Three Oaks railway station

The railway line between Ashford and {{stnlnk|Hastings}} was opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1851,{{cite book |last=White |first=H.P. |editor1-last=Thomas |editor1-first=David St John |editor1-link=David St John Thomas |editor2-last=Patmore |editor2-first=J. Allan |title=Volume 2: Southern England |edition=5th |series=A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain |year=1992 |orig-year=1961 |publisher=David St John Thomas |location=Nairn |isbn=0-946537-77-1 |page=34 }} but originally there were no stations between {{stnlnk|Winchelsea}} and Hastings.{{cite book |last=Knight |first=Andrew |title=The Railways of South East England |year=1986 |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |location=Shepperton |isbn=0-7110-1556-2 |page=57 }}{{cite book |last1=McCarthy |first1=Colin |last2=McCarthy |first2=David |last3=Cobb |first3=Michael |author-link3=Michael Cobb (railway historian) |editor-last=Waller |editor-first=Peter |title=Railways of Britain: Kent and Sussex |date=October 2007 |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |location=Hersham |isbn=978-0-7110-3222-4 |id=0710/C1 |at=map 34 }} {{stnlnk|Ore}} opened in 1888,{{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 |page=178 }} and with the introduction of steam railmotor services between {{stnlnk|Rye|East Sussex}} and Hastings,{{cite book |last=Bradley |first=D.L. |title=The Locomotive History of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway |edition=2nd |date=April 1980 |orig-year=1961 |publisher=Railway Correspondence & Travel Society |location=London |isbn=0-901115-49-5 |page=30 }}{{cite book |last=Gould |first=David |title=Bogie Carriages of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway |year=1993 |publisher=Oakwood Press|location=Headington |isbn=0-85361-455-5 |id=X52 |page=191 }} three halts were opened between Winchelsea and Ore on 1 July 1907: {{stnlnk|Snailham Crossing Halt}};{{harvnb|Butt|1995|p=214}} {{stnlnk|Guestling Halt}};{{harvnb|Butt|1995|p=110}} and Three Oaks Bridge Halt.{{harvnb|Butt|1995|p=229}} 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.

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.Appledore - Ore singled Modern Railways issue 374 November 1979 page 475

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.

The typical off-peak service at Three Oaks is one train per hour each way between {{rws|Eastbourne}} (via {{rws|Hastings}}) and {{rws|Ashford International}}.{{NRtimes|December 2021|196}} All services are operated by Southern using {{brc|171}} DMUs.

Until 2005 the station was served by hourly services each way between {{rws|Ashford International}} and {{rws|Hastings}}. However, in the 2005 timetable change, trains on the line were extended to run to/from {{rws|Brighton}} (via {{rws|Eastbourne}} and {{rws|Lewes}}) and operated as express services; as a result, service frequency at Three Oaks (as well as neighbouring {{rws|Doleham}} and {{rws|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.{{cite news|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/kentish-express-ashford-district/20091021/282041913195888|title=All Change on the Old Diesel Marshlink line|work=Kentish Express|date=21 October 2009|access-date=11 October 2019}} The Sunday frequency has also been two-hourly each way since December 2015.{{cite news|url=https://www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/news/sunday-trains-resume-at-winchelsea-and-three-oaks-1-7095059|title=Sunday trains resume at Winchelsea and Three Oaks|work=Rye and Battle Observer|date=1 December 2015}} In May 2018, the Brighton express services were replaced by stopping services to/from Eastbourne.{{cite news|url=https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/plans-to-axe-unpopular-two-carriage-eastbourne-train-service-1-8039111 |title=Plans to axe unpopular two-carriage Eastbourne train service |newspaper=Eastbourne Herald|date=4 July 2017 |access-date=30 May 2019}}

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.[https://www.southernrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/timetables Train Timetable] Southern

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{{Rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Ore}}|next={{stnlnk|Doleham}} or {{stnlnk|Winchelsea}}|route=Southern
{{smalldiv|Marshlink line}}|col={{Southern colour}} }}

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• [http://www.kentrail.org.uk/three_oaks.htm Three Oaks & Guestling Halt] at Kent Rail

{{East Sussex railway stations}}

{{TSGN and SE Stations|Coastway East=y|FCC None=y|SE None=y}}

Category:Railway stations in East Sussex

Category:DfT Category F2 stations

Category:Former South Eastern Railway (UK) stations

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1907

Category:Railway stations served by Govia Thameslink Railway

Category:Rother District