The Downs Link
The former railway track that ran from St Martha’s Hill, between Guildford and Chilworth in Surrey to Shoreham-by-Sea was originally part of two railways, the Cranleigh Line and the Steyning Line. Both closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts. Once cleared, it became what we now know as the Downs Link bridleway, a track for walkers, horse riders and cyclists which runs for nearly 60 kms.
The first train on the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway line (LBSC) chugged out of Brighton station on 1st July 1861, travelling through Shoreham to Itchingfield Junction, stopping at Henfield station along the way. It was an essential connection between South Downs towns and villages. The Victorian workforce responsible for constructing the line came from across Britain and took lodgings at Henfield houses like Dunstalls and Old Brookside.
Within a few months, the line was extended by seven miles to Horsham, and by the 1890s passengers could travel right up to London Bridge. The service proved extremely popular with residents and businesses alike, carrying passengers on excursions to the coast and goods to the cities. Special trains were put on fortnightly to transport cattle to Henfield’s cattle market, held behind The White Hart pub. This vital transport link enabled Henfield’s market gardens to supply vegetables and flowers to London. During the Second World War, sugar beet grown in the village proved vital to the war effort. Henfield was also famous for its violets, cultivated at Misses Allen-Brown’s Violet Nursery on the Common. This little purple flower became the emblem for the suffrage movement.
Tracing the Rails Team at Beechings in 2025
In the late 1950s the old two-coach ‘Push/Pull’ carriages were replaced by modern ones, hauled along the track by powerful diesel engines. This move to modernisation eventually marked the end of the line for the LBSC railway and Henfield station. To further explore the history of this lost railway, visit www.tracingtherails.com, it’s a great project put together by a group of enthusiasts.