train crash 1964

Rod Stuart · Post by **Rod Stuart** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:41 am

[More pictures from Rod Stuart posted further down....JT]

Rod Stuart · Post by **Rod Stuart** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:02 am

You can click on the pictures for a bigger image.
I remember being amazed the next day that it wasn't headline news in all the newspapers.Only a few lines in the back somewhere. It was very exciting for us though.

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:26 am

Looks nasty, whereabouts did it happen?

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:39 am

The hill in the background is Sharpenhurst.

There used to be a junction between the main line and what is now the Downs Link, so it must have been around there.....

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:44 am

the line to Shoreham I guess... oops!

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:49 am

Yes, but it does seem that the wreckage is on the main line, though.

Rod Stuart · Post by **Rod Stuart** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:07 pm

In those days there was only one line past CH at the bottom of Sharpenhust next to some rugby pitches. Has so much changed?

Post by **jtaylor** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:25 pm

Looks to me like it's at the bottom of Sharpenhurst, roughly where the level-crossing is now, maybe a bit further down towards Peele bridge??

3rd frame in first picture you can see Shelley's wood on the right.....
2nd frame in third picture you can see the reservoir and trees on the top of Sharpenhurst, with the wood coming down on the left??

J

Rod Stuart · Post by **Rod Stuart** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:35 pm

It was actually on the crossing, you can see the old white crossing gates in the picture that has the CH boy (Andy Harding) in it.

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:03 pm

I thought that the branch line (Steyning? Shoreham?) was axed as a result of the Beeching Report of 1963. As far as I know (which is very little, not being a railway buff) most of these closures came into effect after the General Election in 1964 (the same year as this crash).

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:18 pm

Sadly, I know some sad things... the line from CH to Guildford closed in 1965 (you can still see the old platforms at the station.)

The line from Itchingfield Junction (the CH to Shoreham line) closed in 1966...

Rod Stuart · Post by **Rod Stuart** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:36 pm

I used to live near Guildford, and one of my fondest memories is travelling home at the end of one summer term. It was a little steam train puffing slowly along. I was alone in a carriage and discovered that the long picture window could fold in and up, leaving the whole side open. I have never seen a window like it before or since. The smell of the engine, and with bees gently buzzing in and out, it was my most memorable end of term.

Post by **jtaylor** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:38 pm

Additional pictures received from Rod Stuart:-

Rod Stuart · Post by **Rod Stuart** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:06 pm

In the last picture the remains of the crash can just be seen on the right side. View is from Sharpenhurst.

ben ashton · Post by **ben ashton** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:30 pm

Anyone know why they took down the v impressive station building? Would have made a nice house in CH's current selling/development frenzy...

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