1844: Proposed tunnel under Cuckfield
From a longer article in Mid Sussex Times 27 June 1986: ... There had been much debate over which route should be taken when the London...
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Cuckfield Connections
A personal journey of discovery
Feb 132 min read
1845: Horse died on newly opened Worthing line
Opening of the Brighton to Worthing Railway Line 1845 On Monday, the 24th November 1845 saw the opening of the extension of the Brighton...
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Feb 93 min read
1837: Railway link heads east
On 25th January 1837 a public meeting was held in Brighton to discuss building a railway between London and the South Coast. Several...
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Feb 52 min read
1840: Building the Ouse Viaduct
Michael Codd, a well known, Hampshire book illustrator, was commissioned by West Sussex County Council to create a painting depicting the...
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Jan 122 min read
1841: First leg of Brighton Line opens
The London to Brighton line was completed between London Bridge Station and Haywards Heath and opened on 12 July 1841. A connecting coach...
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Dec 16, 20231 min read
1867: Horrifying death at Haywards Heath Railway Station
Sussex Agricultural Express - Saturday 27 July 1867 HAYWARDS HEATHY-FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY. An accident of a very shocking...
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Oct 10, 20231 min read
1841: Man stoned to death by navvies?
Old England - Saturday 24 April 1841 CUCKFIELD A rumour has prevailed in the town for several days that a man was stoned to death on...
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Oct 1, 20231 min read
1846: Narrow escape for older gentleman at station
Brighton Gazette - Thursday 23 July 1846 Narrow escape Last Monday, on the arrival of one of the up trains at Hayward’s Heath, an elderly...
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Sep 23, 20234 min read
1896: Brutal attack on train near Haywards Heath
Morning Leader - Friday 17 July 1896 Railway crime Brighton line mystery: a young lady attacked near Hayward's Heath, her story and her...
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Sep 14, 20232 min read
1880: Untimely deaths of navvies at the Workhouse
Daily News (London) - Tuesday 13 July 1880 Who is Blame ?—To the Editor the Daily News Sir, —These last few weeks, attention has been...
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Jul 21, 20233 min read
1864: Station near Wheatsheaf for Horsham line proposed
Proposed Horsham, Cuckfield and Heyward’s Heath railway To the editor. Sir, the meeting held at Horsham on Saturday the 16th inst,,...
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May 19, 20231 min read
1903: Railway inspector tragically killed
Brighton Gazette - Thursday 27 August 1903 INSPECTOR CHARLIE BARTHOLOMEW met with an accident which unfortunately ended fatally, at...
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May 11, 20232 min read
1839: Inquests into tragic Balcombe navvy deaths
Sussex Advertiser - Monday 17 June 1839 CUCKFIELD. Fatal Accident. —An inquest was held at the Half Moon Inn, Balcombe, on Wednesday...
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Apr 14, 20233 min read
1848: Railway porter and ex slave was 'highly respected' in Haywards Heath
Many thanks to Mike Anton for researching and providing this fascinating story about the earliest days of the Railways at Haywards...
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Mar 29, 20232 min read
1841: Another melancholy accident at Clayton Tunnel
Court Gazette and Fashionable Guide - Saturday 06 February 1841 BRIGHTON, Jan. 31 Another melancholy accident occurred on Monday morning...
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Mar 21, 20232 min read
1848: Attempted swindle foiled at Haywards Heath Station
Sussex Advertiser - Tuesday 15 August 1848 Attempt at Swindling We wish to draw the attention of the public to the following facts which...
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Mar 19, 20233 min read
1847: Collision between two passenger trains on the Brighton line
Illustrated London news-Saturday 16 October 1847 Accidents and offences Collision on the Brighton railway. A collision took place on...
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Mar 5, 20232 min read
1889: Shocking accident at Haywards Heath Railway Station
Brighton Herald - Saturday 16 November 1889 FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY An accident occurred at Hayward's Heath Railway Station on...
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Feb 20, 20231 min read
1840: Viaduct - keying the last arch
On Thursday the last arch of the Ouse Viaduct on the London to Brighton Railway was keyed by Mr Maude, the resident engineer of the...
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Feb 14, 20232 min read
1841: The 9am train to Stoat's Nest
Some older readers may recall Hall & Co, they supplied coal and coke and were a builders' merchant active in the West Sussex area. In a...
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