Every now and then we public are privileged to be allowed behind the scenes at Brighton Station whenever conducted tours are held. SEmG member John Lewis went on one such tour in the 1990s at a time when the station roof was being renovated. In more recent years regular tours have been held in conjunction with the Brighton Festival. Members Glen Woods, David Mills and Colin Duff took advantage of one of the festival tours on 22nd June 2002. The pictures which follow are from John Lewis and Colin Duff. We hope you enjoy this pictorial tour.

We start our tour with the public areas of the station - here a glimpse of the frontage seen here from the corner of Surrey Street.   David Moccatta's elegant station building design is largely hidden by the canopy and the porte-cochère.

photograph by Colin Duff

The station concourse looking roughly north east towards platform 8.

photograph by Colin Duff

Another view looking in the same direction but from on top of the station building. In this 1990s view Network South East colours dominate not only on the trains but also on the structure.

photograph by John Lewis

The ornate LBSCR clock which is suspended from the roof. This clock has been restored since this photograph also taken in the 1990s. Although the station's main user is now Govia South Central and Thameslink the current colours used on the station structure are those of the previous predominant franchise holder Connex South Central.

photograph by John Lewis

Our tour now takes us over and above the station. This is the western train shed roof seen from part way up Terminus Road.

photograph by Colin Duff

The sea-ward end of the middle trainshed roof as seen from a walkway on the station building roof.

photograph by Colin Duff

This is the interior structure abutting the sea-ward glass end of western trainshed roof whilst in Network SouthEast colours.

photograph by John Lewis

Back outside again and taken from higher up, this is a valley and tie-beams between trainshed roofs.

photograph by John Lewis

A sight never seen by the countless passengers who pass through the station, the panorama of north east Brighton available from a rooftop walkway at the London end of the trainshed roof. The London Road viaduct and a part of the site of the former Brighton works can be seen.

photograph by John Lewis

The top of the station building from a rooftop walkway.

photograph by John Lewis

Our tour now takes us underneath the station.

Before Queens Road was built the approach to the station was up the steep Trafalgar Street. The final part of which, effectively the width of the station, was even steeper and this proved to be unmanageable for horse-drawn carriages. Thus a shallower carriage road was constructed along the eastern side of the station at first working north and then with a tight 180 degree turn into the hill working the road back towards the station buildings. When the station was extended out over the hill the carriage road became under the station and emerges between platforms 7 and 8. These are the doors to the carriage road off Trafalgar Street. The porte-cochère is above.

photograph by Colin Duff

The interior of the carriage road looking back towards the doors. At first the tunnel is wide and airy.

photograph by Colin Duff

Towards the London end of the station the carriage road becomes darker and narrower. With the station being extended out over the hill the roof columns are supported on horizontal beams which are themselves supported by other columns.

photograph by Colin Duff

The roof beams and floor planks above the carriage road and beneath the tracks of platform 8. As long as track discharging toilets are still in use on trains whilst you are here you had better hope that no-one is disobeying the "do not flush whilst in a station" instruction!

photograph by Colin Duff

Just before the 180 degree turn brick arches separate the legs of the carriage road. That the ramp up into the station is only the other side of these arches demonstrates how tight the turn is.

photograph by John Lewis

The carriage road finally emerges between platforms 7 and 8 and this is looking down into the tunnel. The tunnel was latterly used as a parcels handling area for van trains in platform 7. This activity ceased in June 1981.

photograph by John Lewis

Another tunnel under the station is that which linked the lower and upper goods yards, the London end of which is now a shooting range. This photograph shows the roof of the tunnel at the entrance of the range.

photograph by Colin Duff

During World War Two emergency control facilities were built in the sea-ward end of the tunnel consisting of a number of rooms off a corridor (seen left). These were supplied with air-conditioning from the room immediately next to the camera in this photograph. Note the roof beams are supported on rail sections painted, as are the doors, Southern green! We are told there was no special security protecting this facility, the fact that it was "secret" was relied upon.

photograph by Colin Duff

This is one of the wartime emergency control rooms, used more recently as a classroom, meeting room and store for Woking Homes fund raising material. Although not apparent from this photograph Southern green and buff colours were used to decorate the areas.

photograph by Colin Duff

Our tour concludes out in the open and in an area open to the public. This area was formerly part of the lower goods yard but is now a service area between the car park and Trafalgar Street. It is thought the goods tunnel emerged between the two ground level buildings roughly where the red Ford Sierra is parked. The horizontal area mid-picture into which the drainpipes go is the carriage road tunnel (see previous interior photographs), that above the eastern side of the station concourse.

photograph by Colin Duff