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Portslade Railway Station

Portslade Station 1924

Portslade Station 2012


Click on the photographs to open a large version in a new window.

Work on the construction of the railway at Portslade began in 1838. The original station, which was built on the west side of the level crossing serving Copperas Gap, was opened in May 1840 when the line was inaugurated. However, the service was so little used that the station was closed and not used again for another seven years. In 1881 the station was re-sited on the east side of the level crossing.

Portslade Railway Station is a Grade II listed building, the present building being erected in 1857. The basic design is a Tuscan villa style in render over brick. The south block which now contains offices is thought to have been the station-master’s house.

Portslade Station 1910

Portslade Station 2012

Comments about this page

  • Many thanks for this post and for the images. I grew up in Portslade and used this station often in the 70s and 80s. I remember sadly the elegent old iron and wood canopies being taken down (early 70s?) and replaced by rather cheap looking bus shelters on the platforms in the name of “modernization”, and watching how the ticket office and waiting room gradually lost its character, though at least the buildings are still standing. It would be great if one day the canopies could be restored to this and other similar railway stations.
    I do have a question though regarding the station construction date which does not seem to make sense given the dates for relocating the station building from the west side of Boundary Road to the left side.

    By John Ward (02/01/2021)
  • Hello John

    Like you, I was puzzled by the dates of building, rebuilding and relocation of the station, so I have delved into my railway library and hopefully found some further detail that may clear up the questionables.

    From “South Coast Railways – Brighton to Worthing” by V. Mitchell and K Smith, Middleton Press (1983), the quote to an accompanying picture of the station states “An official view of the present station when new in 1882. The original Down platform was on the opposite side of the level crossing”.

    I therefore think that there is an error in the original text of this topic, quote “Portslade Railway Station is a Grade II listed building, the present building being erected in 1857” with the date of 1857 being that when the station reopened after it’s ten year closure of non use between 1847 and 1857.

    Incidentally the station was officially renamed as “Portslade and West Hove” for the years 1927 to 1980, after which it reverted to it’s current original name of simply Portslade.

    Living in nearby Hangleton Road in the 1960/70’s era it was my local station so I’m pleased to have hopefully tidied up this topic.

    By Brian Matthews (06/01/2021)
  • I also remember ‘the original’ station in the early 1960s with the canopies; when these were removed it completely changed the ambiance of the station.

    A further memory concerns the ticket office and waiting rooms with, in the winter months, solid fuel fires burning in the grate, I think these were coke fires; this gave an atmosphere which, today, can only be experienced on the Bluebell Railway and other such like preserved railways.

    By Chris Young (05/11/2022)

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