Lewes | |
---|---|
Location | |
Place | Lewes |
Local authority | Lewes |
Grid reference | TQ416098 |
Operations | |
Station code | LWS |
Managed by | Southern |
Number of platforms | 5 |
DfT category | C2 |
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries |
|
Annual rail passenger usage* | |
2011/12 | 2.748 million |
2012/13 | 2.692 million |
2013/14 | 2.749 million |
2014/15 | 2.664 million |
2015/16 | 2.614 million |
History | |
1846 | Opened |
1857 | Resited |
1889 | Rebuilt |
National Rail – UK railway stations | |
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Lewes from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
Lewes railway station serves the town of Lewes in East Sussex, England. It has five platforms and is on the East Coastway Line. Train services are provided by Southern.
The station has a café and there is a taxi office on the main forecourt. There is a small taxi rank outside.
The station platforms are arranged in a "V" shape, with a large courtyard in between, which is bound by the tracks (platforms 2 & 3) on two sides and the station building on the third side. The two-floor building, with the entrance from the top floor, is accompanied with a gallery, which extends to the other platforms (1, 4 & 5) as the passenger bridge.
There have been many changes during the lifetime of the station (see history section, below).
The typical arrangement for services is:
Northern platforms
Platform 1 is an eastbound platform for trains towards Eastbourne, Seaford and Hastings, from London
Platform 2 is a westbound platform for trains towards London Victoria via Haywards Heath
Southern platforms
Platform 3 is an eastbound platform for trains towards Eastbourne, Seaford and Ashford, from Brighton
Platform 4 is a westbound platform for trains to Brighton from Eastbourne and Ashford
Platform 5 is a bi-directional through platform for terminating trains towards Brighton and Seaford
The typical off-peak service is:
(tph = trains per hour)
The first station in Friars Walk opened in 1846 was originally built as a terminus on the Brighton line. This station became inconvenient after extra tracks were laid to Hastings, meeting the Brighton line at a junction just west of Lewes Station (i.e. towards Brighton), necessitating reversals for trains serving Lewes. Capacity increases also became desirable because of new direct links to London. This first station was therefore replaced; the original booking hall with grand classical columns outside survived until the 1960s but was then demolished. A second station was opened in 1857 and closed in 1889. The present station opened in 1889 in connection with a new track alignment to ease the curve east of the station. The old alignment became goods lines serving the goods depot until circa 1968.