Croydon Central railway station
Encyclopedia
Croydon Central station was a railway station in Croydon
, Surrey
, now in South London
, England
. It was a largely unsuccessful venture by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway
to bring trains closer to the centre of Croydon, as East Croydon station
was deemed too far from the busy town centre.
opened a station (now known as West Croydon) near London Road. Two years later, the London and Brighton Railway
opened a rival station (now known as East Croydon) on the other side of town. Both stations were a fair distance from the centre of Croydon and the local stage coach, previously the dominant mode of transport in the area and now undercut by the railway, sought to create new business by ferrying passengers to and from the stations.
This situation prevailed until 1863 when, under pressure from local townspeople to provide a more convenient station, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
(LBSCR) (formed in 1846 by a merger between the two rival companies) promoted the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (Additional Powers) Bill which, amongst other matters, sought authorisation for the construction of a branch spur
from East Croydon station to Katharine Street where a new "Central Station" would be built. The Act passed into law on 29 July 1864 and the railway company began purchasing the land necessary for its station. Annexed to the bill was a plan of the area required by the railway: this took in a whole block between the present-day Mint Walk and Katharine Street right up to the High Street. The line and station were initially intended not to run parallel with Katharine Street but instead to approach it at an angle. A subsequent realignment of the route made it parallel with Katharine Street, thereby reducing the amount of land needing to be purchased. The plot of land to the west of Park Street was purchased for a total sum of £11,217 and a contract was awarded to Messrs John T Chappell of Steyning
to construct the line and station for £4,089.
The short branch line left the Brighton Main Line
just south of George Street and curved sharply west, where the Fairfield Halls
are today. It passed under Park Lane, through the Queen's Gardens
and continued to the site of the Croydon Clocktower
and Town Hall.
Opened on 1 January 1868, the station, known as Croydon Central, was served by platforms 1 and 2 of "New Croydon Station" (an extension of East Croydon station dealing with local traffic). Initially, twelve trains per day worked the line to and from London Bridge. However, for passengers wishing to travel south or use other routes, it remained more convenient to go to East or West Croydon. The commercial judgement that created Croydon Central was therefore unrewarded and services ceased after three years on 1 December 1871. The facility remained mothballed until 1 June 1886 when, under pressure from the Council, it was reopened to traffic. Around this time, the LBSCR had sought to improve the usefulness of the short branch by extending it under the High Street to curve around to the right to join up with the West Croydon - Epsom line at West Croydon station. This plan, which might have seen Croydon Central become a viable station, was never realised.
The reopening of the station (which was now renamed Central Croydon) in 1886 did not coincide with the reintroduction of passenger services by the LBSCR; instead, two other railway companies, the London & North Western Railway and the Great Eastern Railway
, worked the line and provided, by all accounts, a generally poor service. The withdrawal of services on 1 September 1890 came therefore as little surprise to the local community; they had hoped that the railway would give impetus to the development of the High Street, but this never materialised and ironically it was only after the demolition of the station that plans for the area could be advanced. In fact, two years before the reopening of the station, a "High Street Improvement Committee" had been set up with the aim of carrying out necessary civic improvements such as the widening of the High Street and the laying of a tram connection. The station, which occupied the main road frontage, stood in the way of these proposals.
Anxious to rid themselves of an unprofitable connection, in 1889 the LBSCR offered the railway land for sale at a price of £12,500. An eventual figure of £11,500 was agreed on condition that the railway company leave in place the retaining walls of their facility which were supporting part of Katharine Street. On the large plot of land, the Council intended to erect their Municipal Offices, Courts, a Police Station and Library, hoping that the presence of public facilities on part of the land would increase the development value of the remainder. By 1890, the necessary agreements and consents for the sale were in place, drawing to a close Croydon Central's short history.
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, now in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was a largely unsuccessful venture by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
to bring trains closer to the centre of Croydon, as East Croydon station
East Croydon station
East Croydon station is a railway station and tram stop in Croydon, 10.35 miles south of London Bridge in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the largest and busiest station in Croydon and the busiest in London outside Travelcard Zone 1 in terms of the number of passengers entering and exiting...
was deemed too far from the busy town centre.
Authorisation
In 1839, Croydon, then a thriving market town of around 20,000 inhabitants strategically situated on the southern fringe of London, was first connected with the rapidly-expanding railway network when the London and Croydon RailwayLondon and Croydon Railway
The London and Croydon Railway was an early railway which operated between London and Croydon in England. It was opened in 1839 and in July 1846 it merged with other railways to form a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway ....
opened a station (now known as West Croydon) near London Road. Two years later, the London and Brighton Railway
London and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
opened a rival station (now known as East Croydon) on the other side of town. Both stations were a fair distance from the centre of Croydon and the local stage coach, previously the dominant mode of transport in the area and now undercut by the railway, sought to create new business by ferrying passengers to and from the stations.
This situation prevailed until 1863 when, under pressure from local townspeople to provide a more convenient station, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
(LBSCR) (formed in 1846 by a merger between the two rival companies) promoted the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (Additional Powers) Bill which, amongst other matters, sought authorisation for the construction of a branch spur
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
from East Croydon station to Katharine Street where a new "Central Station" would be built. The Act passed into law on 29 July 1864 and the railway company began purchasing the land necessary for its station. Annexed to the bill was a plan of the area required by the railway: this took in a whole block between the present-day Mint Walk and Katharine Street right up to the High Street. The line and station were initially intended not to run parallel with Katharine Street but instead to approach it at an angle. A subsequent realignment of the route made it parallel with Katharine Street, thereby reducing the amount of land needing to be purchased. The plot of land to the west of Park Street was purchased for a total sum of £11,217 and a contract was awarded to Messrs John T Chappell of Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
to construct the line and station for £4,089.
The short branch line left the Brighton Main Line
Brighton Main Line
The Brighton Main Line is a British railway line from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 50 miles long, and is electrified throughout. Trains are operated by Southern, First Capital Connect, and Gatwick Express, now part of Southern.-Original proposals:There were no fewer...
just south of George Street and curved sharply west, where the Fairfield Halls
Fairfield Halls
Fairfield Hall is an arts centre in Croydon, London, England and opened in 1962. It contains a concert hall, the Ashcroft Theatre , the Arnhem Gallery civic hall and an art gallery....
are today. It passed under Park Lane, through the Queen's Gardens
Queen's Gardens (Croydon)
The Queen's Gardens are a small area of urban gardens in the centre of Croydon, South London. It is part of the Croydon Vision 2020 re-generation plan with Park Place. They are bordered by Croydon Town Hall, Taberner house, Park Lane and Katharine Street....
and continued to the site of the Croydon Clocktower
Croydon Clocktower
Croydon Clocktower on Katharine Street in Croydon is an arts centre in London, England. It contains the Museum of Croydon, the Riesco Gallery with a collection of Chinese pottery and ceramics, the David Lean Cinema, the Braithwaite Hall used for concerts and conferences, and a café and bar...
and Town Hall.
Operations
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
, worked the line and provided, by all accounts, a generally poor service. The withdrawal of services on 1 September 1890 came therefore as little surprise to the local community; they had hoped that the railway would give impetus to the development of the High Street, but this never materialised and ironically it was only after the demolition of the station that plans for the area could be advanced. In fact, two years before the reopening of the station, a "High Street Improvement Committee" had been set up with the aim of carrying out necessary civic improvements such as the widening of the High Street and the laying of a tram connection. The station, which occupied the main road frontage, stood in the way of these proposals.
Anxious to rid themselves of an unprofitable connection, in 1889 the LBSCR offered the railway land for sale at a price of £12,500. An eventual figure of £11,500 was agreed on condition that the railway company leave in place the retaining walls of their facility which were supporting part of Katharine Street. On the large plot of land, the Council intended to erect their Municipal Offices, Courts, a Police Station and Library, hoping that the presence of public facilities on part of the land would increase the development value of the remainder. By 1890, the necessary agreements and consents for the sale were in place, drawing to a close Croydon Central's short history.