Bognor Railway Station

High on the inside wall, almost hidden from view above the new indoor market of the Railway station is a small plaque - 1902. Yes, the present railway station building is 100 years old this year, along with many other buildings and trades in the town. More of that in later weeks.

The small town of Bognor had to wait until 1864 for the railway to arrive in the town, and it was then beset with a number of disasters, hurricanes, strikes and a fire on 29th October 1899, which culminated in the station being demolished ready for a new construction. The building of this new railway station must have caused great

excitement in the town, when compared with the previous much smaller stations. One day I met an elderly lady whose father lived opposite the station in 1899. She recalled that her father had seen plans for a new station and it was alleged that our station was in fact destined for Brighton, but was instead built here.

I don't know if anyone can confirm this story?

The new station cost £37,000 and by 1903 a new engine shed had to be built to accommodate the increasing traffic.

Eventually in 1905 a 55ft. turntable was installed just inside the wall running along the side of Spencer Street.

Outwardly there appears to have been few changes to the original building, however the number of visitors using the station has indeed changed. Around the period of 1910 to 1911 the number of Sunday visitors exceeded 5,000 at a time when the population of the town was only 2,000. There were reports in the weekly papers for many weeks, asking the rail companies if they could reduce or even stop the number of trains arriving in the town. Many of the local residents believed that this great influx of visitors was causing severe problems.

It was reported that many of those arriving in Bognor were buying goods from their own traders, who arrived on the trains and set up stalls on the station concourse. It was also becoming apparent that many of these visitors would drink too much causing a problem with drunks - nothing new there then! Due to these visitors the number of railway lines from Barnham to Bognor had to be increased.

The heyday of the railway was with us.

Rail travel was still considered the way to travel for your holidays. In 1929 the station became a focal point with the arrival of Royal visitors, King George V and Queen Mary. During King George V's stay at Craigweil House many people visited him, including the late Queen Mother who arrived, by train and unannounced. She was dressed in a dove grey suit with furs and a clouch hat.

In 1928 the Company of Olby's took over the sheds to be used as their timber sheds. They were also to take over the house in the station yard as part of their business in the town. This was the beginning of traders taking over parts of the railway yards. In this vicinity we now have a complex of homes, where for a time stables were situated for the horses used by the railway and local fire brigade.
Who can remember sitting in the waiting room awaiting the next service and deciding that perhaps there was time for a haircut? Many people can remember Campbell & Sons who was a specialist ladies and gents' hairdresser situated inside the station. According to a 1930 advertisement, gents could have a hair cut for 3d. and ladies could partake of a Marvel wave for 1s. 5d. Interestingly if one gave three days notice one could have hired a wig! Sadly there is no such service available today.
In 1932 Mr. R. C. Sherriff wrote a book called "The Fortnight in September" which included a description of arriving at Bognor Station, in which he said, "it would be poor showmanship on the part of Bognor to reveal the sea to you," it then continued, "the train can go no further than Bognor; if the brakes failed the engine would burst through the buffers and run down the main road into the sea." In 1938 the present signal box was built, because of electrification a replacement was required for the original Bersted crossing box, built in 1876. The new signal box contained 66 levers to control the traffic and was brick built. These new 'electric trains' arrived with a promise of a new level of service. The last regular steam train ran on 2nd July 1938. Holidaymakers still continued to arrive in the town in great numbers.
Over the years the use of the original station yards have changed considerably from the area where on a Sunday the station would be full of trains awaiting the return of the passengers to return back to London. Areas of station property have now been covered with a small estate of houses, whilst other areas are used for car parking. Many people have mentioned how on a Sunday in the 1950's they had to sit at the railway gates for so long to allow the high number of trains to leave the station. The crossing gates situated next to the Richmond Arms, are now in a sad state of repair which is the same situated with "Jacob's ladder," the nickname for the bridge over the railway, which sadly needs painting.

Many people can remember walking along Spencer Street straining their necks to see over the wall at the trains on the turntable or in the engine sheds. Unfortunately the engine shed was closed in 1953 and by 1956 the turntable had been removed.
In August 1972 a film Company temporarily renamed the station Newhaven Harbour, because they were unable to use the original station. Again in 1982 it was renamed Folkstone when it was used in a spy thriller film as a South Coast railway connection. During the 1980s and 1990s Pullman trains were also retired to the station overnight, when they were being operated to recreate travel excursions of a bygone age.

For many years the 'blight' of the station was the small row of wooden shops situated outside the

front of the station. These were removed in 1994 and then we had the new station forecourt, which provides an excellent frontage to the station building.

The bow fronted refreshment room is still with us although it has recently had an additional front area constructed, which unfortunately hides the original bow window. However we are still able to buy our newspapers and books, from the original site of the bookstall, as we rush for the train just as we would have done in 1902.
We have had a wide range of rail companies operating out of the station including the London Brighton Southcoast Railway Company, Southern Railway, Connex and of course from 2001 the new Company Govia. Let us hope that with the arrival of a new Company and the 100th anniversary of the station we can look forward to an increasingly faster service as a facility fit for the 21st century.

• TELEPHONE 01243 823 820
• EMAIL: info@bognor-local-history.co.uk