This is a nice picture of the Brighton to Lewes line crossing Lewes road. In railway architecture this type of bridge is called a ‘Skew Bridge’ because the line passes diagonally to the road, but the arches are parallel to the road direction. Looking at the picture I’m surprised to see all the arches are open, I always thought the left arch had the bricks removed and (ugly) concrete reinforcement installed for the second carriageway. In the recent picture, you can just about see the bricked up right arch which I thought was originally installed when the bridge built in the 1840s. There is a picture of this bridge with the left and right arches bricked up in the Moulscoomb section of this website under the Hodshrove sub heading. The only thing I can think of for the arches to be bricked in is, as the railway company over the years built heavier and more powerful locomotives, the outer arches were strengthened to carry the extra weight.

I was working for the Boro Surveyors Dept in 1963/65 when the largest project was the widening of the Lewes Road. Unfortunately I cannot confirm the actual date of completion. There must be a record kept in the Boro Suveyors archive.

Where in Lewes Road is this? If it is the turn for Moulesecoomb Way it wasn't like that in the 1940/50s. It was a two lane road.

Hi Mick, yes I see what you mean, how strange! I've looked at the photo on the Hodshrove page and it's difficult to comprehend the reason, but I think you are right, its to do with strengthening! Probably: 1) Old photo above, no additional strengthening required. 2) Old photo on Hodshrove page, strengthening required due to trains, so outer arches bricked up, but road not widened. 3) Requirement to add second carriageway, but maintain strength, so LH bricked up arch changed to concrete strengthening, with road passing through. 4) I suspect that the RH bricked up arch in the new photo still has the bricks, but hidden behind the tree!

I was born and raised in Ringmer Road and was still a young boy when this part of Lewes Road was widened and the tunnel re opened to accomodate the widening. I cannot recall the exact year but I was born 1958 and was older than 8 when it was done

I concur with Martin Long's comment about the bridge. I can remember it being done, I think 1970 ish? but certainly between 1968 and 1976, I am sure.

We lived in railway cottages at the bottom of Moulescoomb Way for a while. Am I right in thinking they used to be a Sunday school for railway workers children? the only time the train woke us up was when they were not running.

Yes, Joan. Although the caption makes no reference to it, both photos are of the railway bridge over the Lewes Road, immediately north of Moulsecoomb Way. The car on the right in the later photo has travelled south down Lewes Road and is actually turning into Moulsecoomb Way.