Arun Valley line
The Arun Valley line, also known as the Mid Sussex line, is part of the Southern- and Thameslink-operated railway services. For the initial part of the route trains follow the Brighton Main Line, and at a junction south of Three Bridges the route turns westwards. It then runs via Crawley, Horsham (where there is a junction with the Portsmouth Line) and Arundel, before meeting the West Coastway line at Arundel Junction. Trains on the Arun Valley line then proceed to either Bognor Regis, Portsmouth & Southsea (with some of these extended to Portsmouth Harbour) or Southampon Central.
| Arun Valley line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Southern class 377 train bound for Victoria passes under the A29 road bridge south of Pulborough in West Sussex in 2009 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | Network Rail | ||
| Locale | South East England | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 11 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Heavy rail | ||
| System | National Rail | ||
| Operator(s) | Southern Thameslink | ||
| Rolling stock | Class 377 Class 700 | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1863 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 30 mi 46 ch (49.2 km) (Between Three Bridges and Arundel junctions) | ||
| Number of tracks | 2 | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | 750 V DC third rail | ||
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Many stations on this line retain the short platforms which were originally built, not being extended by the Southern Railway when the line was modernised in the 1930s, nor by any subsequent operators. This causes operational difficulties to this day, which require frequent platform and on-train announcements with longer trains, telling passengers they must travel in the correct part of the train.