Epsom railway station
Encyclopedia
Epsom railway station is the main railway station for Epsom
in the county of Surrey
. It is located off Waterloo Road, near to the High Street.
The station should not be confused with Epsom Downs station
which is the terminus of a single branch line from Sutton at the edge of the boundary of the borough Epsom and Ewell
with Reigate and Banstead
.
Ticket barriers are in operation at this station.
and Southern
. Trains serve a variety of destinations including Central London (with Waterloo
, Victoria
& London Bridge served), Clapham Junction
, Wimbledon
, Worcester Park
, Balham, West Croydon, Sutton, Leatherhead
, Effingham Junction
, Guildford, Dorking
and Horsham
.
The typical off-peak service pattern is as follows:
(LBSCR) from West Croydon was opened with a terminus in Upper High Street. This station was initially named Epsom but subsequently renamed Epsom Town.
In 1859 a joint venture between the LBSCR and the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR) extended the LSWR from Wimbledon to Epsom, where it joined with the LBSCR, and then ran on to Leatherhead. The lines were connected south of the LBSCR station and a new Epsom station was established on the present site. However competition between the companies remained and the new station was operated by the LSWR only, with the tracks configured so that LBSCR trains ran non-stop on the central rails.
In 1867 the line was extended further south from Leatherhead to Dorking and Horsham, whilst in 1885 a second branch from Leatherhead was built to Effingham Junction where it connected to the existing line from Surbiton to Guildford. These extensions served to provide greater connections for Epsom to much of the rest of Surrey.
After the First World War
, the railway companies were rationalised and merged into the Southern Railway which set about removing duplication from the railway system. Epsom Town was closed in 1929, (though some of the building remains in an abandoned, bricked up form, located behind modern developments on Upper High Street though more visible from the line from Ewell East
) and the tracks at Epsom were rearranged so that the two island platforms provided cross-platform interchange
.
When the Thameslink
services started in 1988 its secondary southern route ran to Epsom via Elephant & Castle
to West Croydon and Sutton, continuing beyond to Guildford. However the onset of rail privatisation made it difficult to maintain a line running across two other companies' commuter routes and services to Epsom were withdrawn in 1994. One of the proposals for the Thameslink 2000 project (later renamed Thameslink 2010) is to restore services as part of a massive expansion of that network.
For many years the southern end of the platforms had a large signal box above them, dating from 1929. Although the building was widely thought to have gained listed status, it did not, and, despite extensive roof repairs, it was demolished in March 1992.
when 48-year-old Kevin Craswell, from nearby Ashtead, lay down and rested his head on a rail, a few inches from the electrified (750V
) third rail
. Had he touched this while in contact with the ground, he would have been electrocuted. Power had to be cut for approximately 15 minutes over a 3-mile stretch of track while Craswell was woken and taken to hospital. Network Rail
stated that the cost of the disruption exceeded £7,000. Craswell, who was filmed by a police helicopter - the noise of which failed to wake him - was fined £560 and given 180 hours' community service.
In the report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the accident, the maintenance of track and switching gear was heavily criticised. The removal of a remote rail lubricator by Network Rail was also criticised.
Frequency in trains per hour
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
in the county of 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...
. It is located off Waterloo Road, near to the High Street.
The station should not be confused with Epsom Downs station
Epsom Downs railway station
Epsom Downs railway station is a railway station located on the boundary of the Reigate and Banstead and Epsom and Ewell boroughs of Surrey with the railway to the north forming a continuation of the boundary....
which is the terminus of a single branch line from Sutton at the edge of the boundary of the borough Epsom and Ewell
Epsom and Ewell
Epsom and Ewell is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England, covering the town of Epsom and the village of Ewell. The borough was formed as an urban district in 1894, and was known as Epsom until 1934. It was made a municipal borough in 1937...
with Reigate and Banstead
Reigate and Banstead
Reigate and Banstead is a local government district with borough status in east Surrey England. It covers the towns of Reigate, Banstead, Redhill and Horley....
.
Ticket barriers are in operation at this station.
Services from this station
Services are operated by South West TrainsSouth West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
and Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
. Trains serve a variety of destinations including Central London (with Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
, Victoria
Victoria station (London)
Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
& London Bridge served), Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction railway station
Clapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
, Wimbledon
Wimbledon station
Wimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
, Worcester Park
Worcester Park railway station
Worcester Park railway station is a railway station in Worcester Park in south west London.The station is on the boundary of the London Borough of Sutton and the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames in South London. The station is served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 4.The...
, Balham, West Croydon, Sutton, Leatherhead
Leatherhead railway station
Leatherhead railway station is a railway station serving the town of Leatherhead in Surrey, England. The station is managed by Southern, who provide train services along with South West Trains....
, Effingham Junction
Effingham Junction railway station
Effingham Junction railway station is situated near the villages of Effingham and East Horsley in Surrey, England. Although the station takes its name from the former town, and the immediate vicinity has itself become known as Effingham Junction, it is actually located in the latter...
, Guildford, Dorking
Dorking railway station
Dorking railway station is one of three railway stations that serve the town of Dorking in Surrey, England. The station is within walking distance of Dorking Deepdene station and interchange on a through ticket is permitted...
and Horsham
Horsham railway station
Horsham railway station serves the town of Horsham in West Sussex, England. It is on the Arun Valley Line 61 km south of London Victoria and the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines, and train services are provided by Southern...
.
The typical off-peak service pattern is as follows:
- 2tph to London Victoria via Sutton (fast service)
- 2tph to London Victoria via Sutton and Hackbridge
- 1tph to London Victoria via Sutton, West Croydon and Norbury. After 7pm this service is diverted via Crystal Palace rather than Norbury.
- 4tph to London Waterloo via Wimbledon
- 3tph to Dorking
- 1tph to Horsham via Dorking
- 2tph to Guildford via Effingham Junction
History
The railway first reached the town in 1847 when an extension of the London, Brighton and South Coast RailwayLondon, 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) from West Croydon was opened with a terminus in Upper High Street. This station was initially named Epsom but subsequently renamed Epsom Town.
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(LSWR) extended the LSWR from Wimbledon to Epsom, where it joined with the LBSCR, and then ran on to Leatherhead. The lines were connected south of the LBSCR station and a new Epsom station was established on the present site. However competition between the companies remained and the new station was operated by the LSWR only, with the tracks configured so that LBSCR trains ran non-stop on the central rails.
In 1867 the line was extended further south from Leatherhead to Dorking and Horsham, whilst in 1885 a second branch from Leatherhead was built to Effingham Junction where it connected to the existing line from Surbiton to Guildford. These extensions served to provide greater connections for Epsom to much of the rest of Surrey.
After the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the railway companies were rationalised and merged into the Southern Railway which set about removing duplication from the railway system. Epsom Town was closed in 1929, (though some of the building remains in an abandoned, bricked up form, located behind modern developments on Upper High Street though more visible from the line from Ewell East
Ewell East railway station
Ewell East is a railway station in Ewell, Surrey. It has two platforms, one for services to Sutton, West Croydon and London, the other for services to Epsom. The ticket office and main entrance is on the London-bound side, accessed from Cheam Road...
) and the tracks at Epsom were rearranged so that the two island platforms provided cross-platform interchange
Cross-platform interchange
A cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
.
When the Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
services started in 1988 its secondary southern route ran to Epsom via Elephant & Castle
Elephant & Castle railway station
Elephant & Castle railway station serves the area of Elephant & Castle in London, England. The station is managed by First Capital Connect, with services operated by both First Capital Connect and Southeastern...
to West Croydon and Sutton, continuing beyond to Guildford. However the onset of rail privatisation made it difficult to maintain a line running across two other companies' commuter routes and services to Epsom were withdrawn in 1994. One of the proposals for the Thameslink 2000 project (later renamed Thameslink 2010) is to restore services as part of a massive expansion of that network.
For many years the southern end of the platforms had a large signal box above them, dating from 1929. Although the building was widely thought to have gained listed status, it did not, and, despite extensive roof repairs, it was demolished in March 1992.
Kevin Craswell incident
On 3 March 2006, in a widely reported incident, a drunken man crawled on to the tracks at the station, collapsed and fell asleep across the rails, "using the track as a pillow". Many trains were disrupted just before the Friday afternoon rush hourRush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
when 48-year-old Kevin Craswell, from nearby Ashtead, lay down and rested his head on a rail, a few inches from the electrified (750V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
) third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
. Had he touched this while in contact with the ground, he would have been electrocuted. Power had to be cut for approximately 15 minutes over a 3-mile stretch of track while Craswell was woken and taken to hospital. Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
stated that the cost of the disruption exceeded £7,000. Craswell, who was filmed by a police helicopter - the noise of which failed to wake him - was fined £560 and given 180 hours' community service.
Derailment Incident: 12th September 2006
Train 2D57, the 19:09 hrs service from London Waterloo to Effingham Junction, became derailed on the approach to Epsom station, Surrey, at about 19:42 hrs on Tuesday 12 September 2006. The train was formed of 8 coaches, consisting of two four-car class 455 electric multiple units (EMUs). The leading bogie of the fourth coach was derailed by both axles towards the left as it passed over a set of trailing points on a right-hand curve, while the train was travelling at about 17 miles per hour (27 km/h). The train came to a stop partially in Epsom station, and all the passengers on board were quickly evacuated onto the station platform. There were no injuries, and there was only minor damage to the train and the track.
As the train approached Epsom, the driver shut off power and reduced speed to comply
with the 20 mph permanent speed restriction round the curve into the station, entering the
curve at 19.2 mph (30.9 km/h). He felt a judder, and looked back, observing blue flashes
and smoke from the rear of the train. He assumed there was a fault with the train, and
attempted to coast into the station. As the fourth coach came into his field of vision, the
driver saw that it was derailed and made an emergency brake application. The train then
stopped within five seconds.
In the report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the accident, the maintenance of track and switching gear was heavily criticised. The removal of a remote rail lubricator by Network Rail was also criticised.
Typical off-peak journey times from Epsom
Based on the December 2006 - May 2007 timetableFrequency in trains per hour
| Destination | Platform | Journey time | Frequency | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutton | 1 or 3 | 10 minutes | 5 tph | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
| Worcester Park Worcester Park railway station Worcester Park railway station is a railway station in Worcester Park in south west London.The station is on the boundary of the London Borough of Sutton and the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames in South London. The station is served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 4.The... |
2 or 4 | 10 minutes | 4 tph | South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| Wimbledon | 2 or 4 | 18 minutes | 4 tph | South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| Clapham Junction Clapham Junction railway station Clapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction.... |
1, 2, 3 or 4 | 35 minutes | 9 tph | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... and South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| LONDON VICTORIA | 1 or 3 | 38 minutes | 5 tph | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
| LONDON WATERLOO Waterloo station Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1.... |
2 or 4 | 36 minutes | 4 tph | South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| Leatherhead Leatherhead railway station Leatherhead railway station is a railway station serving the town of Leatherhead in Surrey, England. The station is managed by Southern, who provide train services along with South West Trains.... |
1 or 2 | 8 minutes | 6 tph | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... and South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| Dorking Dorking railway station Dorking railway station is one of three railway stations that serve the town of Dorking in Surrey, England. The station is within walking distance of Dorking Deepdene station and interchange on a through ticket is permitted... |
1 or 2 | 14 minutes | 4 tph | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... and South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| HORSHAM Horsham railway station Horsham railway station serves the town of Horsham in West Sussex, England. It is on the Arun Valley Line 61 km south of London Victoria and the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines, and train services are provided by Southern... |
1 | 35 minutes | 1 tph | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
| Effingham Junction Effingham Junction railway station Effingham Junction railway station is situated near the villages of Effingham and East Horsley in Surrey, England. Although the station takes its name from the former town, and the immediate vicinity has itself become known as Effingham Junction, it is actually located in the latter... |
2 | 17 minutes | 2 tph | South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |
| GUILDFORD Guildford (Surrey) railway station Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo.... |
2 | 27 minutes | 2 tph | South West Trains South West Trains South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight... |