paul1609
Established Member
The Ashford to Hastings line was of course the original line to Charing Cross. Prior to electrification all the relief services seaside specials and services from other regions generally were routed via Ashford as there was more capacity on that line to run non stop trains and as you have said it avoided the gauge restrictions. Until the 1960s the Marshlink line also still had an up "businessmens" peak service through to Canon Street.There was a thread here a while ago about Tonbridge crews working dmus from Ashford to Hastings in the 1980s, with photos
TRIVIA: Southern Region services worked by DMMUs | RailUK Forums (railforums.co.uk)
It was a diversion route when the direct Hastings line through Battle was not available, either through closures or because the stock was out of gauge for the narrow tunnels.
Hastings is one of those stations where up/ down changes at the station. The platform repeaters are OFF WSQ or OFF ORE to avoid confusion