Brighton Railway Rifle Club clubhouse
Tucked away beneath Brighton Railway Station, the Brighton Railway Rifle Club is a hidden remnant of the station’s underground world. For decades, this unique space has served as a hub for rifle enthusiasts, maintaining a strong sense of community and tradition. The clubhouse, filled with historic photographs and memorabilia, preserves the station’s layered history, offering a rare glimpse into Brighton’s lesser-known past. Find out more about the Rifle Range by clicking here.
Images above are by Zoë Montgomery – details from the War Rooms, some of which were later used as offices spaces for the railway station.
The War Rooms
During World War II, underground spaces – the Goods Tunnel – within Brighton Railway Station were repurposed as strategic war rooms, providing a secure location for railway operations and civil defence planning. These hidden chambers, with their reinforced walls and relics of wartime communication systems, played a crucial role in ensuring transport logistics continued despite the conflict. Today, traces of their past remain, echoing a time when Brighton’s underground spaces were at the heart of wartime resilience.
Evolution of the Station’s Underground Spaces
Over time, Brighton Railway Station’s subterranean rooms were adapted for new uses. Once essential for railway operations, these spaces evolved into offices, staff facilities, and even storage areas. The Woking Homes office, previously part of the station’s infrastructure, served as a base for the charity’s staff, while other areas were transformed to accommodate operational needs. The station offices and Woking Homes office are no longer in use, the only remaining active spaces are the Rifle Club clubhouse and the Rifle Range.
Despite these changes, the original architecture and industrial character of the station’s underground network remain, preserving a fascinating connection between past and present.
