West Ashey – Ashey Racecourse (Steam)

A public footpath running south from Ashey Station follows the line of the branch passing the station site.

From the down loop at Ashey Station a siding ran south to a chalk quarry under Ashey Down, this also served the adjacent Ashey Racecourse. Ashey and Ashey Racecourse Stations were particularly busy on race days in the years preceding 1929 when the grandstand was gutted by fire and the racecourse was abandoned. The station never appeared in a public timetable.

The 1919 Ordnance Survey map below clearly shows the quarry siding and the racecourse but the station is not shown. A station has been added to the map at what seems to be the most likely position, adjacent to the grandstand but there is no evidence to confirm this is the correct position.

• http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/a/ashey_racecourse/index.shtml

• Image Sources – Nick Catford