Editing Brighton Main Line (section)

===Balcombe Tunnel Junction to Brighton===
The section of the Brighton Main Line from Balcombe Tunnel Junction to Brighton is {{cvt|19|mi|21|ch}} long. All seven stations on this section are managed by Southern. Brighton has eight platforms, of which six are connected to the Brighton Main Line. Haywards Heath has four platforms and Preston Park has three. The other four stations ({{rws|Balcombe}}, {{rws|Wivelsfield}}, {{rws|Burgess Hill}} and {{rws|Hassocks}}) have two operational platforms each.{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}} Train services that use this section of the Brighton Main Line are:
* Thameslink services to Brighton
* Victoria to the South Coast, operated by Southern
* Victoria to Brighton, operated by Gatwick Express

[[File:Haywards Heath Simbids.jpg|thumb|right|The approach to [[Haywards Heath Tunnel]] is signalled for bi-directional working.{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}}]]
Between Balcombe Tunnel Junction and Brighton, the Brighton Main Line generally has two tracks, signalled for bi-directional working.{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}} There are short three- and four-track sections at {{rws|Preston Park}} and {{rws|Haywards Heath}} stations respectively. The maximum line speed is {{cvt|90|mph}}.{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}}

There are four tunnels on this section of the line: [[Balcombe tunnel]] is {{cvt|1141|yd}} long; [[Haywards Heath Tunnel]] is {{cvt|249|yd}} long;{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}} [[Clayton Tunnel]], at the summit of the line, is {{cvt|1|mi|499|yd}} long; [[Patcham Tunnel]] is {{cvt|1|mi|492|yd}} long. There are two viaducts on this part of the Brighton Main Line: The {{cvt|22|ch|adj=on}} [[Ouse Valley Viaduct]] crosses the [[River Ouse, Sussex|River Ouse]] on 37 brick arches and the shorter Vale Viaduct is {{cvt|3.5|ch}} long.{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}}{{sfn|"Route Specifications"|2016|pp=69-72}}{{sfn|Baker|1989|pp=38-39}}

{|class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed"
|+ class="nowrap"|Stations from Balcombe Tunnel Junction to Brighton {{nobold|(ordered from north to south)}}
|-
!scope="col"|Station
!scope="col"|Distance from London Victoria{{sfn|"Sectional Appendix"|2009|loc=SO500}}
!scope="col"|Number of<br> platforms
!scope="col"|Opening date 
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|Original name
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|Ref.
|- style="background:#F8F8FF"
|{{rws|Balcombe}}||{{cvt|33|mi|64|ch}}||2||{{date table sorting|12 July 1841}}||||{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=64}}
|-
|{{rws|Haywards Heath}}||{{cvt|37|mi|59|ch}}||4||{{date table sorting|12 July 1841}}||||{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=234}}
|-
|{{rws|Wivelsfield}}||{{cvt|40|mi|52|ch}}||2||{{date table sorting|1 August 1886}}||Keymer Junction||{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=492}}
|-
|{{rws|Burgess Hill}}||{{cvt|41|mi|39|ch}}||2||{{date table sorting|January 1842}}{{efn|{{rws|Burgess Hill}} station is first recorded in newspaper advertisements on 27 January 1842, but the exact date of opening is unknown.{{sfn|Quick|2023|pp=109-110}}}}|| ||{{sfn|Quick|2023|pp=109-110}}
|-
|{{rws|Hassocks}}||{{cvt|43|mi|42|ch}}||2||{{date table sorting|21 September 1841}}||Hassocks Gate||{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=231}}
|-
|{{rws|Preston Park}}||{{cvt|49|mi|21|ch}}||3||{{date table sorting|1 November 1869}}||Preston||{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=378}}
|-
|{{rws|Brighton}}||{{cvt|50|mi|49|ch}}||8 (6 for main line)||{{date table sorting|12 May 1840}}|| ||{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=101}}
|}