by Roger Blake, RailFurure
An all-day train service was restored to two stations in Sussex after an 18-year campaign led by Railfuture and MarshLink member John Spencer. Winchelsea, where John lives and Three Oaks on the MarshLink line in East Sussex now have an hourly service provided by train operator Southern. The service was restored on a step-by-step basis, starting in 2010 and a full day every-day hourly Southern service at the two stations returned in May. The service was reduced when services were extended from Ashford through to Brighton in 2005. From being hourly, they were cut to just three each way per day. Alternate hourly services were introduced at the two stations from 2010 and Sunday services from 2015. Railfuture and MLAG have supported the campaign throughout, including evidence gathering, with station counts at Rye, Winchelsea and Three Oaks.
Passengers from Winchelsea travelled to Three Oaks in May to celebrate the first hourly Sunday service. John Spencer is third from left in the background.