A Step Back In Time

This picture, which I'd not seen before was shared on a local history group. It depicts a train arriving at East Grinstead's second station. Which opened on 1st October 1866. It was an enlargement of the first station dating from 1855. The 1866 station was replaced in turn by a larger station about a quarter of a mile to the west in 1882.

If this was taken on the opening day, then it lacks any evidence of celebrations is perhaps dates from some time after opening.

The striking gentleman in the top-hat handing over what was probably the single line staff to proceed onwards to Rowfant may well be the Robert Chamberlain who was Station Master at East Grinstead from 1864 to 1867