Falmer railway station explained

Falmer
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Falmer, Brighton and Hove
Country:England
Grid Name:Grid reference
Manager:Southern
Platforms:2
Code:FMR
Classification:DfT category E
Original:Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway
Pregroup:London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
Postgroup:Southern Railway
Years:8 June 1846
Events:Opened
Years2:1 August 1865
Events2:Resited
Years3:1890
Events3:Rebuilt
Footnotes:Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Falmer railway station is in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, south-east England, 3chain39chain from Brighton railway station on the East Coastway line. It is operated by Southern.

The station serves the village of Falmer as well as the University of Sussex campus and the University of Brighton Falmer campus. It also serves Falmer Stadium, the home of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. as well as various eastern suburbs of Brighton such as Woodingdean and Rottingdean.

The original station was approximately 53 chains east of its present location, and opened on 8 June 1846. It was moved to its present location, much closer to the village, on 1 August 1865, and rebuilt in 1890.[1] The buildings on the down (eastbound) platform date from this time, but modern replacements have been installed on the westbound side.

1851 accident

On 6 June 1851, a train derailed soon after departing for Lewes, resulting in the death of five people.

After striking a sleeper which had been placed on the track by trespassers, most of the train crashed down into the road below. Although the immediate cause was the striking of the sleeper, the official inquiry determined that the train had been travelling too fast: that if it had been travelling within the recommended speed limit, it would not have derailed. The inquiry also determined that operating the train with the engine going backwards reduced the driver's visibility.[2]

Service

All services at Falmer are operated by Southern using EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:

When Brighton & Hove Albion FC matches take place at the Falmer Stadium, additional matchday-only trains operate from the station to Brighton and . In addition, most usual services are run with additional carriages and the platforms at the station have been extended to accommodate the longer trains.[3]

A queuing system is in operation in both directions after full-time at the stadium.

External links

50.8619°N -0.0872°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mitchell. Vic. Smith. Keith. 1985. South Coast Railways - Brighton to Eastbourne. plate 42. Middleton Press. Midhurst. 0-906520-16-9.
  2. Web site: Report of the Officer appointed by the Commissioners of Railways, to inquire into the Circumstances attending the Fatal Accident which occurred by a Train of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Company running off the Line near the Falmer Station, on the Brighton and Lewes Railway, on the 6th Day of June 1851 . Railways Archive . 4 January 2023.
  3. Web site: 2013. Work on Falmer Station to help Brighton and Hove Albion fans. BBC. 2021-01-29.