The North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line. It is also the name used to refer to the line over which these services run between Reading and Redhill, which was authorised by Acts of Parliament in 1846 and 1847 and constructed by the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway (RG&RR), opening in 1849. The stated objective of the company was to