Gatwick Airport railway station

Gatwick Airport railway station is on the Brighton Main Line in West Sussex, England. It serves Gatwick Airport, Template:Convert down the line from Template:Stn via Template:Rws. The platforms are about Template:Convert to the east of the airport's South Terminal, with the ticket office above the platforms and station entrances and exits directly connected to the terminal. The station is also connected to the airport's North Terminal by the Airport Shuttle people-mover. Gatwick Airport is the busiest station in South East England region (which excludes London) as of the 2023-24 usage statistics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There have been two stations at Gatwick, sited about Template:Convert from each other. It is the busiest station in both West Sussex and South East England, and the sixth busiest station in the UK outside of London.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The first railway station, Gatwick, opened in September 1891. It fell out of use after the opening of Tinsley Green station, which was renamed Gatwick Airport in September 1935. In 1946, it was renamed Gatwick Racecourse, to reflect its association with the neighbouring Gatwick Racecourse,. The stations had a reversal of fortunes in the 1950s as a result of a government decision to expand and develop the Beehive airport terminal into London's second airport. Gatwick Racecourse station was rebuilt to serve Gatwick Airport, and is integrated into its terminal. On 27 May 1958, the rebuilt station, which took over the name Gatwick Airport, was opened in conjunction with a regular train service; and services serving the former Tinsley Green station were discontinued.

Train services are provided by Southern, Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Great Western Railway. When viewed from the air (or in satellite imagery), the station's British Rail logo etched on the roof is visible.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Between late 2010 and early 2014, new facilities were built at the station, among them platform 7; infrastructure was renewed and the concourse was refurbished. The station was one of 18 managed by Network Rail,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but, in 2012, management was transferred to Southern.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In May 2018, the station was named as the second-least popular major station in the UK.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

Gatwick/Gatwick Racecourse Station

In September 1891, Gatwick station was constructed on the present site to serve Gatwick Racecourse, but operated only on race days. The facilities included passing loops and sidings, which enabled race trains to be held without impeding regular traffic on the Brighton Main Line.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> During the First World War, the sidings were extended to accommodate munitions trains heading for Newhaven.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1946, Gatwick station was renamed Gatwick Racecourse until 1958. The station had fallen out of regular use after the opening of nearby Tinsley Green/Gatwick Airport Station.<ref name = "rail tech">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the early 1950s, the airport was expanded over land formerly occupied by the racecourse, and it was decided to rebuild the station. The station was integrated into the airport terminal via an upper level concourse designed by British Rail Southern Region. On 27 May 1958, the rebuilt station, Gatwick Airport, opened with a regular train service.<ref name = "rail tech"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tinsley Green/Gatwick Airport Station

File:Gatwick Airport station site geograph-3559906-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

Site of the original Gatwick Airport station at Tinsley Green

On 30 September 1935 Tinsley Green station was opened Template:Convert south of the present station.<ref name = "rail tech"/> Within a year it was renamed Gatwick Airport, following the completion of the Beehive airport terminal, which had a direct subway connection to the station. In 1940, the airport was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for military use. In 1952, the government decided to expand the airport as London's second airport.<ref name = "rail tech"/> The station continued in operation until 27 May 1958 when the new Gatwick Airport station (above) opened. The old station was later demolished.<ref name = "rail tech"/> The only visible remains of the old station are sections of the former up slow line platform and sections of the subway between the station and the original terminal building.Template:Cn

Present station

The 1958 facilities included a parcels office beneath the main concourse, lifts and a corridor on the south side of the overbridge, separated from the passenger corridor by a glazed partition. To accommodate trains of up to 12-carriage lengths, the three old Racecourse island platforms were raised by Template:Convert and extended to the north by about Template:Convert, except for the very long westernmost platform, which was reduced from the south. The ticket office on the main concourse of the station was able to handle 670 separate issues of Edmondson tickets from its Bellmatic equipment. The signalbox was retained on the centre platform.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the 1980s, the station was refurbished.<ref name = "rail tech"/> The station had six platforms immediately beneath the airport's South Terminal.<ref name = "rail tech"/>

The ticket office is staffed for ticket sales and enquiries, supplemented by ticket machines capable of handling online bookings usually available on a round-the-clock basis.<ref name = "rail tech"/> Automated teller machines, payphones and e-mail access points are installed on the main concourse. There are coin-operated trolleys for luggage and a left luggage facility.<ref name = "rail tech"/> On-site food and drink outlets are present. Toilets are available and baby changing facilities and additional toilets can be found in the adjacent South Terminal. There is no car parking facility.<ref name = "rail tech"/> Transport for London's (TfL) Oyster cards and contactless cards are accepted for travel at the station.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Redevelopment

File:Gatwick Airport station - geograph.org.uk - 1540749.jpg

The station in 1979.

File:Gatwick Airport stn December 2023 10.jpg

The railway station's main hall after its refurbishment

On 13 October 2010, a £53 million redevelopment programme was announced to provide another platform capable of accommodating 12-car trains, refurbishment of the concourse, and track and signal upgrades.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Escalators and lifts were provided for platforms 5 and 6, replacing a staircase to achieve improved circulation.<ref name=RailwayGazette3Feb14/> The redevelopment provided improved capacity and flexibility on the Brighton Main Line.<ref name=RailwayGazette3Feb14/> The project was jointly financed by Network Rail, who contributed £44.9 million, and Gatwick Airport who provided £7.9 million. Construction was structured so as not to negatively affect the 2012 Summer Paralympics, which was hosted in London.<ref name = "rail tech"/>

By 3 February 2014, completion was marked by a ceremony officiated by Minister of State for Transport Baroness Kramer, who formally opened the new platform.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Constructed by VolkerFitzpatrick, platform 7 is served by a Template:Convert loop from the down fast line and used by services which formerly used at platform 5. VolkerFitzpatrick were responsible for track and signalling modifications.<ref name=RailwayGazette3Feb14>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This has allowed platforms 5 and 6 to be dedicated to Gatwick Express services, thereby eliminating previous conflicts with slower services when they crossed to platforms 1 and 2.<ref name=RailwayGazette3Feb14/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The project was finished on schedule and budget, despite extreme weather conditions during the winter of 2013/2014.<ref name=RailwayGazette3Feb14/>

In 2014, Baroness Kramer announced that the government had committed £50 million towards further improvements.<ref name=RailwayGazette3Feb14/> A scheme for further improvements, estimated to cost around £120 million, was announced by Network Rail.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In April 2018, Network Rail submitted a planning application for modernising the station; doubling the size of the concourse, widening two platforms, and improving connections to the airport terminal. It was done in partnership with Gatwick Airport authorities, the Coast to Capital local enterprise partnership and the Department for Transport.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The expansion is an element of a five-year programme, costed at £1.11 billion, announced by Gatwick Airport in early 2018.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Construction on the new concourse began in November 2020. The refurbished station opened on 21 November 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Services

As of February 2024, train services at Gatwick Airport are operated by Southern, Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Great Western Railway and split between seven platforms:

• Platform 1: Thameslink services to Bedford and Peterborough via Redhill
• Platform 2: Services to London Victoria (Southern) and Reading (Great Western Railway)
• Platform 3: Thameslink services to Three Bridges and Horsham
• Platform 4: Services to London Victoria, London Bridge, Bedford and Cambridge
• Platform 5: Northbound services to London Victoria (including Gatwick Express services) and interchangeable with Platform 4
• Platform 6: Southbound services to Brighton (Gatwick Express), Bognor Regis, Portsmouth Harbour and Littlehampton and interchangeable with Platform 7
• Platform 7: Southbound services to Brighton (Thameslink), Ore and Eastbourne

Services at the station are as follows:

Southern

File:377410 Platform 1 Gatwick Airport.jpg

A Southern Class 377 at Gatwick Airport

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=GTWTT>Template:NRtimes</ref>

• 6 tph to Template:Stn
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk of which 1 continues to Template:Stnlnk
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk via Template:Stnlnk
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk and Portsmouth Harbour, dividing at Template:Stnlnk

On Sundays, a London Victoria to Brighton service runs half hourly. However, services between London Victoria and Eastbourne do not run. In addition, services between London Victoria and Littlehampton reduce to hourly, and the services to Bognor Regis and Portsmouth Harbour also reduce to hourly and divide at Barnham, instead of Horsham.

Services at Gatwick Airport are operated using Template:Brc EMUs.

Gatwick Express

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=GTWTT/>

• 2 tph to Template:Stn (non-stop)
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk (calling at Haywards Heath only)

On Sundays, the services to Brighton do not run, with Gatwick Express trains operating as a shuttle between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only.

Gatwick Express services are operated using Template:Brc EMUs.

Thameslink

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=GTWTT/>

• 4 tph to Template:Stnlnk via Template:Stn
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk via Template:Stnlnk
• 4 tph to Template:Stnlnk (semi-fast)
• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk (stopping)
• 2 tph to Template:Rws

On Sundays, the services between Horsham and Peterborough do not run, and instead, 1tph usually terminating at Three Bridges is extended to Horsham

There are also services that terminate here from Bedford in the evening peak hours

Thameslink services at Gatwick Airport are operated using Template:Brc EMUs.

Great Western Railway

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=GTWTT/>

• 2 tph to Template:Stnlnk via Template:Stnlnk

Great Western Railway services at Gatwick Airport are operated using Template:Brc and Template:Brc DMUs.

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