The arrival of the railway provided the impetus for wealthy Victorian entrepreneurs to build large estates in what had previously been an entirely agricultural area.

Although the railway did attract a large influx of migrants to what became Crawley Down which developed further in the 1930s, the real expansion of the community came between the years 1971 to 1981 when the population more than doubled, notably with the construction of the Burleigh Wood housing estate.

This was too late to save the railway line and Grange Road station which closed in 1967 under the programme put forward by East Grinstead resident and British Rail Chairman, Richard Beeching.

[4] The station buildings were swept away to be replaced by a small parade of shops with flats above them and a new medical centre.

[7] The nearest station is now some distance away and, at a time where Crawley Down has been singled out for future residential expansion, the town finds itself relatively isolated from public transport.