History
It was formerly operated by the South Eastern Railway and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and was the scene of bitter rivalry between those companies.
The first train arrived at Hastings station in 1851 and with it began Hastings’ heyday. The station was originally V-shaped allowing the two railway companies to have separate platforms and booking areas: one side for SER trains to pass through and the other as a terminal for LBSCR services.
The whole station was reconstructed in a neo-Georgian style in 1931 and only the goods shed remained unchanged. All trains now ran through the two new island platforms and a huge central booking hall welcomed travellers.
The station building was re-built in 2004, with the neo-Georgian booking hall demolished and replaced with a modernist building. The southernmost loop platform has been curtailed into an Ashford facing bay. The station contains a small police post manned by British Transport Police, although this is a satellite of the Ashford International police station.
Read more about this topic: Hastings Railway Station
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