The first station to serve Bognor was situated on the main line at Woodgate Crossing, just over one mile west of the present Barnham railway station. It was opened on 8 June 1846 by the Brighton and Chichester Railway, which became the London Brighton and South Coast Railway a few weeks later. This station was renamed several times during its short life becoming Woodgate for Bognor, Woodgate, Bognor (again) and Woodgate (again) before closing in 1864.