5th October 1952
The Railway
Correspondence and Travel Society (London Branch)
Brighton Works Centenary Special
Locos Used | 32424 'Beachy Head' & 32636 |
Stock Used | main train: 8x Pullman vehicles Kemp Town shuttle: push-pull set 727 (S3824S+S6246S) |
Route : at least SPL112
Loco | Route |
32424 | London Victoria - Battersea Park - Pouparts Jn - Clapham Junction - Balham - Streatham Common - Norbury - Selhurst - Windmill Bridge Jn - East Croydon - Purley - Coulsdon North - (via Quarry line) - Three Bridges - Brighton |
32636 | Brighton - Kemp Town |
32636 | Kemp Town - Brighton |
32636 | Brighton - Kemp Town |
32636 | Kemp Town - Brighton |
32424 | Brighton - (reverse of outward route) - London Victoria |
Notes :
(1) The RCTS produced a tour brochure which described the runs to Kemp Town
under the title 'The Kemp Town Branch'.
(2) Outward journey to Brighton was completed in 58m 48s, the return in 60m 13s
for the 50.9 miles.
(3) 32424 photographed at Brighton station carrying headcode SPL112 - was this
used throughout?
(4) Bruce Nathan comments: the train kept very closely to the tight schedule.
There was a permanent way check in the East Croydon area in the down direction
which caused a loss of time between Windmill Bridge and Coulsdon North but this
was later made up. The up train reached 80 mph near Horley but was checked in
the London area, but nevertheless arrived on time.
Sources : John Clifford, David Davis, Bob
Bridger/
John M Cramp, Chris Harley & Steve Armitage
Photo Review
From the John Debens ticket collection
(originally supplied by Andrew Fairholm)
From the John Debens ticket collection
Presumably 'part fares' were available.
32424 at Brighton works with the crew (photo: John Debens Collection)
32636 approaches Lewes Road (photo : The Jim Porter Collection)
Kemp Town was quite a station! 32636 is dwarfed by its surroundings.
(photo: The John Debens Collection)
32636 at Kemp Town (photo: The Mike Morant Collection)
32636 approaches Brighton on one of the runs from Kemp Town.
(photo: The John Debens Collection)
32424 at Brighton with the return to London (photo: John Debens Collection)
Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Bob Bridger/John M Cramp & Bruce Nathan)
Miles | Location | Booked | Actual | Booked (rtn) | Actual | Miles | |
0.0 | Victoria | 10.14d | 10.14½ | 17.28a | 17.27½ | 50.9 | |
4.9 | Balham Jn | 10/23 | 10/23 | 17/20 | 17/19½ | 46.0 | |
10.0 | Windmill Bridge Jn | 10/29 | 10/28 | 17/14 | 17/12½ | 40.9 | |
15.0 | Coulsdon North | 10/35 | 10/37 | 17/08 | 17/06½ | 35.9 | |
21.9 | Earlswood | 10/43 | 10/44½ | 17/00½ | 16/58 | 29.0 | |
29.6 | Three Bridges | 10/51 | 10/51½ | 16/53 | 16/52 | 21.3 | |
38.0 | Haywards Heath | 10/59 | 10/59 | 16/44 | 16/43½ | 12.9 | |
41.1 | Keymer Jn | 11/03 | 1/02 | 16/41 | 16/40½ | 9.8 | |
50.9 | Brighton | 11.14a | 11.13 | 16.28d | 16.27½ | 0.0 |
Location | Booked (out) | Booked (rtn) | Booked (out) | Booked (rtn) | |
Brighton | 13.30d | 14.09a | 14.40d | 15.14a | |
Kemp Town | 13.39a | 14.00d | 14.49a | 15.05d |