Lavender Line
Volunteer-run heritage railway at the restored Isfield station in East Sussex, with steam and diesel trains on selected days and a tearoom.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Lavender Line runs on part of the former branch line from Lewes to Uckfield, which opened in 1858 and was taken over by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway in 1864. The line was later joined to Tunbridge Wells and became part of the Southern Railway in 1923. After the Beeching report listed the route as unremunerative, the section between Uckfield and Lewes closed in 1969, and the track was lifted in the early 1970s.
Isfield station was sold at auction in 1983 to David and Gwen Milham, who restored it with a rebuilt waiting room, a signal box with its frame returned, platforms and a short length of track. They named it the Lavender Line after A. E. Lavender and Sons, the coal merchants who had worked from the station yard. The Preservation Society, formed by volunteers who had helped the Milhams, bought the site in 1992, and public train services began on 30 May 1994.
The line was extended northwards until it reached just under a mile, and Worth Halt opened in 2012 so that passengers can make a single journey and walk back along public footpaths. The railway was closed from April 2020 until December 2021 because of Covid-19. It now runs on selected days, typically about twice a month, with a small team of volunteers, and also offers Riley’s Miniature Railway, driver experiences and Christmas trains.
Highlights
- Restored Isfield station with its signal box and original platforms
- Steam and diesel trains to Worth Halt
- Riley’s Miniature Railway, a 5-inch gauge line on platform 2
- Lavenders Tearoom in the restored platform building
- Rolling stock including a Class 73 locomotive and a 3-CIG electric unit
- Christmas trains with Father Christmas
- Operated by
- Lavender Line Limited (Lavender Line Preservation Society)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £17 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £12free up to age 2 · Day Rover for ages 3 to 15; under 3s are free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers go free when accompanying a paying passenger. |
| Families | £37Day Rover for 2 adults and up to 3 children. |
| Return to Worth Halt, adult | £9 |
| Return to Worth Halt, child 3 to 15 | £7 |
| Single to Worth Halt, adult | £6 |
| Single to Worth Halt, child 3 to 15 | £5 |
| Riley’s Miniature Railway, per ride | £1For children and adults; an all-day rover ticket is also available. |
| Christmas train on 5 and 6 December, child 1 to 12 | £21Adults £17; must be booked and adults must be accompanied by a child. |
| Christmas train on 12, 13, 19 and 20 December, child 1 to 12 | £22Adults £18. |
The prices are for the Day Rover ticket, which gives unlimited rides on the day (adult 16 and over). Heritage Railway Association pass holders go free on normal opening days. Members of Rail Riders get 25 per cent off adult returns, adult rovers and family rovers, and members of the Lavender Line Preservation Society get 50 per cent off ticket types matching their membership.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The station is accessible, with an accessible toilet, a ramp to the tearoom and seating around the station. The heritage coaches are not wheelchair accessible: they have narrow doorways, steps and no wheelchair spaces, so passengers cannot stay in a wheelchair on the train, although visitors who can transfer may be helped to board. Visitors with accessibility needs are encouraged to contact the railway before travelling. Dogs are welcome in the tearoom.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £37 · Day Rover for 2 adults and up to 3 children. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Kids’ birthday parties
The railway describes itself as a friendly place for families, with a miniature railway, a dog- and child-friendly tearoom, children’s parties and, in December, Father Christmas train rides with a present for each child.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Isfield (bus 29A)
The nearest railway stations are Uckfield and Lewes. Brighton and Hove bus 29A stops next to the railway, and bus 29 stops on the main road at Horsted Lane; the 29 and 29A connect more easily from Uckfield, and the 29 also serves Tunbridge Wells.
Use TN22 5XB for the satnav; the satnav coordinates are 50.935115, 0.064789.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Lavenders Tearoom serves hot and cold snacks, cakes (including gluten-free), cream teas and drinks, and ice creams are sold from the shop on platform 2.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
The tearoom can host children’s parties and small private functions.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Driver experiences for adults are available on a diesel multiple unit, the Class 73 locomotive and the Class 73 with the 3-CIG unit in push-pull mode, usually on Saturdays or Sundays when the railway is not running; they are booked by email and include a certificate and one year’s membership. Single-ticket holders can walk back from Worth Halt along public footpaths, which may be overgrown. |
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