Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

It was British Railway's wonderful 'modernization' poilicy which meant that stations throughout the country no longer have even rudimentary facilities... it came down in 1972 (if it could have hung around another 10 years, it probably would have been listed.)

Interestingly, the clock that used to sit on the platform is now in the room where the Model Railway Club is.

Seeing the photo of the station reminds me that a film was made there, in 1965?
Does anyone remember it?

Wasn't a St Trinian's film made there?

A great pity about the station buildings being demolished. They were magnificent. During my early days, 1962 on, most boys used to travel to and from the school by train. In the prep school you had to pack your trunk two or three days before the end of term for the luggage to go "Luggage in Advance" by rail to your home station. There was a special school train which sat in a bay nearest to the station building. There were originally 5 or 6 platforms at this station, such was going to be the importance of the new Christ's Hospital site when originally built. However, all the associated housing did not materialise. So the station was always too big for its passenger numbers. So that was the reason for demolition, although I call it vandalism.
I used to skive off sports in the afternoons by cycling down to the Station and sitting in the signal box with the signalman. He made me tea and rolled me cigarettes whilst I worked the signals and the block system. I also did this with my friend Colin Ward at Billingshurst box. By chance the signalman at Billingshurst is now the regional manager for signalling!!!
Those were the days!!!!

When I was there 64 - 69 the model railway club was behind the Manual School. At that time we had the nameplate to the Schools Class loco "Christ's Hospital". Is that still there or has it been stolen / sold?

It was still there in 1999 along with the clock from the CH platform at the station...

IS THIS 1964 ?????

If it is the incident where a fast electric ran nearly at full speed into the back of the Brighton 'puffer' because of a human points error st the junction, then it is 1963, or prior, because the noise and flash of light awakened everyone, and I remember it well and I left in the summer of 1963 ! I seem to remember there was loss of life.

I reckon it was '62 0r early '63.

I'm getting the exact date checked by a 'buff'.

Old age is playing tricks with what gery matter I have left.

I have received the following from a great mate, who is in the know:-

"On the 5th March 1964 there was a serious collision between two freight trains. The 01:50 Brighton to 3 Bridges had been diverted to run via Henfield. It ran past red signals and collided with the 02:30 3 Bridges to Chichester. The crew of the 01:50 were killed it is the belief of railwayman that the crew were asleep, overcome from the fumes from the diesel engine. The engine was new and so badly damaged, cut up and scrapped on site. Location of accident Itchingfield Junction."

Many thanks, Pat.

Keithbyatt wrote:There were originally 5 or 6 platforms at this station, such was going to be the importance of the new Christ's Hospital site when originally built. However, all the associated housing did not materialise. So the station was always too big for its passenger numbers.

I used to catch the Guildford train to and from school - always a fair number of Housey boys on it. The station is now barely a shadow of its former self, though the underpass is still there and, as I recently discovered, the remains of the earlier platforms may still be seen buried in a wood behind the present "up" platform.

Indeedy, considering the vandalism caused by demolishing the old station...

I am always surprised how much of the Guildford platforms are still there...

Great Plum wrote:Indeedy, considering the vandalism caused by demolishing the old station...

I am always surprised how much of the Guildford platforms are still there...

Isn't there a plan to open up that bit of old railway as part of the Downs Link (C.H. to Slinfold)?

There has been for a while - but i believe a cutting was filled with contaminated waste at some point and i don't know if the landowner (CH?) is willing for that to happen...

I'll ask Pat.

J.R. wrote:I'll ask Pat.

Here's his reply. Does this help ?

"I think the trackbed has been seriously affected by new buildings.
Certainly the section Guildford to Cranleigh has now been recognised as a serious error in its closure.
Cranleigh is the biggest town in Surrey without a station.
The cutting story of dodgy waste belongs to the Bluebell Railway a very dubious landfill being removed form a cuttung as we speak."

Cheers again, Pat !

J.R. wrote: The cutting story of dodgy waste belongs to the Bluebell Railway a very dubious landfill being removed form a cuttung as we speak."

What does this mean, though?