Brighton Coastal Railway

The **Brighton Coastal Railway** is a small railway line that runs from Brighton to Southampton. It's the main setting for The Seaside Branch

## History

The railway was built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway in **1880** as a limited or secondary route from the station at Brighton to the dockyard at Beckton. The stations of Dalston and Beckton were built in **1882** and **1883**, respectively. The port at Beckton was established in 1884 but didn’t start construction till **1885** due to some council issues by the British government. The dockyard’s construction was halted due to strikes and scheduling problems; the dockyard didn’t finish construction until **1887**.

And in **1888**, the railway officially opened and Mr Arthur Webber assumed control of the railway but the railway ordered some engines to be transferred to the railway.

The first of which was a Beatie well tank named ‘**Nicholas**’, who ran the dockyard at Beckton, the second & third engines who arrived were a pair of C class brothers named ‘**Sean**’ and ‘**Blake’**, who was assigned as the primary goods engines on the route, the latter of the two operated the passenger services. But the railway needed a permanent express passenger engine, so Mr A. Webber having connections with railway builders and designers ordered one to be built by William Adams of the London & South Western Railway. A freelance design came to the railway and was named ‘**Sonia**’

In **1889**, 2 tank engines later came to the railway, the first of which was named ‘**Mara**’, and became the station pilot, and the second of which was named ‘**Alana**’

In **1892**, the traffic from the Beckton dockyard was getting busier and busier, so it was arranged that a bigger harbour was to be built at Southampton and the line was extended from Beckton to the terminus of Southampton and a bigger harbour was later built east of the station.

The stations of Rutherglen, Ashford, Moresford & Southampton were built, between **1892** to **1895**. Plans for the harbour at Southampton were established and in **1896**, construction started but the harbour didn’t finish construction until **1898**, due to multiple factors of the government, building & sewerage issues.

After it had finished being constructed, a Peckett W4 class named Edmund was ordered by the railway to shunt at the harbour, it later arrived and was put straight to work.

In **1899**, the influx of goods and passengers on the railway was absurd. So 2 engines were ordered; the first was an LBSCR E4 tank engine, named Bailey, who became a spare goods engine, who handled the smaller and minor traffic. The second one was a GWR 1901 pannier tank engine named Jerome who became a shunter at Port Beckton.

However, tragedy struck in **1900**, when Nicholas’s brakes failed and she plunged into the quay, she was lost and couldn’t be recovered, so a new shunter was purchased, her name was Abigail.

A mine needed to be built on the railway needed to be built. It was decided that one would be constructed west of Wolfden. The sheds were built in **1902**. Construction started in **1903** but didn’t finish the project until **1905**. The quarry needed its own shunter, so they ordered an LBSCR E5 class named Cecilia. Although she isn’t owned by the quarry, she rarely leaves the quarry.

In **1913**, Arthur Webber retired from the position of controller and his son, Daniel, took over the position.

In **1948**, Daniel Webber retired in favour of his son, Reece who took over as operating manager of the railways this was partially due to the new railway board being formed by the new British Railways. Mr Webber had a meeting with the board and later agreed that his railway company shouldn't have to suffer through British Railways’ new terms. And they remained separate from British Railways.  That means they avoided modernisation, dieselisation along with the Beeching Axe.

In **September 1961**, a black tender engine was ordered, she was called Ruby and she assisted Sonia in the express passenger duties and helped Sean out with the mixed traffic services.

## Stations

* Brighton
* Dalston
* Beckton
* Hallow
* Wolfden
* Rutherglen
* Ashford
* Moresford
* Southampton

## Steam Engines

### Current

* Mara
* Alana
* Bailey
* Sean
* Blake
* Ruby
* Sonia
* Edmund
* Cecilia
* Abigail
* Jerome
* Ellie

### Former

* Raj
* Avery †