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Three Oaks
Platform looking north in December 2018
General information
Location	Three Oaks, Rother England
Coordinates	50°54′01″N 0°36′49″E / 50.90028°N 0.61361°E / 50.90028; 0.61361
Grid reference	TQ838144
Owned by	Network Rail
Managed by	Southern
Platforms	1
Other information
Station code	TOK
Classification	DfT category F2
History
Opened	1 July 1907
Original company	South Eastern Railway
Pre-grouping	South Eastern & Chatham Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway
Key dates
1 July 1907 (1907-07-01)	Opened as Three Oaks Bridge Halt
1909	Renamed Three Oaks Halt
?	Renamed Three Oaks & Guestling Halt
5 May 1969	Renamed Three Oaks & Guestling
12 May 1980	Renamed Three Oaks
Passengers
2019/20	12,672
2020/21	3,914
2021/22	8,952
2022/23	12,196
2023/24	14,938
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail & Road

Three Oaks railway station serves the village of Three Oaks, East Sussex, England. It is on the Marshlink line with all services operated by Southern. It was originally known as Three Oaks & Guestling.

History

The railway line between Ashford and Hastings was opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1851, but originally there were no stations between Winchelsea and Hastings. Ore opened in 1888, and with the introduction of steam railmotor services between Rye and Hastings, three halts were opened between Winchelsea and Ore on 1 July 1907: Snailham Crossing Halt; Guestling Halt; and Three Oaks Bridge Halt. The latter station has been renamed four times: in 1909 it became Three Oaks Halt; later on it became Three Oaks & Guestling Halt; on 5 May 1969 Three Oaks & Guestling; finally on 12 May 1980 the present name of Three Oaks was adopted.

Description

The station has a single platform from which trains depart to Ashford International and Eastbourne via Hastings. The Marshlink line was singled on 1 October 1979 between Appledore and Ore, with the westbound platform now used by services in both directions with the eastbound platform remaining in situ, albeit in a decaying state.

The platform can only accommodate a single carriage, meaning that passengers wishing to disembark must travel in the front carriage of the train.

There is a ticket issuing facility accepting card payments available here and a customer help point with on-screen customer information.

Services

The typical off-peak service at Three Oaks is one train per hour each way between Eastbourne (via Hastings) and Ashford International. All services are operated by Southern using Class 171 DMUs.

Service history

Until 2005 the station was served by hourly services each way between Ashford International and Hastings. However, in the 2005 timetable change, trains on the line were extended to run to/from Brighton (via Eastbourne and Lewes) and operated as express services; as a result, service frequency at Three Oaks (as well as neighbouring Doleham and Winchelsea) was greatly reduced, to just 3 trains per day each way. This led to the creation of a campaign the by Three Oaks and Winchelsea Action for Rail Transport (THWART) and the Marshlink Line Action Group (MLAG), which aimed to restore regular services from these stations.

This campaign was successful, and from December 2010 the weekday and Saturday service frequency at Three Oaks and Winchelsea was increased to 1 train every 2 hours each way (with services calling alternately at each station), plus a few additional stopping services during the peaks. The Sunday frequency has also been two-hourly each way since December 2015. In May 2018, the Brighton express services were replaced by stopping services to/from Eastbourne.

The May 2023 timetable change saw hourly services fully restored, with all trains now calling at both Three Oaks and Winchelsea seven days a week.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Ore		Southern Marshlink line		Doleham or Winchelsea

References

1. White, H.P. (1992) . Thomas, David St John; Patmore, J. Allan (eds.). Volume 2: Southern England. A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain (5th ed.). Nairn: David St John Thomas. p. 34. ISBN 0-946537-77-1.
2. Knight, Andrew (1986). The Railways of South East England. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 0-7110-1556-2.
3. McCarthy, Colin; McCarthy, David; Cobb, Michael (October 2007). Waller, Peter (ed.). Railways of Britain: Kent and Sussex. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. map 34. ISBN 978-0-7110-3222-4. 0710/C1.
4. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 178. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
5. Bradley, D.L. (April 1980) . The Locomotive History of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway (2nd ed.). London: Railway Correspondence & Travel Society. p. 30. ISBN 0-901115-49-5.
6. Gould, David (1993). Bogie Carriages of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway. Headington: Oakwood Press. p. 191. ISBN 0-85361-455-5. X52.
7. Butt 1995, p. 214
8. Butt 1995, p. 110
9. ^ Butt 1995, p. 229
10. Appledore - Ore singled Modern Railways issue 374 November 1979 page 475
11. Table 196 National Rail timetable, December 2021
12. "All Change on the Old Diesel Marshlink line". Kentish Express. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
13. "Sunday trains resume at Winchelsea and Three Oaks". Rye and Battle Observer. 1 December 2015.
14. "Plans to axe unpopular two-carriage Eastbourne train service". Eastbourne Herald. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
15. Train Timetable Southern

External links

• Train times and station information for Three Oaks railway station from National Rail
• Three Oaks & Guestling Halt at Kent Rail

• Railway stations in East Sussex
• DfT Category F2 stations
• Former South Eastern Railway (UK) stations
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1907
• Railway stations served by Govia Thameslink Railway
• Rother District