As the first country in the world to have a "modern" railway - with iron tracks and a steam locomotive - many of Britain's stations are a window into the past. The country thrived during the 1800s as a result of the industrial revolution and first steam railway locomotive which was introduced by Richard Trevithick in 1804. Since then there has been a lot of development in the rail industry, including switching from coal-powered locomotives to diesel and now making the switch to electric lines.
But in its wake old railway lines and stations have become abandoned. In the 1960s, as households began to own cars, commuters started to prefer using road to rail - this switch is another key reason for the decline of old stations. A railway signal at West Grinstead (Image: Bob Plowman/The Argus Camera Club) And a landmark report by then head of British Rail, Richard Beeching, led to the closure of many stations in the 1960s.
Now, many routes and stations have been reclaimed by nature and the Downs Link, a popular walking route which stretches from Shoreham to Surrey, following two disused railway lines. A sign at Southwater to mark where the station once was (Image: Bob Plowman/The Argus Camera Club) Since the trains departed in the 1960s, the embankments and cuttings have become a green corridor for wildlife and people. READ MORE: The forgotten history of lost Sussex village wiped out by the Black Death Walkers and cyclists can see kingfishers fishing from the railway bridges.
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