Holmwood station in Beare Green is a gem. It’s our main public transport service for local and near local residents. Whilst the frequency of service to low (not necessarily a bad thing), we do need to give the station the attention it deserves.
The station is served by Southern Railway. As a member of Southern’s Passenger Panel I’m asked to report back to Southern’s management on train services. Recently, I was asked for feedback on ways to improve the service and I’d like to focus on the station.
How do you find the service in general? How do you find the station (Holmwood)? Are there ways it can be improved? If so, what suggestions do you have?
I’d love to hear back from you.
I don’t think the station is all that bad. When I have used it, it has always worked for me. Yes it would be nice to have more trains + a sunday service but lets get real,economics wouldn’t work. So I’m grateful that we still have it.
A few years ago now they ran a steam train fromDorking to Horsham 9 times I think and they said it would become a regular but it never happened again! It would be nice if it did.
The one thing that does really get me PO’d is that it is called Holmwood & not Beare Green! I do understand the history but I would still like it to be renamed!!!
Cheers
Roy aka the BeerBiker
All good points Roy.
I must admit I agree with you – being confused/PO’d why the station in the village of Beare Green is called Holmwood?
When I moved into BG about 30 years ago, I joined the Residents’ Asssociation. One of the major battles we fought was to keep the station open; at that time, BR were trying to economise by closing every station between Horsham and Dorking, though they had to keep the line open. We managed to persuade them to keep the stations open. Victory!!!
We did, however, lose the battle to keep the station building, which was a beautiful Victorian creation, complete with wooden frontage, suspended over the line, at the bridge. There was even a ticket office inside. I feel sure that BR neglected to maintain it then pulled it down on the basis that it had been neglected!
We used to have our very own signalman in the box on the ‘up’ line to Dorking. Rumour has it that the last signalman had a nervous breakdown because of the responsibility involved – not sure about this. Hoads, the South Holmwood coal merchant used to have coal delivered to the sidings – roughly south of the houses built to the east of the station.
Hi Pat,
Thanks for leaving a comment on the blog. Your recollections of previous local Beare Green events reveals very interesting facts. Like the station building on the bridge… absolutely fascinating.
I believe the north-bound station building (on the platform) cannot be destroyed as it’s a listed building? (fact or fiction?)
I would love to hear more about our quirky village (in a historical sense)
– Rob