Exploring Bexhill West Disused Railway Station with Dumpman

[@martinda7446]

I'm lucky enough to live across the road from the station. It is a beautiful thing on your doorstep and the other railway is at the bottom of the garden. I'll check the clock, hold on a mo.... Blow me down, it's lit up and telling the right time!

[@TheClockwise770]

That's great, I love old station clocks

[@dedestephens4820]

Love the history of these old rail stations. My husband retired from the railroad in the US and I’ve watched many videos on Dr Beeching and the damage in his wake. So sad to see the closures. Thank you for the history. Love it

[@chriscraven9572]

I remember catching the train from Bexhill West to make the Hastings London connection at Crowhurst. The line used to run alongside what is now , aptly named Beeching Road, past the side of my school, Down County Secondary, to Sidley and Crowhurst. It was a sheer act of vandalism when they blew up the 17 Arch viaduct.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, such a shame, I agree.

[@johnmasters504]

Always good to see Dumpman!

[@zx85]

Can't believe I've only just seen this - and never visited it when I've been in Bexhill! Great video - thanks, Richard and Chris!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks James - always lovely to see your name pop up in the comments!

[@TheClockwise770]

This is an absolutely amazing old station, I never knew it existed rather like Wingfield station in Staffordshire built in 1855

[@sjm.photos]

My grandfather was a newspaper man and collected the news papers from the trains there back in the 50s

[@annenewton5403]

Loved it,we moved to Bexhill when I was a child in 1969 the line had been closed about 5 years I believe unigate had taken it over, milk depot.It was wonderful to see inside,thank you

[@Sparky68M]

The unigate milk depot was always there to the left of the station where the removals firm have their offices a siding came off from the line to their yard at the back

[@MrGreatplum]

That was fascinating and it’s so good to the see the building still full of life and with a use that keeps many of its features! 👍🏻

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it.

[@taliesinbourne7484]

Eyyyyy big up Bexhill!!

[@darrinbanks8558]

I passed Bexhill West station in the car. I only recognised it through your videos. Great modelling.

[@RichardVobes]

Very cool!

[@michaelhaywood8262]

The line only lasted for 62 years [I'm older than that]. At the time it closed there would be some older people around who remembered when it opened when they were children. I moved to St Leonards as a child when my father bought a small business in Fernside Avenue, not far from where there was a view over the marshes and the viaduct could be seen, it was already disused [we came down in November 1968, I was 10]. I remember 6 months later when the viaduct was demolished in 2 stages. It was originally planned to demolish it in one go, but was decided to stage it as it was feared that the blasts from so much dynamite could cause shattered windows in Bexhill. I remember there being a bar in the station many years later [1984], I think it was called the Rother Arms.

[@VickyAllum]

What a very interesting show and seeing what was once a beautiful railway station,i would love to see a video of you and Chris taking a trip on a steam train somewhere for the day, i have a passion for old steam trains and have as yet to go on one :)

[@RichardVobes]

Oh you must. You simply must!

[@kgs42]

Great double act, Richard.

[@CHESEABUN]

Have been in this building and it is very well kept. I think the wooden boarding on the canopy outside is called a valance? There is some silent footage on KZbin on a train journey from this station just before closure.

[@RichardVobes]

I will have to check out the footage - thanks for the extra info, and for watching.

[@seanclark6438]

SER built their own line to Bexhill from their station at Crowhurst to complete with LB&SCR who operated Bexhill central on the East coast way line from Brighton, Bexhill West suffered from low passenger numbers as it was deemed not to be central enough and eventually closed after a relatively short service life

[@gman922]

Richard I will be in the UK in October maybe i could walk you round The Old Town in Hastings!!👍

[@RichardVobes]

That would be wonderful. Do email me: richard at vobes dot com and we can fix a date. :)

[@gman922]

Okay Sir 😎

[@gman922]

You have mail 😎

[@davidbooth3285]

That was interesting on many levels! Did I hear you mention the viaduct? That would have been the seventeen arches,we used to do the school cross country over there!

[@RichardVobes]

Oh wow - how lovely to run through the arches.

[@batman51]

@@RichardVobes And which was blown up a few weeks after closure just to make sure it could never reopen (and quite by coincidence part of the route is now a road!).

[@Sparky68M]

@@batman51 Blown up by a local explosive expert Nevil Barber

[@christinaburton9297]

It's called a valance.. (wavy boards) each company had it's own design e.g dog tooth at Hanwell for GWR.

[@christinaburton9297]

The route to London Charing Cross was actually shorter than the route via Eastbourne. The beautiful viaduct near Harley Shute was also destroyed and now much of the railway to Sidley, a wonderful nature reserve of orchids and other rare plants, is under the new bypass which.. you guessed..is how cram jammed and useless. Stupid short sightedness.

[@seanclark6438]

Bexhill West was a terminus on a branch line from Crowhurst, the only reason I can see for having a branch line is to service Sidley

[@RichardVobes]

I bow to your superior knowledge. :)

[@Sparky68M]

we had a goods yard at Sidley , 2 coal merchants a builders yard all the supplies came by train

[@haroldofcardboard]

stunning fascinating cool gorgeous. thank you to you both :) 10:31 WOW!!

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you liked it.

[@butch907]

dump man is ok

[@andrewinskegness6140]

Always great to see Dumpman!