London to Brighton line

Brighton Main Line
A Southern class 377 Electrostar at Hassocks.
Overview
Type	Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Greater London South East England
Termini	London Bridge London Victoria Brighton
Operation
Opened	1841 (fully)
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Govia Thameslink Railway Great Western Railway London Overground
Depot(s)	Selhurst Brighton Lovers Walk
Rolling stock	Class 165 "Turbo" Class 166 "Turbo Express" Class 171 "Turbostar" Class 319 Class 377 "Electrostar" Class 378 "Capitalstar" Class 387 "Electrostar" Class 442 "Wessex Electric" Class 455 Class 700
Technical
Number of tracks	2-4
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Operating speed	90 mph (140 km/h) maximum

The Brighton Main Line (also known as the South Central Main Line) is a British railway line divided in the north into two sections running from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 51 miles (81 km) long, and is electrified throughout. Nearly all passenger trains are provided by Govia Thameslink Railway which operates the Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink brands. A small section has Great Western Railway services, currently sole operator of the line from Gatwick Airport to Reading, Berkshire known as the North Downs Line. The many Sussex services to Central London use the line and generally its branches as do south London, East Surrey and Tonbridge, Kent services.

There were six original proposals to build a railway between London and Brighton. The London and Brighton Railway (L&BR) emerged with an Act of Parliament of 15 July 1837 after a prolonged and expensive battle, with the most direct route, from the London and Croydon Railway (L&CR) at Norwood Junction to Brighton, using the L&CR from Norwood to London Bridge. A condition required by Parliament was that the railway should share its line between Croydon and Redhill with the South Eastern Railway main line to Dover. This clause gave rise to 60 years of disputes between the two companies.