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Brighton Mainline 4G/5G upgrades

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MrJeeves

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Cellnex put in an application for a large phone mast near Wivelsfield station (DM/25/0589) in March this year and another for near Hassocks (DM/24/2531) in late October 2024, later amended in March 2025 too.

The Hassocks site would be south of the station within the land of the old Goods Yard. It looks like the amended plans show a reduction in the site's footprint from 3 antennas per sector down to only two.

1745782707490.png

The Wivelsfield site is to the north of the station, west of the line, next to the previously-prone-to-failure embankment within a small nature reserve area with footpaths leading along the railway line.

1745783085962.png

I'm sure we can all imagine what the public consultation comments are for these two planning applications... Some people are beyond words.
 
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infobleep

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MrJeeves said:
Cellnex put in an application for a large phone mast near Wivelsfield station (DM/25/0589) in March this year and another for near Hassocks (DM/24/2531) in late October 2024, later amended in March 2025 too.

The Hassocks site would be south of the station within the land of the old Goods Yard. It looks like the amended plans show a reduction in the site's footprint from 3 antennas per sector down to only two.

View attachment 179056

The Wivelsfield site is to the north of the station, west of the line, next to the previously-prone-to-failure embankment within a small nature reserve area with footpaths leading along the railway line.

View attachment 179057

I'm sure we can all imagine what the public consultation comments are for these two planning applications... Some people are beyond words.
Click to expand...
I wonder how many of them want decent mobile phone reception?
 
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jon0844

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infobleep said:
I wonder how many of them want decent mobile phone reception?
Click to expand...

All of them, but they likely expect the sites to be hidden.

An application a couple of years ago in Welwyn Garden City, in what I believe is part of the conservation area, had objectors saying they should put the site within the trees of the nearby woods so it wouldn't be an eyesore...

...or actually give anywhere near a good, reliable, service.
 
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MrJeeves

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It's the same people who visit foreign countries and make remarks about "wow the data is so much better here!" without seemingly putting two and two together and noticing coverage sites on every other rooftop...!
 
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jon0844

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MrJeeves said:
It's the same people who visit foreign countries and make remarks about "wow the data is so much better here!" without seemingly putting two and two together and noticing coverage sites on every other rooftop...!
Click to expand...

I know. Ironically, we probably look out for the infrastructure but if you aren't into this sort of thing then I bet 99% of people don't see all the cell towers and panels mounted anywhere and everywhere - they just notice they're getting amazing service everywhere they go, indoors and out, above ground and below.

And as I've said before, people are more likely to buy a house if it has good connectivity - not the other way round. So if you've argued against a cell tower for house prices (most do) then it seems self-defeating.
 
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mrmartin

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jon0844 said:
I know. Ironically, we probably look out for the infrastructure but if you aren't into this sort of thing then I bet 99% of people don't see all the cell towers and panels mounted anywhere and everywhere - they just notice they're getting amazing service everywhere they go, indoors and out, above ground and below.

And as I've said before, people are more likely to buy a house if it has good connectivity - not the other way round. So if you've argued against a cell tower for house prices (most do) then it seems self-defeating.
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Yeah I was in Greece recently and the cell service was incredible. Rare to not have NR3500 despite being in the middle of nowhere. Then you look round and there is a mast on the top of a lot of the mountains which explains it!
 
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MrJeeves

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I've been reliably informed that the first phase of this programme is expected to go live next year.

The overall enhancements have been clarified to me as "three major stations, key tunnels and selected macros sites along the route [from London to Brighton]". Which three? Who knows.

Maybe some improvement works at Victoria and Brighton, and another enroute? Gatwick has antennas at platform-level which were installed alongside the other concourse works which already have O2 on, so I'd imagine another station alongside the termini. London Bridge has some antennas at platform-level which aren't used yet as far as I know.

There are also some other projects ongoing to improve coverage on additional mainlines.
 
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AFJF

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Cellnex are currently running a consultation on a new mast just off of Rocky Lane in Haywards Heath. Mid Sussex application DM/25/1495 -

The installation of a 22.5 metre lattice mast, mounted with 9No. antennas, 12No. cabinets, 1No. Electrical meter cabinet located within a compound comprised of 2.4 metre high chain-link fence topped with 3 strands of barbed wire and the creation of a new access from Rocky Lane and ancillary development thereto.
 
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MrJeeves

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MrJeeves said:
Cellnex put in an application for a large phone mast near Wivelsfield station (DM/25/0589) in March this year
Click to expand...
This got approved a while back, and streetworks applications have been submitted to build it between June and September this year.
Cellnex works
07 Jun '26 23:00 to 04 Sep '26 22:59

Work description
Build new telecoms site. Traffic management required for access/egress into the grassland for deliveries & site access. 2 weeks prep works to create site compound, lay trackway etc. 8 weeks to build the tower and 2 weeks de-mob works.
Click to expand...

As Cellnex is a private infrastructure company, after this they also need to convince operators to join it, and then they have to set up their equipment on the site. No guarantee any of that will happen soon.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

MrJeeves said:
The overall enhancements have been clarified to me as "three major stations, key tunnels and selected macros sites along the route [from London to Brighton]". Which three? Who knows.
Click to expand...
To add some context to this, users of the BML may have noticed a lot of new infra at Clapham Junction, which I suspect is one of those three major stations.

PXL_20250708_175512260.jpgPXL_20251031_231023051.NIGHT(1).jpg

I mentioned this in the thread below, but didn't think to post them here!

Phone reception inside carriages - Repeaters? Wifi? Cellular modems? Laser etched glass? I'm confused...

I'm hoping someone can help me understand what the situation is with mobile phones receiving their signal for data and calls, when inside a carriage (Specifically Pendolino for me, but interested to hear about others). I always assumed that when onboard a train, my phone would receive a signal...
www.railforums.co.uk www.railforums.co.uk

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

As my final update of the morning, Cellnex have now also submitted a planning application (DM/26/0526) to build a new access road to an existing site along the railway between Balcombe and Haywards Heath, currently maintained by O2 (despite the application saying Vodafone).

This appears to be linked to application DM/23/0986 from 2023 for a new site at the location too, so indicates some progress may be made there soon.

www.google.com

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www.google.com www.google.com
 
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MrJeeves

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I have created a Google My Map of all the infrastructure being built as part of these works.

My understanding is that some of these elements are already ready for mobile operators to begin their own integration works, and all should be ready for that by the end of the year. No idea how long the networks will take to do their part, though!

www.google.com

Cellnex - Brighton Main Line – Google My Maps

Map of sites developed as part of the Brighton Main Line 4G/5G improvement project.
www.google.com www.google.com

There's quite a significant amount of new sites being installed, alongside in-tunnel solutions for Balcombe, Patcham, Clayton and Merstham tunnels, along with new macro sites on rail and non-rail land, not to mention trackside "pole" solutions and directional tunnel portal antennas.

I'm happily surprised!
 
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mr_jrt

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Oh, thank jeebus, at last, some movement. The reception along there is shockingly bad, made all the worse by, at most, only half the Thameslink trains actually having their wifi installed.
 
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MrJeeves

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MrJeeves said:
My understanding is that some of these elements are already ready for mobile operators to begin their own integration works, and all should be ready for that by the end of the year. No idea how long the networks will take to do their part, though!
Click to expand...
I am aware of at least one mobile network whose plans are to go live on at least some of the infrastructure (including the station DAS systems) by the end of the year.
 
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AFJF

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The new mast at Haywards Heath Ashenground bridge is progressing well.
 

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