | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 163 | Front and end elevations |
| S&F 5 | Groombridge Jct. | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 163 | Front and end elevations |
| S&F 5 ? | Glynde | 1876 | Model Railways, Apr. 1978: 195-201 | Front and side elevations (prepared from photos) |
| S&F 5 | Lingfield | 1884 | Bidwell, Historic Architecture: 61 | Front and both end elevations + plan |
| S&F 5 | general design plans | Signal Study Group, Signal Box: 86 | Front elevation and plan; 3 designs | |
| S&F 5 | general design plans | Brighton Circular 1(1): 4 | All elevations | |
| LBSCR 1 | Hailsham | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Hailsham | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | Platform box: All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Heathfield | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Heathfield | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | Platform box: All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Hellingly | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Hellingly | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | Platform box: All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Mayfield | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Mayfield | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | Platform box: All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Midhurst | 1881 | Mitchell & Smith, To Midhurst: 82 | Front and both end elevations |
| LBSCR 1 | Midhurst | 1881 | Mitchell & Smith, To Midhurst: 82 | Platform box: Front and both end elevations |
| LBSCR 1 | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | Platform box: All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Waldron & Horam Rd. | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 1 | Waldron & Horam Rd. | 1880 | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 145 | Platform box: All elevations of standard plans plus dimensions for this location |
| LBSCR 2a | Bedhampton | 1876/9? | Pryer, A Pictorial Record of Southern Signals: 115 | All elevations |
| LBSCR 2a | Littlehampton | 1886 | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 75 | All elevations |
| LBSCR 2b? | Kingscote; ex Brighton upper goods yard | 1882 | Railway Modeller 2005 (11): 712 | Front and end elevations |
| LBSCR 3b | Birchden Jct. | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 163 | Front and end elevations | |
| LBSCR 3b | general design plan (brick) | Model Railway Constructor, Jan. 1964: | ||
| LBSCR 3b | general design plan (brick) | Signal Study Group, Signal Box: 178 | Front and end elevations [for further sections of same drawings see HMRS 18(7):248] | |
| LBSCR 3b | general design plan (brick) | HMRS Journal, July 2004, 18 (7): 248 | Front and end elevations, plus floor plan; also photos of Barnham box | |
| LBSCR 3b | general design plan (Timber) | Model Railway Constructor, May. 1964: | ||
| LBSCR 3b | general design plan | Signal Study Group, Signal Box: 178 | Front and end elevations | |
| [Article not seen; depends if original or rebuilt] | Bognor Regis | said to be in - Railway Modeller Feb. 1994 - ref. incorrect | not seen; likely to be SR replacement box |
Table 3 - Other Buildings
This list includes other types of structure, including good sheds, platform buildings, loco sheds and water towers.
| Structure | Station | Publication | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge | Langston | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 1: | Side elevation plus plan |
| Buffer stop | Railway Modeller 1965 (Aug.) | Not seen | |
| Cottages | Chichester | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 65-66 | All elevations plus plans |
| Crossing Keeper's hut | Chichester | Brighton Circular 2: 18 | All elevations |
| Footbridge | Belmont | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 2: | Stair and over-track elevations |
| Footbridge | Heathfield | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 149-151 | Front and end elevations plus plan |
| Footbridge | Newick & Chailey | Welch, Rails to Sheffield Park: | elevations and section |
| Footbridge | Newick & Chailey | Marx, Lewes & East Grinstead: 57 | elevations and section (after Welch) |
| Goods shed | Chichester | Mitchell & Smith, Chichester-Portsmouth: adj. pls. 2-5 | All elevations |
| Goods shed | Eastbourne | Railway Modeller, May 1973 | Both ends, part of one side, plus office |
| Goods shed | Eastbourne | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 55 | One end and part of a side elevation |
| Goods shed | Edenbridge Town | Model Railway Constructor, June 1959 | Part side plus end elevations |
| Goods shed | Hayling Island | Reeve & Hawkins, Branch Lines of SR, vol. 1: | Sectional side and end elevation |
| Goods shed | Heathfield | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 153 | One side and both end elevations, plus plan |
| Goods shed | Lingfield | Bidwell, Historic Architecture: 66 | One main elevation (with details of other), one end elevation, plus plan |
| Goods shed | Mayfield | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 153 | One side and both end elevations, plus plan |
| Goods shed | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 153 | One side and both end elevations, plus plan |
| Goods store | Isfield | Brighton Circular 19: 62-63 | Rail, road and one end elevation |
| Goods warehouse | Groombridge | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 162 | One side and end elevation with notes on others |
| Goods warehouse | Hailsham | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 144 | One end and a side elevation |
| Goods warehouse | Littlehampton | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 76 | One end and a side elevation, plus parts of others |
| Lever Frame | General diagram | Brighton Circular 1 (5): 16 | Side elevation |
| Loco shed | Hailsham | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 144 | One end and a side elevation |
| Loco shed | Littlehampton | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 77 | Side and both end elevations, combined with water tank |
| Loco shed | Midhurst | Hawkins & Reeve, Historical Survey of Southern Sheds | Side and end elevations |
| Loco shed | Southsea | Robertson, The Southsea Railway | Railmotor shed |
| Loco shed | St. Leonards, West Marina | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 73-75 | All elevations |
| Loco shed | Three Bridges | Model Railways, May 1985 | not seen |
| Misc - flour shelter | Hellingly | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 164 | End elevation |
| Misc - blacksmith's shop & stable | Groombridge | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 162 | Front and both end elevations |
| Misc - Glynde Creameries | Heathfield | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 164 | One side and end elevation plus plan |
| Overhead electric gantry | General diagrams | Brighton Circular 2: 2, 7, 10 | Elevations |
| Parcels store | Chichester | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 69 | End elevation |
| Pargetting; floral | Cocking | Biddle, Victorian Stations: 180 | Sketch |
| Platform bld. | Arundel & Littlehampton | Brighton Circular 2: 59 | Front and side elevations |
| Platform bld. | Chichester | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 60-64 | All elevations |
| Platform bld. | Eridge | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 158 | Plans of four buildings (two per platform canopy), plus an end and facing elevation of one building |
| Platform bld. | Glynde | Model Railways, Apr. 1978: 195-201 | An elevation; plus porter's hut |
| Platform bld. | Groombridge | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 161 | Facing elevation of two buildings (one canopy) plus plans |
| Platform bld. | Hailsham | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 143 | Rail, rear and end elevations plus plan |
| Platform bld. | Heathfield | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 152 | Rail and one end elevation plus plan |
| Platform bld. | Horsted Keynes | Railway Modeller 2005 (9): 568 | All elevations (as preserved) |
| Platform bld. | Kingscote | Railway Modeller 2005 (11): 712 | Platform elevations (as preserved) |
| Platform bld. | New Cross | Brighton Circular supp. 24 | Front and side elevations plus details |
| Platform bld. | Sheffield Park | Railway Modeller 2005 (7): 422 | All elevations (as preserved) |
| Platform bld. | Waldron & Horam Rd. | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 148 | Rail and one end elevation plus plan |
| Point rod roller | General diagram | Brighton Circular 1 (5): 12 | Side elevation |
| Running-in board | Grange Road | Mitchell & Smith, East Grinstead: adj. pls. 35 | Drawing of station name board |
| Running-in board | Grange Road | Brighton Circular, 22: 40-41; 23: 88. | Drawing of station name board plus discussion of name board style and colour |
| Running-in board | Sheffield Park | Railway Modeller 2005 (7): 422 | Drawing (coloured) - appears to have mixed pre- and post 1900 styles |
| Slipway | Langston | Mitchell & Smith, Hayling: adj. pls 58-59 | Elevation and plan of rail to boat slipway |
| Station valancing | c.1900 "loping" style | Biddle, Victorian Stations: 189 | sketch |
| Station valancing | East Grinstead - Lewes Line Stations | Biddle, Victorian Stations: 115 | sketch |
| Station valancing | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | Model Railway News, 1960 (Sept.) | sketch; not seen |
| Station valancing | Rotherfield & Mark Cross | Model Railway News, 1962 (Feb.) | sketch; not seen |
| Water crane | Sheffield Park | Brighton Circular supp. 26 | Front and side elevations plus details |
| Water tank | Heathfield | Elliott, Cuckoo Line: 152 | Rail and one end elevation plus plan; combined with a hoist |
| Water tank | Littlehampton | Thompson, Period Railway Modelling: 77 | Part of loco shed |
| Works yard | New Cross Gate | Model Railway Constructor Jul./Oct. 1958 | not seen |
These tables are also available in Microsoft Excel format.
The author would be pleased to receive notification of additions and corrections to these lists.
