A Piece of Bognor Regis History Up for Auction on Sea Road

Connect UK Auctions announced in December 2024 that a plot of land on Sea Road, Bognor Regis, would be offered at auction on Wednesday 22 January. The site once held three railway carriages converted into cottages.

The article explained that in the early twentieth century, when housing was in demand but materials were scarce, retired carriages belonging to the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway were reused as seaside homes, holiday lets and community spaces in Bognor Regis, Selsey and Pagham. Their sturdy build and compact size suited coastal living, and Sea Road's closeness to the railway made it a natural location. Residents often kept original features such as wood panelling and sliding doors.

Over the years the fashion faded as tastes and technology changed and development pressure grew, and many were demolished or replaced by conventional buildings. Few survive, some kept in historical displays or as nostalgic holiday lets. The auctioneer suggested the sale invites a balance between heritage and modern needs, and that a new owner could honour the plot's past through thoughtful design, historical markers or public recognition.

Source: Connect UK Auctions, original article (11 December 2024)