Railway Arrives in Bognor

1 June 1864

Bognor railway station opened on 1 June 1864, on a branch line connecting the town to Barnham Junction on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway main line. The arrival of the railway transformed Bognor's prospects as a resort. Previously, visitors had to travel by coach along the roads from Chichester or Arundel, a slow and uncomfortable journey that limited the town's appeal to those with the time and means for extended stays. The railway brought Bognor within easy reach of London, Brighton, and the other major towns of the south coast. Day-trippers and holiday visitors could now reach the resort in a matter of hours rather than a full day's travel. The branch line, roughly three and a half miles long, was built to serve the growing demand for seaside holidays among the expanding middle class. The station was sited at the northern end of the town centre, and the walk from the platform to the beach was, and remains, a straightforward ten-minute stroll down the High Street. The railway stimulated hotel building, the expansion of lodging houses, and the general growth of the resort economy. Bognor station is still served today by Southern Railway, with services connecting at Barnham to the main coast line running between Brighton and Portsmouth Harbour, and onward connections to London Victoria.