June 2008 by David J.
Barnham is situated on the Brighton-Chichester 'West Coastway' line, and is the junction for the short line to Bognor Regis. It was opened in 1864 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, the same day as the branch line to Bognor (the 'Regis' wasn't added until 1929). This busy little station has a single platform for London- and Brighton-bound services, and an island platform, one side of which is used by trains towards Chichester, and the other by trains to Bognor. Both platforms have the original brick buildings and generous canopies, giving it a delightfully old-fashioned feel. The main station building is down along covered passageway, and is a rather modest brick structure, in a plain domestic style. At one end of the station is an attractive old-fashioned signalbox, which controls the branch line (still partly equipped by semaphore signals). As well as a frequent branch shuttle to and from Bognor, there is an hourly London-Bognor service (via Arundel), and frequent services along the West Coastway line, to and from Brighton, Southampton and Bournemouth. Overall, these give around 10 departures in each direction off-peak, each weekday: as a result, the station seems constantly busy with school children, commuters, and day-trippers and holiday-makers to Bognor.
