OXTED LINE STEAM: 1961
''This year will be the 60th anniversary of the final London suburban steam service," so I was informed by Michael Rowe, the Railway Performance Society (RPS) steam specialist.
This pronouncement had its northern recipient confused. Surely the 1967 South Western was the last London steam-worked line? "Not suburban. It was the Oxted line, with all 27 steam-hauled departures from London booked for steam haulage in 1961."
"I thought the Oxted line trains worked to places like Lewes though," I queried. It was explained to me that through trains to those places were overtaken by those on more direct routes. The Oxted line suburban steam credentials had been established.
The Oxted line started from South Croydon and fought a six-mile uphill battle at mainly l-in-100 onto the North Downs past Woldingham before a similarly inclined three-mile drop to Oxted. From Hurst Green Jct, just south of Oxted, came a further six miles downhill to Lingfield, some of which was also at l-in-100. However, the climbing was not yet finished as much of the four remaining miles to East Grinstead through Dormans were against a l-in-70 gradient.
From East Grinstead trains could run to Brighton via what is now the Bluebell Railway to Horsted Keynes and turn either left for Lewes or right for Hayward's Heath and the Brighton main line. West from East Grinstead a line ran to Three Bridges and eastwards trains could reach Tunbridge Wells.
Retracing our steps to Hurst Green Jct, trains could run direct to Tunbridge Wells via Ashurst or proceed to Eridge to turn right via Uckfield to Lewes or left to Polegate and ultimately Eastbourne.
Of this complex, essentially rural network, only the
