South Norwood
Encyclopedia
South Norwood is an urban town and in south London
, England, in the London Borough of Croydon
. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles (12.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross
. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000. A tributary of the River Wandle
, which rises in Merton
, ends in South Norwood.
The south-eastern side of the town is dominated by the 125 acre (0.5058575 km²) country park
which opened in 1989. At the other northern end of the town is South Norwood Lake
, which was created after the reservoir for the unsuccessful Croydon Canal
went out of use. It is used by the Croydon Sailing Club and local anglers who fish for carp, bream and perch.
Together with Norwood New Town
, it forms the ward of South Norwood in the local authority of Croydon. There are two secondary schools in the area along with a public leisure centre
. The town has a high street which forms part of Selhurst Road
which includes a number of banks
, estate agent
s and a coffee house
. It is a commuter town
, with many residents travelling to either the financial and insurance districts of Croydon
or the City of London
for employment via the large railway station
. The town and surrounding areas are covered by the London SE25 postcode.
. Over 20 pubs were to be found in a 1½ mile radius, but many of these have closed. Some of South Norwood's famous pubs, such as the Jolly Sailor and the Albert, are still busy.
Arthur Conan Doyle
lived on Tennison Road in South Norwood, from 1891 to 1894, but, contrary to popular belief, did not use the area as the setting for the Sherlock Holmes
story The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
. This story, for the most part, takes place in Lower Norwood (today known as West Norwood
). The only connection between this story and South Norwood is that South Norwood's railway station Norwood Junction is used by the villain. The NatWest Bank on South Norwood High Street was, in Victorian times and until the mid 1980s, the local police station and is the most likely candidate for the police station mentioned in the second Sherlock Holmes
story The Sign of Four
.
D. H. Lawrence
taught at Davidson School before the First World War. In 1966, a dog called Pickles
discovered the FIFA World Cup
Jules Rimet Trophy
under a bush in Beulah Hill which was stolen during a public rare stamp exhibition at Westminster Central Hall
.
The area was originally covered by the Great North Wood
which was a natural oak forest that covered four miles (6 km) of South London. Apart from South Norwood, the wood covered Upper Norwood
, West Norwood
(known as Lower Norwood until 1885) and the Woodside
and Gipsy Hill
areas reflect the past history of the area. The wood covered more of Lambeth
and Southwark
than Croydon, but the name Norwood is itself a reminder that it had closer connection with Croydon than with Lambeth or London.
Jolly-sailor station opened in 1839 by the London and Croydon Railway
. It was listed as Jolly-sailor near Beulah Spa on fare lists and timetables. The station was renamed Norwood in 1846. The station was immediately adjacent to a level crossing
over Portland Road, making it slightly further north than the site currently occupied by Norwood Junction. As part of the construction works for the atmospheric-propulsion system, the worlds first railway flyover
(overpass) was constructed south of Tennison Road, to carry the new atmospheric-propulsion line over the conventional steam line below. In 1847, the atmospheric propulsion experiment was abandoned.
The Croydon Canal
ran from New Cross
to the site of West Croydon station
. As it passed through South Norwood, pubs sprung up near its course. The Jolly Sailor still stands at the intersection of South Norwood Hill and High Street. The Ship, a few yards to the east, was beside the loading point for bricks from a nearby brick field across what is now High Street. The passageway through which bricks passed to the canal is still there. The Goat House pub (which has since been demolished) was said to have been named after an island in the canal on which goats were kept.
South Norwood is now unofficially divided into the less deprived area in the north west side of the railway, which was the location of a private estate, and the generally more deprived area in the north east. In the south east of the borough, where workers for a former brick
factory
lived, the entrance to the estate was between a pair of pillars, though they have long since been demolished. However the capitals were preserved and now sit on the two brick pillars at the Selhurst Road
entrance to South Norwood Recreation Ground
. In 2006, South Norwood Lakes in the north of the ward was the scene of a fatal stabbing.
of Surrey
and the County Borough of Croydon
until 1965, when following the enactment of the London Government Act 1963
it became part of Greater London
. The town is now part of the wards of South Norwood and Woodside in the local authority of Croydon, which has the responsibility for providing services such as education, refuse collection, and tourism. Woodside ward is currently represented by Labour Councillors Karen Jewitt, Tony Newman and Paul Scott. South Norwood ward is currently represented by Labour Councillors Jane Avis, Kathy Bee and Wayne Lawlor.. South Norwood Ward is part of the ethnically diverse Croydon North constituency
, which had one of the largest electorates in England at the 2010 general election, whereas Woodside Ward falls within the boundaries of the Croydon Central constituency. The area also forms part of the London constituency
of the European Parliament
. The sitting Member of Parliament
for Croydon North is Malcolm Wicks
, a member of the Labour Party
, whereas the sitting Member of Parliament
for Croydon Central is Gavin Barwell
, a member of the Conservative Party
.
The police service is provided by the Metropolitan Police
with the South Norwood Police Station
close to High Street. The London Fire Brigade
provide services for the area and Greater London as a whole. The nearest fire station
is at Woodside which has only one pumping appliance.
to the north, Selhurst
to the south, Woodside
due east and Thornton Heath
to the west. The northernmost point of South Norwood is at Beaulieu Heights
(alternatively spelt Beulah Heights, Beaulah Heights and Beulieu Heights) which contains Beulah Heights Park, overlapping with Upper Norwood and New Town. The northern part of the district is situated on the lower parts of the hill that forms Upper Norwood.
South Norwood lies on the southern slopes of the Norwood Ridge which forms the southern edge of the London Basin
. This line of hills runs from north-east to south-west for about three miles (5 km) and rises to approximately 360 feet (109.7 m) above sea level at its highest point. It is formed by a ridge of grey silty deposits known as London Clay
, capped in places with the gravel of the Claygate Beds. Because of this gravel working was an important local industry and at one time the road along Beulah Hill was called Gravel Pit Road. South Norwood Hill is the most southerly spur of this ridge and the London Clay extends at its foot to the southern edge of the South Norwood Country Park. Here a brook marks the junction with the sands and gravels of the Blackheath Beds that rise to Shirley
, Addington Hills
and Croham Hurst
. Streams join Chaffinch Brook and the Beck to form the River Pool which eventually flows into the River Ravensbourne
.
There are many primary schools in the South Norwood area including Priory Special School, Heavers Farm Primary School, South Norwood Primary School
, Cypress Junior School and Cypress Infant School, St. Chad's Roman Catholic Primary School, St. Mark's Primary School and Ryelands Primary School.
The former Stanley Technical High School (the legacy of local inventor and engineer William Stanley) has been replaced and turned into an academy as part of the Harris Federation
. After deliberation with local residents, it was originally going to be called Harris at Stanley, but the federation changed it to Harris Academy South Norwood
which came with some controversy. Many local residents are upset that the name Stanley was removed from the school, as Stanley, who had the original school built in 1907, is a famous and well regarded figure in South Norwood. Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is a city academy in the north west of South Norwood, but to avoid confusion with the other school it uses the Crystal Palace name.
South Norwood has also been the home of Spurgeon's College
, a world-famous Baptist theological college, since 1923; Spurgeon's is located on South Norwood Hill and currently has some 1,000 students. It is one of only four further eductation establishments in the borough.
South Norwood Library
is located on Selhurst Road. The building is arranged over five levels split across the front and rear of the building. The front part of the building has the ground floor entrance level, which houses the reception, and the second floor which houses the children's library. The rear of the building has the basement, first and third floors. The levels are offset so that the floors in the front and rear of the building appear like mezzanine
levels to each other.
were an amateur football club who were active in the 1870s and played their home matches at Portland Road. They have been described as "one of the best in England at that time".
Park Road, Holmesdale Road and Whitehourse Lane hold Selhurst Park
where Crystal Palace FC
plays. The ground was also home to Charlton Athletic FC
as part of a ground sharing agreement between 1985 and 1991. It was also used by Wimbledon FC
when they left Plough Lane
until 2003.
South Norwood contains a leisure centre which is owned and maintained by Fusion on behalf of Sport Croydon. South Norwood Leisure Centre
is situated on Portland Road and reopened in late 2007 after refurbishment. It was closed in early 2006 so that it would be knocked down and construction would start on a site next to the Croydon Sports Arena. This was so that it could be redesigned from scratch like the leisure centre in Thornton Heath, which would result in a cost of around £10 million.
In May 2006 the Conservatives gained control of Croydon and decided that doing this would cost too much money, so they decided to refurbish the centre instead, although this decision came with controversy. It now includes a 25m swimming pool and a gym.
South Norwood is also the home to South Norwood Country Park
, a former sewage works which closed in 1966, and of a fireworks factory now converted into a nature reserve. Other parks in the local area are South Norwood Recreation Ground
, Heavers Meadow
, Brickfields Meadow
, Beaulieu Heights
, South Norwood Lake and Grounds
, Woodside Green
and Ashburton Park
.
During the 1960s
, the height of the Cold War
, several buildings on this site were used for mock atomic attacks to enable rescue workers to gain experience. Volunteers would use theatrical make-up and act out specific wounds while controlled fires would burn around them.
. Facilities include an eight lane 400m running track, with a centre field and training area for throwing events. The stadium is floodlit. During the winter the inner field becomes a football pitch, home to Croydon Juniors Football Club and Croydon FC. In the summer the stadium is mostly used for athletic events, hosting several large meetings such as the Surrey Athletic Championships and the occasional international event. The arena is used for special events as well as serious sports and training. The stands in the sports arena can hold up to 388 people.
Other clubs who use the stadium are athletics club Striders of Croydon and Croydon Harriers an athletics club for all ages, all levels in track & field and road & country.
and the A213
are in the South Norwood area. The A213 is High Street, Penge Road and Selhurst Road
. The A215 is Portland Road and South Norwood Hill.
is situated in the centre of South Norwood just off High Street. It has 7 platforms but only 5 are in use at the present time. Southern
and London Overground trains run to London Bridge
and Dalston Junction. Fast trains generally take 10 minutes to reach central London and slow trains 20 minutes. Also Victoria station trains take 20 minutes. East
and West Croydon station
s and urban and rural stations thereafter including regular train service to Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streaham. The other nearest railway stations include Selhurst
and can get direct trains to Olympia
and Shepherd's Bush
via a train service to Milton Keynes.
The Thameslink Programme
(formerly known as Thameslink 2000), is a £3.5 billion major project to expand the Thameslink network
from 51 to 172 stations
spreading northwards to Bedford
, Peterborough
, Cambridge
and King's Lynn
and southwards to Guildford
, Eastbourne
, Horsham
, Hove
to Littlehampton
, East Grinstead
, Ashford
and Dartford
. The project includes the lengthening of platforms, station remodelling, new railway infrastructure (e.g. viaduct) and additional rolling stock. If implemented, First Capital Connect
services would call at the station.
Transport for London
began work on the southern extension of the East London Line
as part of the London Overground
. On completion in May 2010, services run between West Croydon and Dalston Junction via London Docklands.
Trains make an unpublicised stop at Selhurst from Victoria through the night to enable engineers at Selhurst to get to Gatwick and vice versa. This means that it is possible to board the train during the night all through the early hours of morning to South Norwood. However, the trains state East Croydon on the board. Trains run out of Victoria after 1.00am on the hour until the train service start up again officially.
network is Harrington Road tram stop
. If current proposals for an extension to Crystal Palace are approved, then a second stop at Penge Road will be opened. There is also another tram stop next to Croydon Sports Arena called Arena
. South Norwood is served by many London bus routes
.
, daytime routes 196
and 468
run to Elephant and Castle
, while night time route N68 will get you to Tottenham Court Road
. Route 75
runs between Croydon
and Lewisham
through South Norwood. There are also two bus stands in South Norwood both at Norwood Junction railway station
, one on the west side of the railway lines (for the 197
and the 312 bus routes) and the east side of the lines (for the 130
and 196
bus routes). Other routes include the London Buses route 157
and 410. All of these services are operated by either Selkent
, Travel London
, Arriva London
, Metrobus
, London Central
and London General
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, in the London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles (12.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000. A tributary of the River Wandle
River Wandle
The River Wandle is a river in south-east England. The names of the river and of Wandsworth are thought to have derived from the Old English "Wendlesworth" meaning "Wendle's Settlement". The river runs through southwest London and is about long...
, which rises in Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
, ends in South Norwood.
The south-eastern side of the town is dominated by the 125 acre (0.5058575 km²) country park
South Norwood Country Park
South Norwood Country Park is a park in South Norwood, close to Elmers End station, mainly in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a 47 hectare green space which opened in 1989...
which opened in 1989. At the other northern end of the town is South Norwood Lake
South Norwood Lake and Grounds
South Norwood Lake and Grounds is a park in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. The main entrance is in Woodvale Avenue while other entrances are located in Auckland Road and Sylvan Road. The area measures up to 28 acres 11.53 hectares....
, which was created after the reservoir for the unsuccessful Croydon Canal
Croydon Canal
The Croydon Canal ran from Croydon, via Forest Hill, to the Grand Surrey Canal at New Cross in south London, England. It opened in 1809, and closed in 1836, making it the first canal to be formally abandoned by an Act of Parliament.-History:...
went out of use. It is used by the Croydon Sailing Club and local anglers who fish for carp, bream and perch.
Together with Norwood New Town
Norwood New Town
Norwood New Town is a largely residential former working class enclave within the larger district of Upper Norwood in Southeast London. It is within the London Borough of Croydon...
, it forms the ward of South Norwood in the local authority of Croydon. There are two secondary schools in the area along with a public leisure centre
South Norwood Leisure Centre
South Norwood Leisure Centre is a leisure centre located on Portland Road in South Norwood, Croydon, London. The centre has recently gone through a refurbishment process which has seen it closed for more than a year and a half. It contains a 25m sized swimming pool with seating for spectators...
. The town has a high street which forms part of Selhurst Road
Selhurst Road
Selhurst Road is a main road between South Norwood and Selhurst in the London Borough of Croydon, South London. It forms part of the A213 road which is a major A Road connecting both Sydenham and Croydon....
which includes a number of banks
Big Four (banks)
Big Four is the colloquial name for the four main banks in several countries, where the banking industry is dominated by just four institutions and where the phrase has gained currency.-Australia:...
, estate agent
Estate agent
An estate agent is a person or business that arranges the selling, renting or management of properties, and other buildings, in the United Kingdom and Ireland. An agent that specialises in renting is often called a letting or management agent...
s and a coffee house
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
. It is a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
, with many residents travelling to either the financial and insurance districts of Croydon
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...
or the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
for employment via the large railway station
Norwood Junction railway station
Norwood Junction railway station is in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 4.The station is managed by London Overground and trains operated by Southern and London Overground .-History:...
. The town and surrounding areas are covered by the London SE25 postcode.
History
Handley's Brickworks' seven chimneys once dominated the landscape of the area. It has been demolished and the site changed into grassland and a lake, called Brickfields MeadowBrickfields Meadow
Brickfields Meadow is a meadow in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. It is located on the former site of a brickworks in Tennison Road and Dickensons Lane in Woodside. The meadow covers an area of about 4.37 hectares...
. Over 20 pubs were to be found in a 1½ mile radius, but many of these have closed. Some of South Norwood's famous pubs, such as the Jolly Sailor and the Albert, are still busy.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
lived on Tennison Road in South Norwood, from 1891 to 1894, but, contrary to popular belief, did not use the area as the setting for the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
story The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
"The Adventure of the Norwood Builder", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the second tale from The Return of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in Strand Magazine in 1903 with original illustrations by Sidney...
. This story, for the most part, takes place in Lower Norwood (today known as West Norwood
West Norwood
West Norwood is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is primarily a residential suburb of south London but with some light industry near Knights Hill in the south....
). The only connection between this story and South Norwood is that South Norwood's railway station Norwood Junction is used by the villain. The NatWest Bank on South Norwood High Street was, in Victorian times and until the mid 1980s, the local police station and is the most likely candidate for the police station mentioned in the second Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
story The Sign of Four
The Sign of Four
The Sign of the Four , also called The Sign of Four, is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 stories starring the fictional detective.The story is set in 1887...
.
D. H. Lawrence
D. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
taught at Davidson School before the First World War. In 1966, a dog called Pickles
Pickles (dog)
Pickles was a black and white Collie dog renowned for his role in finding the stolen Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966.- Overview :The trophy had been stolen during a rare public stamp exhibition at Westminster Central Hall, on the afternoon of Sunday 20 March, just four months before the 1966 FIFA World...
discovered the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
Jules Rimet Trophy
FIFA World Cup Trophy
The World Cup is a gold trophy that is awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cup. Since the advent of the World Cup in 1930, two trophies have represented victory: the Jules Rimet Trophy from 1930 to 1970, and the FIFA World Cup Trophy from 1974 to the present day.The trophy, originally named...
under a bush in Beulah Hill which was stolen during a public rare stamp exhibition at Westminster Central Hall
Westminster Central Hall
The Westminster Central Hall or Methodist Central Hall is a Methodist church in the City of Westminster. It occupies the corner of Tothill Street and Storeys Gate just off Victoria Street in London, near the junction with The Sanctuary next to the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and facing...
.
The area was originally covered by the Great North Wood
Great North Wood
The Great North Wood was a natural oak forest that covered most of the area of raised ground starting some four miles south of central London, covering the Sydenham Ridge and the southern reaches of the River Effra and its tributaries...
which was a natural oak forest that covered four miles (6 km) of South London. Apart from South Norwood, the wood covered Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...
, West Norwood
West Norwood
West Norwood is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is primarily a residential suburb of south London but with some light industry near Knights Hill in the south....
(known as Lower Norwood until 1885) and the Woodside
Woodside, London
Woodside is a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Croydon located between Addiscombe and South Norwood.-History:Woodside is a suburban district of residential streets based around Woodside Green, a small sized area of green land. At one end of the green is a war memorial. It is surrounded by...
and Gipsy Hill
Gipsy Hill
Gipsy Hill is an area of South London near Upper Norwood, it is considered to be part of Crystal Palace. This area of Gipsy Hill also includes the Central Hill estate...
areas reflect the past history of the area. The wood covered more of Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
and Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
than Croydon, but the name Norwood is itself a reminder that it had closer connection with Croydon than with Lambeth or London.
Jolly-sailor station opened in 1839 by the London and Croydon Railway
London 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 ....
. It was listed as Jolly-sailor near Beulah Spa on fare lists and timetables. The station was renamed Norwood in 1846. The station was immediately adjacent to a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
over Portland Road, making it slightly further north than the site currently occupied by Norwood Junction. As part of the construction works for the atmospheric-propulsion system, the worlds first railway flyover
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
(overpass) was constructed south of Tennison Road, to carry the new atmospheric-propulsion line over the conventional steam line below. In 1847, the atmospheric propulsion experiment was abandoned.
The Croydon Canal
Croydon Canal
The Croydon Canal ran from Croydon, via Forest Hill, to the Grand Surrey Canal at New Cross in south London, England. It opened in 1809, and closed in 1836, making it the first canal to be formally abandoned by an Act of Parliament.-History:...
ran from New Cross
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
to the site of West Croydon station
West Croydon station
West Croydon station is a transport interchange for National Rail and Tramlink services, as well as London Buses. It is in the London Borough of Croydon and Travelcard Zone 5...
. As it passed through South Norwood, pubs sprung up near its course. The Jolly Sailor still stands at the intersection of South Norwood Hill and High Street. The Ship, a few yards to the east, was beside the loading point for bricks from a nearby brick field across what is now High Street. The passageway through which bricks passed to the canal is still there. The Goat House pub (which has since been demolished) was said to have been named after an island in the canal on which goats were kept.
South Norwood is now unofficially divided into the less deprived area in the north west side of the railway, which was the location of a private estate, and the generally more deprived area in the north east. In the south east of the borough, where workers for a former brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
lived, the entrance to the estate was between a pair of pillars, though they have long since been demolished. However the capitals were preserved and now sit on the two brick pillars at the Selhurst Road
Selhurst Road
Selhurst Road is a main road between South Norwood and Selhurst in the London Borough of Croydon, South London. It forms part of the A213 road which is a major A Road connecting both Sydenham and Croydon....
entrance to South Norwood Recreation Ground
South Norwood Recreation Ground
South Norwood Recreation Ground is a park located in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. This recreation ground was acquired by the council in 1889 and the Borough Road Surveyor estimated that it would cost £1,326. 19s. 6d. to lay out...
. In 2006, South Norwood Lakes in the north of the ward was the scene of a fatal stabbing.
Governance
South Norwood was part of the countyHistoric counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
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...
and the County Borough of Croydon
County Borough of Croydon
Croydon was a local government district in north east Surrey, England from 1849 to 1965.-History:A local board of health was formed for the parish of Croydon St John the Baptist in 1849. On March 9, 1883 the town received a charter of incorporation to become a municipal borough...
until 1965, when following the enactment of the London Government Act 1963
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
it became part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. The town is now part of the wards of South Norwood and Woodside in the local authority of Croydon, which has the responsibility for providing services such as education, refuse collection, and tourism. Woodside ward is currently represented by Labour Councillors Karen Jewitt, Tony Newman and Paul Scott. South Norwood ward is currently represented by Labour Councillors Jane Avis, Kathy Bee and Wayne Lawlor.. South Norwood Ward is part of the ethnically diverse Croydon North constituency
Croydon North (UK Parliament constituency)
Croydon North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, which had one of the largest electorates in England at the 2010 general election, whereas Woodside Ward falls within the boundaries of the Croydon Central constituency. The area also forms part of the London constituency
London (European Parliament constituency)
London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. The sitting Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Croydon North is Malcolm Wicks
Malcolm Wicks
Malcolm Hunt Wicks is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Croydon North since 1997. He was MP for Croydon North West from 1992 to 1997.-Early life and education:...
, a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, whereas the sitting Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Croydon Central is Gavin Barwell
Gavin Barwell
Gavin Laurence Barwell is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Croydon Central since the 2010 general election.He is also the Head Governor of Trinity School in Croydon.-Education:...
, a member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
The police service is provided by the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
with the South Norwood Police Station
Police Station
Police Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
close to High Street. The London Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire...
provide services for the area and Greater London as a whole. The nearest fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
is at Woodside which has only one pumping appliance.
Geography
South Norwood is bordered by AnerleyAnerley
Anerley is a district of South London, England, located in the London Borough of Bromley. It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Anerley is geographically an outer lying area of London, although it is considered to have characteristics of an Inner city suburb...
to the north, Selhurst
Selhurst
Selhurst is a suburban development in the London Borough of Croydon south-south-east of Charing Cross. A relatively small area, Selhurst is bounded by South Norwood, Croydon and Thornton Heath and, like nearby Broad Green, has lost its distinct identity from these larger neighbours in recent years...
to the south, Woodside
Woodside, London
Woodside is a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Croydon located between Addiscombe and South Norwood.-History:Woodside is a suburban district of residential streets based around Woodside Green, a small sized area of green land. At one end of the green is a war memorial. It is surrounded by...
due east and Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
to the west. The northernmost point of South Norwood is at Beaulieu Heights
Beaulieu Heights
Beaulieu Heights is an extensive woodland area between South Norwood and Upper Norwood, London. It is managed by the London Borough of Croydon. It's located between South Norwood Hill and Auckland Road with Auckland Rise to the north and Tummonds Gardens to the south. There are pedestrian entrances...
(alternatively spelt Beulah Heights, Beaulah Heights and Beulieu Heights) which contains Beulah Heights Park, overlapping with Upper Norwood and New Town. The northern part of the district is situated on the lower parts of the hill that forms Upper Norwood.
South Norwood lies on the southern slopes of the Norwood Ridge which forms the southern edge of the London Basin
London Basin
The London Basin is an elongated, roughly triangular sedimentary basin approximately long which underlies London and a large area of south east England, south eastern East Anglia and the adjacent North Sea...
. This line of hills runs from north-east to south-west for about three miles (5 km) and rises to approximately 360 feet (109.7 m) above sea level at its highest point. It is formed by a ridge of grey silty deposits known as London Clay
London Clay
The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for the fossils it contains. The fossils from the Lower Eocene indicate a moderately warm climate, the flora being tropical or subtropical...
, capped in places with the gravel of the Claygate Beds. Because of this gravel working was an important local industry and at one time the road along Beulah Hill was called Gravel Pit Road. South Norwood Hill is the most southerly spur of this ridge and the London Clay extends at its foot to the southern edge of the South Norwood Country Park. Here a brook marks the junction with the sands and gravels of the Blackheath Beds that rise to Shirley
Shirley, London
Shirley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 10 miles south south-east of Charing Cross.-Description:...
, Addington Hills
Addington Hills
Addington Hills is a park in Upper Shirley, London, England. It is managed by the London Borough of Croydon. It was part of the old parish of Addington before the suburb of Shirley was developed in the 1930s. The site consists largely of woodland on a gravel bed, with London's largest area of...
and Croham Hurst
Croham Hurst
Croham Hurst is a 33.6 hectare biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in South Croydon in the London Borough of Croydon...
. Streams join Chaffinch Brook and the Beck to form the River Pool which eventually flows into the River Ravensbourne
River Ravensbourne
The River Ravensbourne is a tributary of the River Thames in South London, England. It flows into the River Thames on the Tideway at Deptford, where its tidal reach is known as Deptford Creek.- Geography :...
.
Education
South Norwood Primary School
South Norwood Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged between 4 and 11 years. The school is located on Crowther Road in South Norwood, as the name suggests. The Local Education Authority for the school is the London Borough of Croydon. The school caters for pupils from Reception to Year 6...
, Cypress Junior School and Cypress Infant School, St. Chad's Roman Catholic Primary School, St. Mark's Primary School and Ryelands Primary School.
The former Stanley Technical High School (the legacy of local inventor and engineer William Stanley) has been replaced and turned into an academy as part of the Harris Federation
Harris Federation
Harris Federation is a federation of Primary and Secondary academies in South London, England. There are currently fourteen open academies in the federation which span over five London boroughs including the London Borough of Croydon, London Borough of Southwark, London Borough of Bexley, London...
. After deliberation with local residents, it was originally going to be called Harris at Stanley, but the federation changed it to Harris Academy South Norwood
Harris Academy South Norwood
Harris Academy South Norwood is a city academy in South Norwood, London for students of both sexes aged 11–18. The school was designated as a Business and Enterprise College by the Department for Education and Skills when it was formerly called Stanley Technical High School. The re-development of...
which came with some controversy. Many local residents are upset that the name Stanley was removed from the school, as Stanley, who had the original school built in 1907, is a famous and well regarded figure in South Norwood. Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is a city academy in the north west of South Norwood, but to avoid confusion with the other school it uses the Crystal Palace name.
South Norwood has also been the home of Spurgeon's College
Spurgeon's College
Spurgeon's College is a theological institute of higher learning located in South Norwood Hill, London. It was founded by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, known as 'the Prince of Preachers' and in his time minister of the largest church in the world, the Metropolitan Tabernacle at Elephant and Castle...
, a world-famous Baptist theological college, since 1923; Spurgeon's is located on South Norwood Hill and currently has some 1,000 students. It is one of only four further eductation establishments in the borough.
South Norwood Library
South Norwood Library
South Norwood Library is a public library in South Norwood, South London. It stands in the London Borough of Croydon and is part of the Croydon Libraries arm of the council. It's next to the High street on Selhurst Road / Lawrence Road and is also close to South Norwood Recreation Ground. The...
is located on Selhurst Road. The building is arranged over five levels split across the front and rear of the building. The front part of the building has the ground floor entrance level, which houses the reception, and the second floor which houses the children's library. The rear of the building has the basement, first and third floors. The levels are offset so that the floors in the front and rear of the building appear like mezzanine
Mezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
levels to each other.
Sports and leisure
South Norwood F.C.South Norwood F.C.
South Norwood F.C. were an amateur football club, founded in 1870 or 1871, who featured in the early years of the FA Cup. They have been described as "one of the best in England at that time"...
were an amateur football club who were active in the 1870s and played their home matches at Portland Road. They have been described as "one of the best in England at that time".
Park Road, Holmesdale Road and Whitehourse Lane hold Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
where Crystal Palace FC
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
plays. The ground was also home to Charlton Athletic FC
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
as part of a ground sharing agreement between 1985 and 1991. It was also used by Wimbledon FC
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
when they left Plough Lane
Plough Lane
Plough Lane was a football stadium in Wimbledon, south west London. It was the home ground of Wimbledon Football Club from September 1912 to May 1991, when the club moved their first team home matches to Selhurst Park as part of a groundshare agreement with Crystal Palace. Both clubs' reserve teams...
until 2003.
South Norwood contains a leisure centre which is owned and maintained by Fusion on behalf of Sport Croydon. South Norwood Leisure Centre
South Norwood Leisure Centre
South Norwood Leisure Centre is a leisure centre located on Portland Road in South Norwood, Croydon, London. The centre has recently gone through a refurbishment process which has seen it closed for more than a year and a half. It contains a 25m sized swimming pool with seating for spectators...
is situated on Portland Road and reopened in late 2007 after refurbishment. It was closed in early 2006 so that it would be knocked down and construction would start on a site next to the Croydon Sports Arena. This was so that it could be redesigned from scratch like the leisure centre in Thornton Heath, which would result in a cost of around £10 million.
South Norwood is also the home to South Norwood Country Park
South Norwood Country Park
South Norwood Country Park is a park in South Norwood, close to Elmers End station, mainly in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a 47 hectare green space which opened in 1989...
, a former sewage works which closed in 1966, and of a fireworks factory now converted into a nature reserve. Other parks in the local area are South Norwood Recreation Ground
South Norwood Recreation Ground
South Norwood Recreation Ground is a park located in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. This recreation ground was acquired by the council in 1889 and the Borough Road Surveyor estimated that it would cost £1,326. 19s. 6d. to lay out...
, Heavers Meadow
Heavers Meadow
Heavers Meadow is a meadow located in South Norwood and Selhurst in the London Borough of Croydon. South Norwood Recreation Ground is on the other side of the road. The meadow covers an area of 8 3/4 acres . With meadows there are not usually many facilities...
, Brickfields Meadow
Brickfields Meadow
Brickfields Meadow is a meadow in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. It is located on the former site of a brickworks in Tennison Road and Dickensons Lane in Woodside. The meadow covers an area of about 4.37 hectares...
, Beaulieu Heights
Beaulieu Heights
Beaulieu Heights is an extensive woodland area between South Norwood and Upper Norwood, London. It is managed by the London Borough of Croydon. It's located between South Norwood Hill and Auckland Road with Auckland Rise to the north and Tummonds Gardens to the south. There are pedestrian entrances...
, South Norwood Lake and Grounds
South Norwood Lake and Grounds
South Norwood Lake and Grounds is a park in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. The main entrance is in Woodvale Avenue while other entrances are located in Auckland Road and Sylvan Road. The area measures up to 28 acres 11.53 hectares....
, Woodside Green
Woodside Green
Woodside Green is an area and street located in Woodside, London, centred on a village green. The station is located near to Woodside tram stop in the London Borough of Croydon. The green is over 44¾ acres .-History:...
and Ashburton Park
Ashburton Park
Ashburton Park is a park located in Woodside, in the London Borough of Croydon, and takes its name from nearby Ashburton. The park is located next to Woodside tram stop, where Tramlink routes 1 and 2 service the park. It is on the junction of Lower Addiscombe Road and Spring Lane. The park covers...
.
During the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, the height of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, several buildings on this site were used for mock atomic attacks to enable rescue workers to gain experience. Volunteers would use theatrical make-up and act out specific wounds while controlled fires would burn around them.
Croydon Sports Arena
Croydon Sports Arena is a multiple use sports arena in South Norwood. The arena is located on the edge of South Norwood Country ParkSouth Norwood Country Park
South Norwood Country Park is a park in South Norwood, close to Elmers End station, mainly in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a 47 hectare green space which opened in 1989...
. Facilities include an eight lane 400m running track, with a centre field and training area for throwing events. The stadium is floodlit. During the winter the inner field becomes a football pitch, home to Croydon Juniors Football Club and Croydon FC. In the summer the stadium is mostly used for athletic events, hosting several large meetings such as the Surrey Athletic Championships and the occasional international event. The arena is used for special events as well as serious sports and training. The stands in the sports arena can hold up to 388 people.
Other clubs who use the stadium are athletics club Striders of Croydon and Croydon Harriers an athletics club for all ages, all levels in track & field and road & country.
Roads
Two A roads, the A215A215 road
The A215 is an A road in South London, from Elephant and Castle to Shirley. It runs through the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Croydon....
and the A213
A213 road
The A213 is an A road in South London. It runs from Sydenham to Broad Green. It crosses through 3 London Boroughs which includes the start in the London Borough of Lewisham, a small section in the London Borough of Bromley and the ending part inside the Croydon...
are in the South Norwood area. The A213 is High Street, Penge Road and Selhurst Road
Selhurst Road
Selhurst Road is a main road between South Norwood and Selhurst in the London Borough of Croydon, South London. It forms part of the A213 road which is a major A Road connecting both Sydenham and Croydon....
. The A215 is Portland Road and South Norwood Hill.
Rail
Norwood Junction railway stationNorwood Junction railway station
Norwood Junction railway station is in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 4.The station is managed by London Overground and trains operated by Southern and London Overground .-History:...
is situated in the centre of South Norwood just off High Street. It has 7 platforms but only 5 are in use at the present time. 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 London Overground trains run to London Bridge
London Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
and Dalston Junction. Fast trains generally take 10 minutes to reach central London and slow trains 20 minutes. Also Victoria station trains take 20 minutes. East
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...
and West Croydon station
West Croydon station
West Croydon station is a transport interchange for National Rail and Tramlink services, as well as London Buses. It is in the London Borough of Croydon and Travelcard Zone 5...
s and urban and rural stations thereafter including regular train service to Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streaham. The other nearest railway stations include Selhurst
Selhurst railway station
Selhurst railway station is in the London Borough of Croydon in south London from Victoria. The station is operated by Southern, who also provide the majority of services , and is in Travelcard Zone 4.- History :The Balham Hill and East Croydon line was constructed by the London Brighton...
and can get direct trains to Olympia
Olympia, London
Olympia is an exhibition centre and conference centre in West Kensington, on the boundary between The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, London, W14 8UX, England. It opened in the 19th century and was originally known as the National Agricultural Hall.Opened in 1886,...
and Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
via a train service to Milton Keynes.
The Thameslink Programme
Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, is a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London without requiring passengers to change...
(formerly known as Thameslink 2000), is a £3.5 billion major project to expand the Thameslink network
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...
from 51 to 172 stations
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
spreading northwards to Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
and southwards to Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
, Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
to Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
, Ashford
Ashford, Surrey
Ashford is a town almost entirely in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne in England, with a small part falling within Greater London. It is a suburban development situated 15 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in London and forms part of the London commuter belt...
and Dartford
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
. The project includes the lengthening of platforms, station remodelling, new railway infrastructure (e.g. viaduct) and additional rolling stock. If implemented, First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
services would call at the station.
Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
began work on the southern extension of the East London Line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
as part of the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
. On completion in May 2010, services run between West Croydon and Dalston Junction via London Docklands.
Trains make an unpublicised stop at Selhurst from Victoria through the night to enable engineers at Selhurst to get to Gatwick and vice versa. This means that it is possible to board the train during the night all through the early hours of morning to South Norwood. However, the trains state East Croydon on the board. Trains run out of Victoria after 1.00am on the hour until the train service start up again officially.
Trams
Trams do not run through the town centre of South Norwood, however the nearest tram stop on the TramlinkTramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
network is Harrington Road tram stop
Harrington Road tram stop
Harrington Road tram stop is a light rail stop in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London. Harrington Road is in a residential area, and along with Woodside tram stop is the nearest tram stop to the town of South Norwood...
. If current proposals for an extension to Crystal Palace are approved, then a second stop at Penge Road will be opened. There is also another tram stop next to Croydon Sports Arena called Arena
Arena tram stop
Arena tram stop is a light rail stop in the Woodside area of South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London. The stop is located by the Croydon Sports Arena and serves the council estates of Longheath Gardens Estate and Tollgate Estate.The tram stop is served by...
. South Norwood is served by many London bus routes
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
.
Buses
For buses to Central LondonCentral London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
, daytime routes 196
London Buses route 196
London Buses route 196 is a Transport for London-contracted bus route in London, U.K. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-Service:...
and 468
London Buses route 468
London Buses route 468 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
run to Elephant and Castle
Elephant and Castle
The Elephant and Castle is a major road intersection in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is also used as a name for the surrounding area....
, while night time route N68 will get you to Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road is a major road in central London, United Kingdom, running from St Giles Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
. Route 75
London Buses route 75
London Buses route 75 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metrobus.-History:...
runs between Croydon
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...
and Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
through South Norwood. There are also two bus stands in South Norwood both at Norwood Junction railway station
Norwood Junction railway station
Norwood Junction railway station is in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 4.The station is managed by London Overground and trains operated by Southern and London Overground .-History:...
, one on the west side of the railway lines (for the 197
London Buses route 197
London Buses route 197 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London....
and the 312 bus routes) and the east side of the lines (for the 130
London Buses route 130
London Buses route 130 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metrobus.-History:...
and 196
London Buses route 196
London Buses route 196 is a Transport for London-contracted bus route in London, U.K. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-Service:...
bus routes). Other routes include the London Buses route 157
London Buses route 157
London Buses route 157 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.-History:...
and 410. All of these services are operated by either Selkent
Selkent
Selkent, or the South East London & Kent Bus Company Ltd, is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London. It is currently owned by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London....
, Travel London
Travel London
Travel London was a bus operator in London which was originally a subsidiary of the National Express Group. In May 2009 the company was sold to NedRailways, now called Abellio...
, Arriva London
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
, Metrobus
Metrobus (Go-Ahead Group)
Metrobus is a bus operator with routes in south and south-east London, and parts of Surrey, Kent, West and East Sussex. The company operates many routes on tender from Transport for London. Formed through a management buyout of Tillingbourne Ltd...
, London Central
London Central
London Central is one of many operators of London Buses. It was established in late 1988 as one of 12 operating subsidiaries of London Buses Limited , and was privatised to the Go-Ahead Group in September 1994...
and London General
London General
London General is a bus company operating in Surrey ang Greater London. It is owned by the Go-Ahead Group and operates most buses under contract to London Buses...
.