The Wimbledon & Croydon Railway @ railways-of-britain.com

Last updated: 25/05/2007

R.o.B Closed Railways

The Wandle Valley Railway

(The Wimbledon & Croydon Railway)

Including:

The Tooting, Merton & Wimbledon Railway

The Peckham Rye to Sutton Railway

The Wandle Valley runs from Waddon Pools near Croydon to the River Thames at Wandsworth in West London and in Roman times was the valley a location of a Roman Bath house with the road from London to Chichester crossing the valley in a north to south direction. The valley saw early industrialization within its heavily agricultural surrounds, many mills established along the river to process and weave silk and related fabric industries such as printing, dyeing and bleaching skills brought over by French refugees at the end of the 17^th Century who recognised the versatility of the rivers chemical balance. Most employed water from the river for some part of the manufacturing process some using its flow for powering water wheels which in turn drove machinery. By the beginning of the 19^th century there were almost 40 mills along the river's length which would consist of clusters of buildings related to the mills operation, a mill house and terraced housing for employees. These mills would be on the land of a landowner who also had their own large houses nearby. The industrialization of the area led to the formation of the Surrey Iron Railway (SIR) in 1803, the world's first public railway to be built with its own act of Parliament all previous public railways having been built under acts of Parliament for the construction of canals. The London & Southampton Railway reached Wimbledon on 21^st May 1838 though the station was built someway from the village in the bottom of a valley though development of the area soon took place seeing the village spread down to the site of the station. The original station which was on the south side of what is today Wimbledon Broadway until 1868 when it was re-sited on the northern side presumably to allow further development of the station site with the arrival of a new line to Tooting (See below), a platform is still visible on approach to the present station on the local UP line and could be the original platform as the station buildings were still in situ in 1913. On 3^rd June 1889 Wimbledon became the terminus of the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) which arrived from Putney in a joint venture with the London South Western Railway (LSWR), successor to the London & Southampton. Each company, the LSWR, Wimbledon & Croydon by then owned by the London Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR) and the MDR having their own station facilities with three separate entrances, the MDR numbering their platforms 1-4, the LSWR and the LBSCR numbering theirs 1-6. With a re-building of the station to its present form in 1929 by the Southern Railway the platforms were renumbered 1-10 with one single entrance just off the Broadway though the original station buildings remained. The arrival of the railway to Wimbledon and its affect on housing development, stimulated local landowners to sell off parts of their land for housing, and by 1850 serious proposals were underway for a passenger line to connect the growing market town of Croydon with the developing Wimbledon.

Wimbledon Station 1929 Entrance

This resulted in a prospectus was published in September 1852 proposing a railway between the two towns. The proposers gained the required support, though there was much objection from both the London & South Western Railway (LSWR) and the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR) both of whom saw the proposed railway as a threat to their future expansion and also the possibility that the other company would have easier access in to the others territory. The two companies finally came to an agreement that the line should be built but that it would be a joint venture between the two companies, the LSWR leasing the section between Wimbledon and Mitcham and the LBSCR the section from Mitcham through to West Croydon. This saw the original Bill withdrawn and a new one drawn up by the two companies the Wimbledon & Croydon Railway (WCR) Act passed on 8^th July 1853. Authorised capital for the railway was at 45,000 pounds, but before construction of the railway could begin between Mitcham and Croydon the SIR had to be bought as the new line followed part of the SIR's route between Mitcham Barons Walk, named after a local landowner, and Croydon (Waddon Marsh). The Act of Parliament authorized the Railway to cross seven public highways on the level with a crossing keepers lodge or station to be built at each the Board of Trade insisting that where Turnpike Roads were to cross the railway a bridge was to be provided these at, Morden Road, London Road and Mitcham though not Kingston Road, Merton, just on the outskirts of today's Wimbledon town centre. Initially only two stations were provided for the railway Mitcham and Beddington (now Beddington Lane) with a third added in 1857 at Morden (now Morden Road). Work on the railway which passed through mostly agricultural land on a climbing gradient towards Croydon of 1 in 200, commenced in 1854 despite the LSWR withdrawing from the agreement due to disagreements between the two companies resulting in the LBSCR having to find other backers. This new position saw the railway built and operated by an independent company the Wimbledon and Croydon Railway (WCR). Opening of the 6 mile 30 chain long route line was delayed by the Board of Trade whose inspector was not satisfied at the quality of the signalling at junctions, the official opening taking place on 22^nd October 1855 seeing 6 trains a day in either direction Monday to Saturday but only two on Sundays and until July 1856 it was operated by G.P Bidder, as General Manager, under contract to the LBSCR. Bidder had been one of the railways promoters and having worked with the railway engineer Robert Stephenson for sometime had become a civil engineer, he had also proposed a similar scheme between the two towns as far back as 1830. On 21^st July 1856 the LBSCR leased the railway for 21 years. On 10^th August 1857 the LBSCR and the LSWR came to an agreement over the joint ownership and operation of the railway with the LBSCR also authorized to raise 15,000 pounds for the doubling of the line and on the 28th June 1858 they were authorized to take over ownership of the line. As part of an agreement between the LSWR and the LBSCR covering the development of railways in mid-Sussex and the development of a joint line between Epsom and Leatherhead the section of line between Wimbledon and Mitcham leased to the LSWR with the LBSCR providing all of the services, net receipts and expenditure shared between the two companies. The joint lease continued until 1^st January 1866 when the LBSCR purchased the line outright vesting its operation in a joint committee. Though the route of the railway was sparsely populated its purpose was primarily passenger orientated freight the mainstay of most other railways at that time the lines only goods yard being at Mitcham with sidings laid along the lines route to serve local industry. Though the line was intended to be double throughout it was built as single line with two short sections of double track acting as passing loops. Where the line passed just feet above the River Wandle just after Morden Road heading towards Croydon there is evidence that the doubling of the line was anticipated, at a later date as abutments are in place that would allow a double track bridge, indeed the road bridges over the line on what were single track sections were built wide enough to allow for double tracking. Early trains on the line consisted of six loco hauled 4-wheeled coaches but from 1919 motor trains were introduced, these consisting of a locomotive sandwiched between two carriages modified to have driving cabs. Once electrification took over the line on 5^th July 1930 the line remained the haven of electric stock until its closure for the construction of the Croydon Tramlink in 1997. Once the Southern railway introduced its electrification all motor trains were re-dubbed 'push and pull' units to differentiate between the two types of formation.

Merton Park Platforms 1 & 2
Courtesy Transport of Delight

In 1860 the London, Chatham & Dover Railway (LC&DR) was granted authority to build a line from Beckenham to Ludgate Hill via Herne Hill and Blackfriars Bridge, at which time the LSWR encouraged omnibus operators to contract for work to take LSWR passengers from its terminus at Waterloo on the south side of the river Thames to the city. Seeing the opportunity of improving its access to the city the LSWR approached the LC&DR with regards to building two lines to join the proposed LC&DR line from Beckenham, the first to run via Clapham Junction the second to run to Tooting via Merton Abbey from Wimbledon both merging at Loughborough Junction. Despite the differences between the LBSCR and the LSWR a further agreement was reached as to the operation of the line in 1862. Part of which was for the section of line from Wimbledon to Merton Park to come under the authority of a new company that was to be responsible for the building of the new lines. In 1863 the LBSCR was granted an Act of Parliament to build a line from Streatham to Sutton as well as one from Streatham to Tooting. On 29^th July 1864, an independent company the Tooting,Merton & Wimbledon Railway Co, received an Act of Parliament to build two lines from Wimbledon to Tooting, one following the LSWR proposal via Merton Abbey the second line running from Wimbledon to Haydons Lane (now Haydons Road having been renamed on 1^st Oct 1889) the line joining the LBSCR at Streatham. The LSWR & the LBSCR agreed joint funding for the project with a further act of Parliament passed on 5^th July 1865 seeing the dissolution of the previous company work on constructing the new lines starting later that year. The act also authorised a line to be built from Streatham to Knights Hill (now Tulse Hill) which would give the LSWR access to the LC&DR and Ludgate Hill by the second route, this section not completed until the May of 1867. The result was the double track Tooting, Merton & Wimbledon Railway (TMWR) opened on 1^st October 1865 with LBSCR services on the Merton Abbey route running to and from London Bridge station, at the same time services on the Peckham Rye to Sutton via Mitcham Junction route starting on the same day (see Below), The loop line via Haydons Lane opened on 1^st January 1869, the two companies serving either side of the loop, trains not requiring reversal at Wimbledon. This new Loop line was soon nicknamed the Pear due to its shape. The opening of the TMWR via Merton Abbey on 1^st October 1868 saw the doubling of the WCR between Wimbledon and the junction at Lower Merton which was sited to the east of the Kingston Road. With prominent local people complaining that 'Lower Merton' was something of an inferior name for the area the railway company was urged to change the station name to 'Merton Park' after a proposed housing development that would include a public park, the name change taking effect on 1^st September 1887. When the new line opened it was considered the primary route and was signalled and operated as such the station having two side platforms though none were provided for the single track line to Croydon until 1^st November 1870 when a single platform was provided on the north side of the line though this was more just a widening of the original Wimbledon bound platform of the TM&WR. Passengers from WCR services had to exit the station by using a level crossing over the TMWR. With the doubling a re-alignment of the track was possible between Kingswood Road and Wimbledon Station allowing a shorter curve. After departing Wimbledon in 1913 the line proceeded round a new 14 chain curve was slightly to the north of the original line and it is possible that this became one of two sidings that were in place for many years, one of which was electrified by the 1950's to be used as stabling sidings for electric stock, the other inner one between the original line [?] and the new double track having been lifted by 1955, the two sidings stopping just short of the Worple Road level crossing (changed to Dundonald Road in 1909). The railway remained in joint ownership and operation until the grouping of 1923 when the two companies came under the Southern Railway. On the western side of Dundonald Road crossing, a footbridge crossed the line which is at the end of Hartfield Crescent while the north side of the line on the eastern side was the site of the original Dundonald Road Signal Box which controlled traffic on the section to Merton Park from Wimbledon, this Box replaced at some point by a new box on the southern side of the line again on the eastern side of the crossing closing in 1983 though automatic lifting barriers had already been installed on 12^th October 1975. On approach to the the new Merton Park station the WCR had to cross over Kingston Road which when the line opened was and still is a busy road though at the time it was a main road in to London, the crossing controlled by an early style LBSCR signal box on the up side of the line on the eastern side of the crossing, the signalman having a bell to warn traffic when the gates were to be closed, this box was later replaced in Southern Railway days by a much smaller box which remained in use until most of the boxes on the line were closed with the installation of automatic barriers and CCTV.

Merton Park Signal Box
Courtesy Transport of Delight

Operational problems soon became apparent for the LSWR on the loop between Streatham and Tulse Hill (LBSCR) and on the Tulse Hill to Ludgate Hill (LC&DR) sections as the LSWR had to slot its services in between those of the other companies, the signalmen giving priority to their own company's services. The LSWR operated 13 trains a day in each direction two of which continued from Wimbledon to Kingston, the LBSCR running 15 trains a day but no Sunday service. By 1910 both companies were facing fierce competition from electric trams and as a wartime economy during the 1914-1918 war services were withdrawn from both lines on 1^st January 1917, the services not resuming until 27^th August 1923 in which year the LBSCR introduced Push/Pull working between Streatham and Tulse Hill via Haydons Road and Merton Park with 20 through services to London Bridge and 4 to Ludgate Hill. In 1926 the Underground extension to Morden of what is now the Northern Line was opened offering a more convenient service to central London, Colliers Wood station taking the passengers that would normally have used the main line services from Merton Abbey and South Wimbledon Station taking those that would normally have gone from Merton Park. The drop in passenger numbers spurred the Southern Railway in to withdrawing passenger traffic over the Merton Park to Tooting section on 2^nd March 1929 leaving services to operate over the Haydons Road section only, the junction at Tooting severed on 10^th March 1934, the line acting as a long freight siding from Merton Park until 1^st May 1972 the rails removed by 1975, the former platforms 1 and 2 filled in sometime after allowing alighting passengers a level crossing to the station exit. Even in the 1960's to the 1970's the station retained its brick shelters, station buildings and even the station name board while the WCR was provided with none. Today the station house can still be seen as it has been converted in to a private residence though in the late 1990's the station house itself was derelict, vandalized. Once past Merton Park the line continued to Morden Road passing under a long footbridge which allowed access to a local playing field which was also the site of a school, and also allowed people to cross over the TWMR. When the WCR opened, special operations were undertaken when people wanted to cross the line prior to the erection of the bridge seeing a member of staff open gates to allow the school children to cross. With the closure of the TMWR the long bridge remained in situ for a long time before it was drastically shortened, with the construction of the tramway it has now been removed with a foot crossing now in place.

Morden Road station
Courtesy Transport of Delight

The station at Morden opened in 1857 and was sited in a sparsely populated area which by 1898 had seen very little housing development though the road was considered busy enough to warrant the level crossing to be replaced by a bridge. Opposite the platform on the south side of the running line was a siding though by 1929 this was long out of use with dirt filling the four foot and over-spilling the rails. Sometime between 1929 and 1951 the station became known as Morden halt possibly so it would not be confused with the nearby London underground Northern line station of Morden, from 1951 the station was called Morden Road. The station house and other related buildings such as the waiting rooms and booking office were knocked down in 1982 replaced with a small corrugated iron shelter. The following section of line towards Mitcham saw the line pass over the flood plane of the River Wandle, which for many years caused subsidence on the track and was the possible location of a de-railment due to a lack of fishplates on some rail joints two days after the line opened. The line from here towards Mitcham was wide enough to allow doubling of the line the road bridge having been built to double width to allow this, bridge abutments east of here still clearly showing a second track could have been laid over the River Wandle. At this point the line runs parallel to the Morden Hall Park with bridges over two branches of the River Wandle which forms an island in the centre, the two branches joining quarter of a mile away at Phipps Bridge. Another footbridge was erected over the line to take pedestrians over the railway 400 yards from Morden Road station, the bridge was demolished with the construction of Croydon Tramlink and replaced by a foot crossing. Another footbridge was another 700 yards further on at what is now the location of Phipps Bridge tramstop, this bridge also demolished with the construction of the tramway replaced by a footpath as was another footbridge over the railway at Ravensbury Path closer to Mitcham. At this point a goods yard had been opened on the south side of the line to cater for local gravel pits and general freight and by 1895 the yard had expanded to cater for traffic generated from a nearby linoleum and floor cloths factory. Some sidings extended in to Morden Hall Park to serve the gravel pits. In 1930 one of the existing sidings was extended southwards to aid the building of the nearby St Helier estate. By 1932 a coal yard had opened to the north of the line though the linoleum works which had spread to both sides of the line had closed resulting in a reduction in the number of sidings. This was also the point where a goods line originated that was to form a double track from under London Road bridge double platforms and a passing loop having been provided at Mitcham station with the opening of the line. From the goods Yard a short catch spur was installed to stop runaway traffic from passing along the main line, the spur ending in a sand drag and a brick wall, the wall still evident from passing trams today, the goods yard in later years was used by the railway engineering department. A similar arrangement was also on the Wimbledon bound side again facing eastwards presumably to stop runaways from the sidings to the south of the line. This was also the point where the WCR joined the route of the former SIR on the approach to Mitcham, at Barons Walk. Evidence of the building up of the ground level for the road bridge over the railway is clearly visible though the site of Mitcham station is probably below the level of the original SIR route as the station site is in a cutting. The SIR more than likely followed the contours of the land that it passed over. The present road bridge was erected for the electrification of the line the previous bridge being double arched and is in a similar style to the others on the line suggesting that they were all re-built about the same time, on approach to this point a large retaining wall had to be shored up by wooden beams due to the instability of the wall, certainly by 1972 when the line was singled through the station.

Mitcham Station 1972
Courtesy Transport of Delight

The station had two side platforms Croydon bound passenger trains using the freight line as a passing loop, the station buildings located at the top of the cutting and were two converted houses which today are listed grade II buildings due to their connection to the SIR, though it is considered unlikely that they actually served any purpose for the SIR and were purchased by the WCR to be used as station offices. Once the station was opened along with the line there was some minimal housing development in the vicinity, the village of Mitcham being about a mile from the station. Immediately to its south was the Surrey Brewery dating from the early 19^th century though these were demolished in the 20^th century, partly in connection with a road widening scheme in the 1960's. By 1970 only the down (Wimbledon) platform was in use. The station was further altered in 1989 with a new booking office and shelter in the very sparse style of later BR days passenger services using the West bound line bi-directionally. In 1892 a footbridge was erected a little way along the station away from the road bridge but by the 1950's passengers had to cross the railway by the road bridge. By March 1929 the station canopies over the platforms had been removed, though the Croydon platform had been provided with a crude iron shelter. Sometime after the 1960's the main station building was closed a hole in the bridge parapet opened to allow passengers entry to the platform by way of a footbridge close to the wall with steps down to the platform. Mitcham Signal box, sited at the western end of the Wimbledon platform had two low lower quadrant semaphore signals before the re-signalling in 1982 with standard colour light signaling, the signal box closing in 1982, having stood at the end of the former Wimbledon platform. The platforms at the station had been very long and capable of holding a main line train, presumably extended from their original length when the section to Mitcham Junction was doubled, the branch services were never, normally, longer than two coaches. With the singling of the station line the double track section towards Mitcham Junction started from just east of a footbridge at the stations eastern end that connects Tramway Path, named after the SIR, with a housing estate. Before arrival at Mitcham Junction, the railway passed under Willow Lane Bridge the site of the junction for the SIR Hackbridge branch which swung southwards. The area before the bridge was at one time the junction for extensive private sidings serving nearby industries as well as the start of some ballast sidings that ran parallel to the main line as far as the road bridge carrying the Carshalton Road over the WCR and the line to Sutton which the LBSCR had gained permission to build in 1863.

Mitcham Station entrance
Courtesy Transport of Delight

This new line runs between New Cross and Sutton crossing over the WCR route in the middle of Mitcham Common at what became Mitcham Junction. The intention had been for the two railways to cross at right angles with a station at a road bridge near Croydon Road, local opposition being so strong saw the design changed so that the TMWR had to go through an arc on approach to the WCR from the direction of Streatham once the line had passed the village of Mitcham, to join the WCR creating a short section of straight track for a new station named Mitcham Junction, before continuing in a 90 degree arc and then a southward run toward Sutton. In 1864 before work had started on the new route changes were made its northern end for it originate at Peckham Rye on the LBSCR South London Line instead of at New Cross, the act of parliament also taking in to account the changes for Mitcham Junction, the new railway, known as the Peckham Rye and Sutton Railway (PR&SR). The new railway left Peckahm Rye in a south westerly direction to pass through East Dulwich, and North Dulwich before crossing over the London, Chatham & Dover (LCDR) Brixton to Beckenham Junction line which had opened in 1863. Between the bridge over the LCDR and Knights Hill tunnel the LNWR opened Knights Hill goods depot off the line on 16^th May 1892 which required a second bridge to be installed over Rosendale Road connections available to the yard from either direction using Knights Hill north or south Junctions on the main line via single track spurs controlled from Knights Hill Sidings signal box which was sited on the northern side of the Rosendale Road bridge, the fan of sidings predominantly south of Rosendale Road. Towards the latter years of the Yards life it acted as a coal depot for domestic coal but was finally closed on 7^th October 1968 the signal box not closing until 13^th April 1969, the site of the goods yard now a housing estate. Once past the goods yard the line climbs at 1 in 100 to pass through Knights Hill tunnel 331 yards long and site of a collision in 1940 when a local train ran in to a collapse caused by a bomb explosion on the 27^th December of that year. Though the Crystal Palace to Balham line was electrified by 12^th May 1911 electric services did not serve Tulse Hill until the Knights Hill Tunnel was electrified on 3^rd March 1912 along with the line through to Peckham Rye. The LCDR opened a spur to the PR&SR up a 1 in 66 gradient from Herne Hill to south of Knights Hill tunnel on 1^st January 1869 though it was mostly used by the LSWR which operated from Kingston via the TM&WR and then on to Ludgate Hill though with the opening of the loop via Haydons Road services started from Wimbledon. The spur was also used for stock movements to and from Victoria and Eardley Sidings. South of Tulse Hill station is Tulse Hill Junction which allows trains access to West Norwood and Crystal Palace, Streatham Hill and Clapham Junction, or continuing south west towards Streatham and Mitcham Junction after passing through Leigham Tunnel at 302 yards long and Streatham Tunnel at 220 yards long. With the provision of good rail services to Streatham the population soon grew, in 1861 this being 8000 with 70,000 by 1901. Continuing on from Streatham the PR&SR passes over the Balham to Selhurst line another LBSCR route which had opened in 1862 a spur being provided between the two with the opening of the Sutton route. At Streatham South Junction the TM&WR line branches off towards Tooting where, as mentioned above, the TM&WR ran toward Wimbledon via Merton Park, though this section has now gone the line via Haydons Road to Wimbledon is still in use by First Capital Connect (2007 operator) services to and from Sutton and Bedford or Luton, this being one of the former Thameslink routes of BR. The original signal box at Streatham Junction South closed on 12^th October 1952 with a new box opening between the up and down spurs to Balham. Interestingly the spurs at this location only allow access to south and south west with no northward connection from the Balham line to the Peckham Rye line. Access to Eardley carriage sidings was granted by facing points from the Down Mitcham Junction line south of Streatham Junction South signal box access to the main line granted by trailing points from a separate line from the sidings parallel to the in line on the Up main line from Mitcham Junction. The yard sidings were laid out on the level despite the passing main line being on a down gradient of 1 in 100 toward Mitcham Junction resulting in some of the sidings laid on embankment. The sidings catered for spare stock or stock laying over for the Kent coast or local services, as well as boat trains and excursion traffic though with electrification they were also used for the temporary storage of electric stock though the sidings were not electrified. One of the sidings connected to the gas works that provided gas for the carriage lighting. The sidings fell out of regular use around 1960 though remained in use for storage for several years before they were finally closed. Once past here the line crosses Mitcham Common to join the WCR at Mitcham Junction passing the site of the former Mitcham Junction North Box which was built in the angle between the PR&SR and the WCR and controlled all movements in and around Mitcham Junction and originated with the opening of the Peckham line.

Mitcham Junction looking east
Courtesy Transport of Delight

Beyond Mitcham Junction the PR&SR runs to Hackbridge which was once the terminus of a branch from the SIR which left that main line at Willow Lane Bridge on approach to Mitcham Junction. In 1913 on approach to Hackbridge on the PR&SR was a goods yard that served a cardboard factory and other smaller businesses though due to limited space there was little room for expansion. A goods loop allowed engines to run round goods trains from the yard so to be able to head back towards Mitcham Junction and was controlled from Hackbridge signal Box which was on the down side of the main line. The town was home to Britian's largest quarantine kennels pre WW2 which provided plentiful imported dog traffic for the line. Their goods yard had an 8 ton Portal crane which was mostly used for the transhipment to railway wagons of cable drums from the nearby Hackbridge Cable Co. other goods sent from the yard in the 1930's included leather products, bedspreads and radios (known as Wireless Sets) from the Mullard Valves Ltd factory. By the 1950's the area directly to the east of the station had no housing, the goods yard closing on 4^th January 1965, the signal box closing on 12^th October 1969. A new station was provided in 1988 though some of the old building was kept for letting as offices. As with Streatham the population of Carshalton, the next station on the line, grew with the arrival of the railway from 2500 in 1861 to 6700 in 1901, the frequency of the services allowing people to commute in to the city for work. From here to Sutton the line climbs 1 in 80 and 1 in 93 gradients, the signal box which was sited on the down platform and opened with the line closed on 1^st October 1933. On Saturday 2^nd February 1901 the Royal Funeral train for Queen Victoria passed along the line on its way to Victoria from Fareham special instructions and timetable published for railway staff concerning the trains operation. The Station at Sutton opened on 10^th May 1847 with the arrival of the London and Croydon Railways extension to Epsom and from 22^nd May 1865 formed a junction for the LBSCR branch to Epsom Downs, which branched south westwards from the eastern end of the station the Down Epsom platforms widened to form a V to serve the new line, trains from the Up (east) direction able to use a bay platform on the stations northern side, the line from Mitcham Junction joined the main line to the east of the station after climbing a 1 in 86 gradient, a signal box sited at the junction controlling movements around the station which by 1896 had quadruple tracks on the approach. Once again with the arrival of the railway the population of Sutton expanded but this time at a terrific rate from 1400 in 1851 to 14,000 in 1855. For many years Sutton was on the main LBSCR line to the south Coast but with the opening of Gatwick airport many services were diverted over the main line through East Croydon and Gatwick Airport.

Slam door stock arrives at Mitcham Junction from Sutton
Courtesy Tranprot of Delight

The section of WCR between Mitcham Junction and Mitcham was doubled in the March of 1879 to allow for main line services from London Bridge to Horsham via Wimbledon and Mitcham Junction, the section re-singled in 1967 with rationalisation of the line. As part of the Southern Railways electrification scheme the Peckham Rye to Sutton Railway which saw trains running on to Epsom and the Wimbledon to Tulse Hill via Haydons Road line were both included. The Southern had intended to double and electrify the WCR at the same time but changes to the proposals on 26^th July 1928 saw this part of the plans mothballed temporarily the last steam service operating on 5^th July 1930 the electric service starting the next day. These services were provided by 12 two car units of former LBSCR AC stock that had been converted to 3^rd rail operation, these had no communicating corridor between the carriages though each was fitted with a side corridor allowing the guard to walk through the carriage to sell and check tickets, this stock remaining in use until September 1954. Mitcham Junction formed the half way point of the WCR and when two trains operated the line this was the passing point. The signal box at the eastern end of Mitcham Junction Station (Mitcham Junction Box) was opened in 1928 to replace the former South Box which was near that location and held the train staff for the single line section through to Croydon, the single line recommencing after a short section of double track to the east, the Sutton line veering sharply southwards. A footbridge was provided for golfers to get from one side of the golf course to the other the railway running down the middle, the golf course situated on Mitcham Common extended three quarters of a mile to Beddington Lane. Though the signal Box was closed in 1982 it was still in situ in 1997 though in a derelict condition. The junction to Croydon was also home to an electrical substation opened with the electrification of the Sutton line on 3^rd March 1929. Electrification of the LBSCR started in 1909 with the use of 6700 Volt AC overhead wires on the South London Line to Victoria before being extended to Tulse Hill from Peckham Rye on 3^rd March 1912. With the formation of the Southern Railway in 1923 the AC electrification was abandoned in favour of the LSWR 3^rd rail type though it was not until 17^th June 1928 that the conversion was completed between Peckham Rye and Streatham and 3^rd March 1929 to Sutton. The AC electrics operated as two or three car units though with the introduction of the DC units this was increased to 8 car units requiring the lengthening of platforms to do this rearrangement of track layouts a necessity between 1928 and 1929. The Westbound platform at Mitcham Junction is longer than the Eastbound, though the eastbound had a bay platform on its northern side which also gave access to some eastwards facing sidings, the bay platform used for trains terminating from Croydon. From the 1960's the WCR was operated by BR 2EPB units with route codes of 1 for Wimbledon and 2 for Croydon. With the Southern Railways electrification programme a new railway was proposed to run from Wimbledon with services running from Holborn Station, in the City, to Sutton via St Helier, where there was a developing housing estate. This new line opening on 3^rd March 1929 bringing back to the railway many passengers that had defected to the Underground years earlier.

Beddington Lane Level Crossing
Courtesy Transport of Delight

On approach to Beddington Station in 1932 was a private siding extended northwards in to the common these known as Tarfoid sidings. The station itself consisted of a single platform 200 feet long used bi-directionally and capable of holding no more than three coaches. The platform had basic buildings one of which is presumed to have date from the opening of the line a signal box at the eastern end of the platform that controlled the quiet country lane crossing the box replaced on 25^th May 1930, the replacement box acting as a ticket office for many years becoming a crossing gate box from 1980, the crossing supervised by CCTV from May 1982 with the introduction of automatic barriers. Between 1962 and 1969 the stations name was changed to Beddington Lane Halt. In the 1990's a large new industrial building was built on the south side of the line along with some industrial units to the rear of the platform for the electric services STOP 2 was painted in white on the platform surface. Until 1999 anyone wishing to get to the industrial units on the lane or living in houses nearby were reliant on the railway for transport unless they had cars as the first bus service along the lane did not start until that time when a private minibus service began, today this is now a Transport for London bus route. Three signals at the end of the platforms controlling the freight line access the centre signal being for the main line, the left signal controlling a 2 mile long freight line that ran parallel to the main line. The other siding running for half a mile from the road crossing to serve the British Portland Cement sidings as far as the junction of Alfriston Avenue and Dacre Avenue near Therapia Lane before merging back in to the main line. The Northern side freight line in 1932 served a Demolition and Construction Co, Croydon Cable Co, Edwards Construction Co and the Ministry of Mines Coal Dump. The Cable works siding had special instructions for operation. Half a mile from Beddington Lane is Therapia Lane which extends from Mitcham Road the railway separating this in to two unconnected parts, except by a footbridge. Therapia Lane was once a private farm road linking Lavender and peppermint fields to a distillery on Mitcham Road opened by Phillippe Auguste Lelasseur, Mitcham Peppermint Oil being famous throughout the late 19^th Century. Today Therapia Lane is remembered by a Tramstop and is the site of the depot for Croydon's Trams. Beyond here the railway ran through fields for many years but in 1925 a new road was built spanning the line in the area known as Waddon Marsh. The road had its origins as far back as 1908 as the first part of a Motor Road from London to Brighton though the idea was abandoned due to heavy opposition. The plane was resurrected in 1911 when it was decided despite further opposition it would go ahead for a relief road to take traffic away from the narrow Croydon town centre which also had several street tramways. Though the plans were almost ready by the end of 1914 WW1 interupted and it was not until 1919 that work started on the new road work completed by the end of 1925. The road became even more important when the Croydon Airport was opened alongside of the road, the airport forming London's main air terminal before the opening of Heathrow and Gatwick airports and its closure in 1959. On approach to the bridge there was a junction for the Waddon Marsh New siding which in 1922 served a flour mill just off Mill Lane Waddon, Mill Lane now part of an industrial estate. By 1934 further spurs from the siding were in use to other industries some of which were car production factories that used the railway for the delivery of materials.

2 EPB departs Waddon marsh for Wimbledon
Courtesy Tranposrt of Delight

Beyond the Purley Way Bridge the railway passed the Croydon Gas works which had opened north of the railway next to Waddon Marsh Lane in 1867, parts of the works still survive in the form of buildings along Factory Lane which is also the route of the SIR, the WCR deviating away from the original alignment just east of the Purley Way. The gas works opened as the Croydon Commercial Gas & Coke Co., the slow burning of coal not only producing the gas for use in peoples homes but also the by product coke which was commonly used on the railway and for home fires. On the opposite side of the railway to the gas works was Croydon power station opened in 1896, both sites having extensive rail sidings and their own locomotives to do the shunting. Until 1887 the LBSCR shunted the gas works until the works purchased its own engine in the form of a Black Hawthorn 0-4-0ST named Diamond which worked until scrapped in 1927. The works in 1901 purchased another engine this time in the form of an Aveling and Porter 0-4-0ST which had originally been ordered by Lever Bros but as they regarded it as being too ugly they sent it back giving the opportunity for the gas works to purchase it. It was named Allen lambert after a director of the works and was only scrapped in 1961, other locomotives recorded as being used either at the gas works or at the power stations were an Avonside 1922 built 0-4-0ST named as Elizabeth which had transferred from Lower Sydenham Gas works and which was converted to burn oil waste, and a 1927 built sentinel locomotive named Joyce, which had four cylinders a vertical boiler and gear drive, this is now preserved. In 1939 it was decided that a new power station should be built in 1939 west of the Purley Way Bridge to cater for the rapid expansion of the town, the original power station becoming known as Croydon A. But due to WW2 work was interrupted the power station finally opening in 1950-1951 two tall chimneys and a number of cooling towers the buildings of the power station dwarfing trains as they passed. The two power stations connected by their own network of lines and shunted by their own engines one of which was a 1925 built English Electric Steeple cab locomotive with trolley arm in use in 1961 and a 1945 built Bagnall (No 2842) also in use at that time. With the electrification of the WCR main line on 6^th July 1930 a new station was opened just east of the Purley Way bridge, known as Waddon Marsh Halt. In the late 1940's the area continued to see industrial development which must have brought plenty of traffic to this wooden structured island platform, the passenger line forming a loop around either side, the signal box like at Beddington Lane acting as a booking office, but with the closure of the signal box in 1982, passengers had to buy their tickets at their destination. The benefits of having the railway nearby in what was becoming a manufacturing industrial area by the beginning of the 20^th Century saw the development of further industry around Waddon Marsh all of which were rail served with their own sidings, with industrial estates also developed along Mitcham Road near the South Metropolitan Tramway to Mitcham. Decline set in to the area from 1969 seeing industries start to close or move elsewhere. The line was even considered for closure in 1974. The gas works closing in 1976 with the introduction of natural gas rather than that produced by coal burning and Croydon B closing in 1984 with the phasing out of coal burning power stations. This resulted in track rationalization with the north side goods line closing on 1^st February 1976 the loop around the island platform was closed on 13^th May 1984 when the line reverted to single line running. The line at that time operated by 2 coach 2EPB EMU's that had been transferred from the South Tyneside lines in 1961 before they were replaced by class 456 2 car BREL built EMU's from 1991, these still seeing service with Southern Trains. By 1997 and the lines closure the halt consisted of one platform with a bus stop type shelter with few people using the station.

Croydon B power station
Courtesy Transport of Delight

From Waddon Marsh the line continued its climb towards Croydon at 1 in 175 having climbed from Mitcham. The track in to West Croydon was single track curving round Wandle Park to join the alignment of the West Croydon to Epsom built as an extension of the London and Croydon Railway line in 1847, by the LBSCR. The WCR did not connect with the double track main line until just under London Road Bridge, Croydon, by way of facing points. The station at West Croydon was the first station in the town opening as Croydon with the arrival of the London & Croydon Railway on 5^th June 1859, the station built on the site of the Croydon Canal basin of the Croydon canal which ran from the Grand Surrey Canal at New Cross, the railway company buying the canal which had fallen in to disuse and converting it in to a railway. With the building of the Epsom lines through platforms were built and with the arrival of the Wimbledon line an extra bay platform at the southern end of the UP platform was added, with trains from Epsom having to stop further along the platform as the bay was inset in to the platform, the Wimbledon platform ending in a sand drag and buffers the trains approaching on a 1 in 90 gradient. The last train to run over the Wimbledon & Croydon Railway was a special on 31^st May 1997 formed of 2 class 423 4VEP units of BR's Network SouthEast the same train also traversing the Addiscombe branch of the former SER/LBSCR which was also to closed to passenger traffic to make way for the building of Croydon Tramlink which today provides a very high frequency service between Croydon and Wimbledon in the west along the path of the WCR and the Surrey Iron Railway.

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