With a truncated line operating between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes, the Bluebell Railway Society purchased the largely levelled and cleared site in 1974.
After raising funds to extend the line northwards, the Society was faced with much local opposition to the extension, resulting in a public enquiry and resultant planning application.
Following approval of the decision by both the Secretary of State for the Environment and Secretary of State for Transport, in 1985, the Society was granted the planning permission for the preserved railways extension to East Grinstead, and the right to apply for a Light Railway Order, with the stipulation that West Hoathly would not be redeveloped as a station, due to local residents' concerns about a likely increase in local road traffic.
If the Society were later to decide to undertake such a station redevelopment, it would need to apply for additional planning permission.

In 1992, the Society's extension reached New Coombe Bridge, where a simple run-around loop was provided on the alignment of the former up line through West Hoathly, located just north of the former No.2 platform.
Since then, the Society - much like the 1960s railway removal contractors - have used the site to store materials for the extension, which were delivered there by road.
This allowed the rebuilding of New Coombe Bridge, and opening of the extension northwards to Kingscote in early 1994.
With the installation of a run-around loop at Kingscote railway station, the loop just north of West Hoathly was removed, and the line returned to its current single-track, non-stopping configuration.

As part of the extension of the line north from Kingscote, the Society needed to contribute £4 million to the cost of removing rubbish from the former Imberhorne landfill site, which had filled in a cutting to a depth of 30 feet (9 m).
To help meet the cost, Society members agreed to the sale of two plots of land on a former brickworks site to the east of the former station.
With a truncated line operating between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes, the Bluebell Railway Society purchased the largely levelled and cleared site in 1974. After raising funds to extend the line northwards, the Society was faced with much local opposition to the extension, resulting in a public enquiry and resultant planning application. Following approval of the decision by both the Secretary of State for the Environment and Secretary of State for Transport, in 1985, the Society was granted the planning permission for the preserved railways extension to East Grinstead, and the right to apply for a Light Railway Order, with the stipulation that West Hoathly would not be redeveloped as a station, due to local residents' concerns about a likely increase in local road traffic. If the Society were later to decide to undertake such a station redevelopment, it would need to apply for additional planning permission.
In 1992, the Society's extension reached New Coombe Bridge, where a simple run-around loop was provided on the alignment of the former up line through West Hoathly, located just north of the former No.2 platform. Since then, the Society - much like the 1960s railway removal contractors - have used the site to store materials for the extension, which were delivered there by road. This allowed the rebuilding of New Coombe Bridge, and opening of the extension northwards to Kingscote in early 1994. With the installation of a run-around loop at Kingscote railway station, the loop just north of West Hoathly was removed, and the line returned to its current single-track, non-stopping configuration.
As part of the extension of the line north from Kingscote, the Society needed to contribute £4 million to the cost of removing rubbish from the former Imberhorne landfill site, which had filled in a cutting to a depth of 30 feet (9 m). To help meet the cost, Society members agreed to the sale of two plots of land on a former brickworks site to the east of the former station.
West Hoathly railway station