£1.2 million facelift for Burgess Hill station

The platform canopies at Burgess Hill station have been completely refurbished.

The platform canopies at Burgess Hill station, on the Brighton main line in West Sussex, have been refurbished as part of a £1.2 million facelift that has also seen improvements made to the station building.

The canopies’ cast iron columns, longitudinal timber beams, timber cross beams, timber box gutter and roof sheeting have all been replaced and a new steel frame structure supports the steel sheeting roof.

Located 41 miles down the line from London Bridge via Redhill and situated between Wivelsfield and Hassocks on the main line, the first station at Burgess Hill was opened on 21 September 1841 by the London and Brighton Railway (L&BR), at the time of the completion of the route to Brighton. The original facilities were all in the small wooden hut (which still stands on Platform 1) and wooden platforms set beside the main line.

The original 1841 station building still stands on Platform 1.

The L&BR became the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) in 1846 and a track plan of the station dating from 1874 shows that by then, several sidings and a signal box had been constructed at the station. Trains changed the town’s fortunes, and the current station was built in 1877 to service the local residential boom.

Despite several renovations, the station hasn’t changed markedly since then.

The station has changed little over the years, as shown by this photograph from 12 March 1961.

Shaun King, Network Rail’s route director for Sussex, commented: “We are committed to investing in the rail network to improve facilities for passengers.

“The improvements at Burgess Hill station represent a significant investment, which will result in a modern and pleasant environment for rail passengers and staff at the station.”

Over one and half million passengers use Burgess Hill station every. Trains run to both Brighton and London Victoria using the Brighton main line.

Chris Fowler, customer services director for Southern, which manages the station, added: “We’re working with Network Rail to make Burgess Hill station look and work better for our customers.

“The town’s population will grow considerably over the next few years, so it’s important that its historic station is ready for more customers.

“This welcome investment by our partner will be complemented by projects from our own network-wide, multimillion-pound station enhancement programme, including a new waiting room, more seating and improved toilets.”

“We are committed to investing in the rail network to improve facilities for passengers. The improvements at Burgess Hill station represent a significant investment, which will result in a modern and pleasant environment for rail passengers and staff at the station.”