Cliftonville Curve
| Cliftonville Curve | |
|---|---|
.JPG) The Cliftonville Curve looking northeastwards | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | Hove, Preston Village, Brighton, East Sussex |
| Termini |
Hove Preston Park |
| Connecting lines | |
| Stations | 2: Hove, Preston Park |
| Operation | |
| Opened | July 1879 |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Operator(s) | Southern |
| Technical | |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
Cliftonville Curve is a short railway that links the West Coastway Line to the Brighton Main Line between Hove and Preston Park.[1] It was opened in July 1879.[1][2] The curve includes a 535-yard (489 m) tunnel.[2]
The line, which is also known as the Cliftonville Spur,[3] was named in reference to Cliftonville station (now called Hove) which had opened in 1865.[4] Cliftonville was an area of Hove which was developed speculatively as a "fashionable neighbourhood" in the mid-19th century.[5] Construction of the curve allowed trains to travel between the Brighton Main Line and the West Coastway Line without having to reverse at Brighton,[3] reducing congestion there and shortening journeys.[2]
References
- 1 2 Jeffs 2013, chpt. "A Brief History of the 'Brighton'"
- 1 2 3 Hymans 2016, chpt. "The West Coast Route"
- 1 2 Middleton 1979, p. 55.
- ↑ Middleton 1979, p. 54.
- ↑ Middleton 1979, p. 53.
Bibliography
- Hymans, Michael (2016). Sussex Steam. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-445663-06-7.
- Jeffs, Simon (2013). The London to Brighton Line Through Time. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-445609-79-9.
- Middleton, Judy (1979). A History of Hove. Chichester: Phillimore & Co. ISBN 0-85033-325-3.
External links
Coordinates: 50°50′02″N 0°09′36″W / 50.83395°N 0.15991°W