File:Former Lewes to East Grinstead Railway - geograph.org.uk - 1397838.jpg

English: Former Lewes to East Grinstead Railway Crossing over a farm bridge near Down View Farm. Opened in 1883 it left the Lewes-Uckfield line at Culver Junction south of Barcombe and travelled through a sparsely populated area of the Weald to East Grinstead. Initially popular and well used particularly by freight the line was due to be electrified but was shelved due to the onset of World War Two. Even then the line proved its worth by offering an alternative route between London and the South Coast when the main London-Brighton line was put out of action due to bombing. However, six years of heavy use and lack of maintenance coupled with rapidly declining freight use meant British Rail took the decision to shut the line in 1955. Those disputing the closure discovered a legal loophole requiring the railway company to seek parliamentary approval before shutting the line meant it reopened in 1956 though British Rail deliberately ran services during weekdays when nobody required them and made certain connections were not timetabled. This lasted 18 months until parliamentary approval was sanctioned and the line closed in 1958. Again the line would not die, the section between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes was reopened by rail enthusiasts and has become a popular tourist attraction known as the Bluebell Line which extended northwards to Kingscote and iseventually due to reconnect to mainline services in East Grinstead over the next few years. Southward extension is mooted but may well be difficult as the station at Newick & Chailey has become a housing estate meaning this section may remain overgrown for a long time to come.