Scan of a print from the 1980s; I'm not sure of the exact year, but it is obviously after May 1983, the date when the line from Woodside to Sanderstead via Selsdon closed and I guess, looking at the grass, it had been a good summer. (Remember those?) The line between Woodside and Selsdon had an interesting history; built jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) and the South Eastern Railway (SER), the opening was delayed until 1885 for reasons including bad weather disrupting construction. The line never seemed to be economically viable and in an attempt to make it profitable saw use of rail-motors as early as 1905. However, the line closed for regular services in 1917, but was retained for occasional special services. It reopened with a regular passenger services upon electrification of the line through to Sanderstead in 1935. A closure threat came in the Beeching Report of 1963, but local pressure (through, for example, the newly-formed Croydon Transport Users' Association) brought about a reprieve, although Saturday trains were withdrawn in 1967. In 1976 through trains to London were withdrawn, leaving a Sanderstead–Elmers End peak hours shuttle service. With less than 200 passengers using the line and the track in poor condition closure came in 1983. Between Woodside and Coombe road much of the former route is now used by Croydon's Tramlink.
The 2-EPB is on the (then) remaining truncated branch to Addiscombe. The route to Addiscombe opened in 1864 as an extension of the Mid-Kent Railway's Lewisham to New Beckenham route (subsequently part of the SER). However, when the Hayes extension opened the line was effectively downgraded to a branch from Elmers End to Addiscombe via Woodside. This route survived the 1983 closure of the route via Selsdon, but was gradually run down. Through trains to London were withdrawn and the service reduced to a shuttle service to and from Elmers End. When Addiscombe signal box was burnt down in 1996 the line was reduced to single track, but in any event preparations for Croydon's Tramlink meant the end for the line. The station closed in 1997, with the last train, an enthusiasts' railtour, running on a May evening.
Tags: Woodside Station Elmers End to Addiscombe 2-EPB Sanderstead via Selsdon Surrey Heights vintage
Scan of a slide taken in 1990: These two slides are a bit indifferent, but record the disused railway bridge over Lower Addiscombe Road being removed. This bridge carried the line from Woodside to Sanderstead via Selsdon; a line that had an interesting history. Built jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) and the South Eastern Railway (SER), the opening was delayed until 1885 for reasons including bad weather disrupting construction. The line never seemed to be economically viable and in an attempt to make it profitable saw use of rail-motors as early as 1905. However, the line closed for regular services in 1917, but was retained for occasional special services. It reopened with a regular passenger services upon electrification of the line through to Sanderstead in 1935. A closure threat came in the Beeching Report of 1963, but local pressure (through, for example, the newly-formed Croydon Transport Users' Association) brought about a reprieve, although Saturday trains were withdrawn in 1967. In 1976 through trains to London were withdrawn, leaving a Sanderstead–Elmers End peak hours shuttle service. With less than 200 passengers using the line and the track in poor condition closure came in 1983.
After the bridge was removed the embankments were levelled and at the spot pictured above Croydon's Tramlink crosses Lower Addiscombe Road at road level.
Tags: Woodside to sanderstead branch
Scan of a slide taken in 1990: These two slides are a bit indifferent, but record the disused railway bridge over Lower Addiscombe Road being removed. This bridge carried the line from Woodside to Sanderstead via Selsdon; a line that had an interesting history. Built jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) and the South Eastern Railway (SER), the opening was delayed until 1885 for reasons including bad weather disrupting construction. The line never seemed to be economically viable and in an attempt to make it profitable saw use of rail-motors as early as 1905. However, the line closed for regular services in 1917, but was retained for occasional special services. It reopened with a regular passenger services upon electrification of the line through to Sanderstead in 1935. A closure threat came in the Beeching Report of 1963, but local pressure (through, for example, the newly-formed Croydon Transport Users' Association) brought about a reprieve, although Saturday trains were withdrawn in 1967. In 1976 through trains to London were withdrawn, leaving a Sanderstead–Elmers End peak hours shuttle service. With less than 200 passengers using the line and the track in poor condition closure came in 1983.
After the bridge was removed the embankments were levelled and at the spot pictured above Croydon's Tramlink crosses Lower Addiscombe Road at road level..
Tags: Woodside sanderstead branch
Scan of a slide taken in 1990 that follows on from the two preceeding scans: The bridge has been removed, but (from memory) it will be some years until the embankment is levelled. I'm not completely sure this is the same spot as the previous two pictures - it could be about a 100 metres away and be Bingham Road.
Tags: Woodside to sanderstead branch
Scan of a print taken in April 1986; What a grim day digging this post out was. The K&ESR S&T Department asked the Croydon Area Group if they could help out with reclaiming signal equipment from Selsdon Station (which had closed three years earlier). So on a rainy day myself and a friend (who had no interest in railways, but who had been cooped up revising for his insurance exams) turned up to assist. You can probably tell how deeply the post was embedded, but the day started ok with about ten of us digging away, but as the size of the task become apparent and the rain increased the S&T regulars decamped to the Rail View for a pint or two. This left a cussed handful of us (including my friend) who refused to be beaten by clay and rain. In the end we managed to free the beggar and a week or so later it was collected and moved to the K&ESR and I like to think it now stands somewhere on the line and that it wasn’t left to rust away.
Tags: Selsdon Station SR lattice signal post Kent and East Sussex Railway