Balcombe Station Accident 1985

[Ted633]

Traveled from Balcombe station in west Sussex this afternoon and the information board said that the platforms were extended to 12 coaches in the 1960’s. However, it said in 1985 there was an accident involving a freight train that wiped out some of the down platform, which to this day hasn’t been fully rebuilt and remains restricted to 8 coaches.

Does anyone have anymore information on this? Or photos? I’ve had a quick search online and not a lot seems to come up!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Found this from AI. Here is a link giving a description of the accident, the damage and the cause.

https://share.google/aimode/i2Ohy3K0hc9pj92GR

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Incident occurred at around 9.00 p.m. on Tuesday 9th April 1985. One contemporary newspaper source reported...

BALCOMBE CRASH HITS COMMUTERS
LONDON-BOUND passengers from Eastbourne and coastal towns faced delays and diversions on Wednesday and Thursday following a train crash at Balcombe station near Haywards Heath on Tuesday night. Three wagons of a southbound train loaded with ballast came off the track just before the station and crashed into the platform causing extensive damage to 150 feet of platform. Passengers travelling from Eastbourne to Victoria had to take a special shuttle train to Haywards Heath, then a bus to Three Bridges before being connected with a train to Victoria...

 

[yorksrob]

I wonder whether the extensions were Exmouth Junction concrete "harps and slabs" rather than solid (and therefore more likely to collapse).

Seems a bit remiss not to have rebuilt it though.