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Picture source: Google Streetview

A few miles to the west of Burwash village is Burwash Weald, and the former Railway Inn situated at the top of Witherenden Hill.  The railway from which the pub took it's name was planned, though never built, intending to be a link from the now defunct line at Heathfield and (probably) the current Hastings to London line at Stonegate or thereabouts.  Prior to being renamed for the abortive rail project, the pub was called the Labour in Vain, and had the usual type of sign for a pub of this name - in this instance, two men scrubbing a negro, which later changed to a single washerwoman scrubbing a pickaninny...   Not sure of the timing of the name-change, but the pub was definitely the Railway in 1904 !

Source: Rob Merrills

This pub had changed its name to the Oakdown Inn by 1909 and is now in residential use.

David Fisher (April 2015)

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