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....and might not make much sense at the moment!

Please keep popping back, though. It is a work in progress and being added to all the time.

10/10/21 09:08

I am constantly finding new photos of the Loco Works and whilst I take great pains to find the owners of the photos I use here and credit them accordingly, there are still some that I cannot yet. If I have used any that happen to belong to you and you spot them, please contact me and let me know, in order to save me any embarassment or litigation! 

Thanks, Lawrence (ghost.of.loz@gmail.com)

ABOVE: Believe it or not, this photo shows the view looking across The Works looking roughly towards Hollingdean from Terminus Road. Note the Roundhill Pub at the extreme top right corner of the photo and the abundence of fields where there are now only houses: Brighton grew up primarily as a result of the railway. The view dates from 1871 and shows the original set of Works Buildings, which were consequently expanded and dramatically added to in later years as the facilities attempted to outgrow the constraints of the site.

Photos from Madgewick/Ian Allen collection, used here for illustration and personal research purposes only.

(ABOVE): This view of Brighton Works from the East taken in 1959 shows the extension built over the line to the Lower Goods yard (in the lower left foreground) built by Mr. R. J. Billington. The Lower Goods Line crosses New England Road on an elaborate single arch bridge seen on the extreme right of the picture.

Photo from Author’s collection.

 (ABOVE & BELOW): These 2 pictures show the site of the ‘New Shed’. The huge chalk pile was gradually removed to make the New Shed and carriage sheds in 1861-1863. Originally the MPD was on the site of The Works. The Main Line loco shed (the original loco shed) and the loco works can be seen centre right, next to the chalk hill. The view below is taken 75 years later. Note how Brighton had expanded in 75 years; the hills around the valley are just open farmland in the top view. 

Both photos from The Madgewick Collection/Ian Allen Publishing.


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 (ABOVE): This view shows a wide shot of the whole Works building. While nothing remains of The Works in the present day, there are still hints of its existence. The majority of the brick piers which supported the extension remain, the bridge, embankment & also the retaining wall of the far end of the works foundations (immediately left of the bridge in the picture) all survive to date.

The site was cleared as a result of Rationalisation in the 60’s & early 70’s and the site was made into a huge carpark, with only the lower goods area remaining. In the present day (2005), the 9-acre site is undergoing redevelopment. A network of access roads have been built round the site, a development of houses and apartments is shooting up at the southern end of the site and there are also plans for shops, offices, hotels and restaurants.

Plans for a 400ft tall tower had been drawn up but it appears unlikely that it will ever become a reality due to the huge shadow it would cast across most of Brighton! It would have contained a hotel, flats of varying sizes and a Sky Garden with spectacular views across the surrounding vista.

There are plans for a public square & garden and the area  under the extension in the photo has been earmarked as a “Green Corridor”, a leafy pathway between the North Laine area & the busy Old Shoreham Road. One must hope that there will be an explanation of the purpose of the brick piers & of the fantastical buildings, which once proudly stood on the site. 

Photo owned by Ian Allen / B.K.Cooper

This view (ABOVE) shows a wide shot of the whole Works building. While nothing remains of The Works in the present day, there are still hints of its existence. The majority of the brick piers which supported the extension remain, the bridge, embankment & also the retaining wall of the far end of the works foundations (immediately left of the bridge in the picture) all survive todate. The site was cleared as a result of Rationalisation in the 60’s & early 70’s and the site was made into a huge carpark, with only the lower goods area remaining. In the present day (2005), the 9-acre site is undergoing redevelopment. A network of access roads have been built round the site, a development of houses and apartments is shooting up at the southern end of the site and there are also plans for shops, offices, hotels and restaurants.

Plans for a 400ft tall tower had been drawn up but it appears unlikely that it will ever become a reality due to the huge shadow it would cast across most of Brighton! It would have contained a hotel, flats of varying sizes and a Sky Garden with spectacular views across the surrounding vista.

There are plans for a public square & garden and the area  under the extension in the photo has been earmarked as a “Green Corridor”, a leafy pathway between the North Laine area & the busy Old Shoreham Road. One must hope that there will be an explanation of the purpose of the brick piers & of the fantastical buildings, which once proudly stood on the site. 

Photo owned by Ian Allen Publishing.

(ABOVE): The New Shed was originally used as a washing shed, which explains the proximity of the water tower and the water treatment plant, which would otherwise be poorly sited, having virtually no access for service. The 1932 signal box can be seen in the right corner, perched on a wall of the Engineering Works.

Photo owned by D.Clayton
(ABOVE): ‘Terrier’ No. 3778 (formerly 635) “Brighton Works” on shunting duties, about to enter the Northern end of the Erecting Shop on one of the two tracks which ran the length of the shop. Just to the left of the cab stands The Hardening Shop and the New Signal Box (built 1935) can be seen perched precariously on the northern tip of the Boiler Shop (far right). 

Photo owned by Ian Allen

ABOVE: The three pictures shown here are roughly sequential and run north to south along the length of the original Works. The views above are taken from (roughly) Terminus Road and the junction with Howard Place in 1871 and shows the Montpelier Box (top left) and the dainty little platform alongside the works building. Ticket inspectors used this on down trains. This was done just short of many termini at the time and much to the annoyance of passengers, particularly as the benefits of corridors were not available. 

If you CLICK on the images, larger versions of the photos can be seen.

Images owned by The Madgewick Collection / Ian Allen Publishing.

ABOVE: The southern end of the Loco Works comprised mostly Administrative and Graphic Design & Drawing Offices.
Photo owned by Charlie Verrall. 

ABOVE: This view is taken from Howard Place, looking down on the Station throat, before it was extensively remodelled as part of 'Operation New Look'. The Admin Offices of The Loco Works loom large in the background, top left corner. This photo is owned by Charlie Verrall.
ABOVE: This photo, whilst predominantly featuring 80138 leaving Brighton station, shows the view looking roughly south-east towards the Drawing Offices. In the present day, the platform and tracks are very much still intact, but the Drawing Office has been replaced by the Cycle Hub, Indigo Hotel and the roundabout for the Drop-off Point and Rail Replacement buses. This  photo is owned by Charlie Verrall.

ABOVE LEFT & RIGHT: Both these photos show the view looking due roughly south-east looking over the Drawing and Admin Offices. The Westinghouse roof and the far end of the Boiler Repair Shop can be seen in the top left of the photos. Both photos are owned by Charlie Verrall.

ABOVE: This photo is the view looking back due south towards the station from the end of Platform 2. The view is relatively unchanged in the present day, with the notable exception of the lack of Loco Works on the left (now the site of the Indigo Hotel in the present day). Photo owned by Charlie Verrall.

ABOVE: Photo owned by the fantastic Mr. Dewi Williams ( http://www.dewi.ca/trains/brighton/works.html)

ABOVE: Photo owned by Leslie Whitcombe. 

ABOVE: This photo shows the view of the southern end of the Loco Works, as viewed from the buffer stops of Platform 10. The Design, Admin and Drawing Offices are off to the right of the photo. This photo is owned by Charlie Verrall and appears in his fantastic book 'The Search for Steam - British Rail 1951 - 1962'.


ABOVE: This photo shows the view of the southern end of the Loco Works, as viewed from the buffer stops of Platform 10. The Design, Admin and Drawing Offices can be seen on the right hand side of the photo, where the staircase is. This photo is owned by Charlie Verrall and appears in his fantastic book 'The Search for Steam - British Rail 1951 - 1962'. The same view in the present day can be seen HERE.


ABOVE: Photo owned by the fantastic Mr. Dewi Williams ( http://www.dewi.ca/trains/brighton/works.html)