Tramlink route 1
Encyclopedia
Tramlink route 1 is one of three tram
routes operated as part of the Tramlink
network in south London
. The route is operated by London Tramlink
, part of Transport for London
(TfL).
is built on disused railway alignments. British Rail
, and their successors Connex South Central
and Connex South Eastern
, had run two un-profitable
shuttle services along branch lines, one being a remnant of the Mid-Kent Line between Elmers End
and Addiscombe
, calling at Woodside
operated by Connex South Eastern
and the other being a service between West Croydon and Wimbledon
on the former Surrey Iron Railway
alignment, operated by Connex South Central
. Both services ceased in the summer 1997 timetable
to allow Tramlink construction to take place, and in the event were re-opened after almost exactly three years, with a much more frequent tram service.
In 1839 the London and Croydon Railway
was opened, running to what is now West Croydon, and branching off from the London and Greenwich Railway
near Bermondsey
. In 1841 the London and Brighton Railway
, constructed a line branching off in Croydon, and becoming the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
in 1846. Branching off this in turn, at Redhill
, was the Redhill to Tonbridge Line
, from 1844.
, was built in 1849. This was originally planned as an extension of the L&G, but this would have meant tunnelling under the Royal Greenwich Observatory, and worries about vibrations from passing trains affecting observations led to it being diverted in a generous curve via Lewisham
and Blackheath
, to rejoin the intended route from Charlton and Woolwich
onwards (although the original route via Maze Hill was subsequently built). To complement it, the Mid Kent Railway was conceived, branching off at Lewisham by a sharp curve and initially heading southwards, intended then to curve gradually east to the middle of Kent.
However, construction was overtaken by events, namely the more direct South Eastern Main Line via Grove Park, Orpington
and Sevenoaks
, which later became the South Eastern Railway
. Thus construction of the MKR in its original form was abandoned at New Beckenham
, and a sharp kink to the west was introduced to take trains to a revised terminus at Addiscombe, near Croydon. This opened in 1864, and branches at Elmers End (to Hayes) and Woodside (to connect with the Oxted Line at Sanderstead, opening in 1885) were added. The branch from Woodside to Sanderstead
was relatively unsuccessful and was finally closed by British Rail on 13 May 1983. The branch to Hayes became the main route, with the service between Elmers End and Addiscombe reduced to a shuttle service (although with some through services at peak hours).
to Addiscombe
had been abandoned. The track had to be lowered at this point to fit the overhead wires safely under the bridge at Woodside
; elsewhere, former Railtrack
lines have been kept where possible, and the superior ride quality of the older track is noticeable.
Instead of running into the old Addiscombe station — which has been demolished, with housing being built on the former station site — trams follow the Sanderstead branch alignment as far as Addiscombe Road. While the old branch skirted around Croydon
, the obvious major traffic objective in the area, Tramlink was able to make good use of this alignment by running trams up onto the Addiscombe Road in order to serve Croydon town centre. This provides the only section of Line 1 that is not on former railway lines. In addition, extra stops were added at Arena
and Blackhorse Lane
. Addiscombe tram stop
replaces Bingham Road Halt original station is was across Bingham Road from where Addiscombe tram stop
is now. The tram stop is at road level, Bingham Road Halt Station was on an embankment and crossed the roads over bridges. It is still on the route of the Woodside and South Croydon Railway
(locally known as the Sanderstead branch).
which opened in 1803 between Wandsworth and Croydon. In more recent times this was a public service between West Croydon
and Wimbledon
, diverting off the original route at the ends, and latterly the service had run with a single train, giving an interval of approximately 45 minute between services. The line was closed by Railtrack
on 31 May 1997, and, since there were no parallel bus services, temporary route TL1 was introduced, running half hourly and serving all the former stations. Initially operated by Cowie South London and later transferred to Metrobus
, the route was never a success, carrying an average load of about 3.
Since Tramlink has taken over, a 10 minute service is provided during the day on Mondays to Saturdays and has proved unexpectedly popular. It provides a better public transport link to the previously under-served Purley Way
retail area. Previously there was just the rail service, calling just at Waddon Marsh, or bus route 289, running into Croydon via a circuitous route via Thornton Road. Coincidentally, it is also the 289 that parallels Line 1 between central Croydon and Elmers End, so it is surprising that it was unaffected by London Transport
's drastic bus cutbacks.
In 2006 Route 1 was cut back to serve the loop rather than Wimbledon and Route 3 took over services to Wimbledon.
to route 2 - Beckenham Junction and do the same when coming from Beckenham Junction.
Route is listed from west to east. The following stops are served by all trams:
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
routes operated as part of the Tramlink
Tramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
network in south London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
. The route is operated by London Tramlink
London Tramlink
London Tramlink is an arm of Transport for London, which manages the second generation of tram services within London, UK. Current and planned tram systems are:*Tramlink operates a three-route system in the area of South London around Croydon...
, part of 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...
(TfL).
History
Like many modern tram systems, most of the length of Tramlink route 1 on the TramlinkTramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
is built on disused railway alignments. British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
, and their successors Connex South Central
Connex South Central
Connex South Central was a short-lived train operating company in the United Kingdom. It was owned by the Connex Group, and operated under the Connex brand between October 1996 until mid-2001....
and Connex South Eastern
Connex South Eastern
Connex South Eastern was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It was owned by the Connex Group and operated between 14 October 1996 and 9 November 2003. The company operated passenger services in South London and Kent...
, had run two un-profitable
Profit (economics)
In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total opportunity costs of a venture to an entrepreneur or investor, whilst economic profit In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total...
shuttle services along branch lines, one being a remnant of the Mid-Kent Line between Elmers End
Elmers End station
Elmers End station is a railway station and tram terminus in Elmers End, South London, England. It is in the London Borough of Bromley, and Travelcard Zone 4 south of London Charing Cross....
and Addiscombe
Addiscombe tram stop
Addiscombe tram stop is a light rail stop in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London.The tram stop is served by Tramlink routes:* 1 * 2...
, calling at Woodside
Woodside tram stop
Woodside tram stop is a light rail stop situated between Woodside Green and Ashburton Park in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London...
operated by Connex South Eastern
Connex South Eastern
Connex South Eastern was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It was owned by the Connex Group and operated between 14 October 1996 and 9 November 2003. The company operated passenger services in South London and Kent...
and the other being a service between West Croydon and 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...
on the former Surrey Iron Railway
Surrey Iron Railway
The Surrey Iron Railway was a horse drawn plateway whose width approximated to a standard gauge railway that linked the former Surrey towns of Wandsworth and Croydon via Mitcham...
alignment, operated by Connex South Central
Connex South Central
Connex South Central was a short-lived train operating company in the United Kingdom. It was owned by the Connex Group, and operated under the Connex brand between October 1996 until mid-2001....
. Both services ceased in the summer 1997 timetable
Public transport timetable
A public transport timetable is a representation of public transport information to assist a passenger with planning a trip using public transport. A timetable details when vehicle will arrive and depart specified locations and may be organised for by route or for a particular stop...
to allow Tramlink construction to take place, and in the event were re-opened after almost exactly three years, with a much more frequent tram service.
In 1839 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 ....
was opened, running to what is now West Croydon, and branching off from the London and Greenwich Railway
London and Greenwich Railway
The London and Greenwich Railway was opened in London between 1836 and 1838. It was the first steam railway to have a terminus in the capital, the first of any to be built specifically for passenger service, and the first example of an elevated railway....
near Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
. In 1841 the London and Brighton Railway
London and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
, constructed a line branching off in Croydon, and becoming the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
in 1846. Branching off this in turn, at Redhill
Redhill railway station
Redhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 21 miles south of London Victoria...
, was the Redhill to Tonbridge Line
Redhill to Tonbridge Line
The Redhill to Tonbridge Line is a railway line running from Redhill, Surrey to Tonbridge, Kent in southeast England. It branches off the Brighton Main Line at Redhill station and, after 20 miles, joins the South Eastern Main Line at Tonbridge station....
, from 1844.
Mid Kent Railway
The North Kent RailwayNorth Kent Line
The North Kent Line is a railway line which connects central and south east London with Dartford and Medway.-Construction:The North Kent Line was the means by which the South Eastern Railway were able to connect its system to London at London Bridge...
, was built in 1849. This was originally planned as an extension of the L&G, but this would have meant tunnelling under the Royal Greenwich Observatory, and worries about vibrations from passing trains affecting observations led to it being diverted in a generous curve via Lewisham
Lewisham station
Lewisham station is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway station in Lewisham, south east London. It is on the south-east London commuter rail network operated by Southeastern. The Docklands Light Railway station opened in 1999 on a southward extension from Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs...
and Blackheath
Blackheath railway station
Blackheath railway station is situated in the heart of Blackheath village in London at . The track passes through the village and is crossed by a road overbridge on which the station buildings stand....
, to rejoin the intended route from Charlton and Woolwich
Woolwich Arsenal railway station
Woolwich Arsenal station is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway interchange station located in Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich. It acts as a local station on the North Kent Line between London and Gillingham, served by Southeastern, and is the southern terminus of the Woolwich...
onwards (although the original route via Maze Hill was subsequently built). To complement it, the Mid Kent Railway was conceived, branching off at Lewisham by a sharp curve and initially heading southwards, intended then to curve gradually east to the middle of Kent.
However, construction was overtaken by events, namely the more direct South Eastern Main Line via Grove Park, Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
, which later became the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
. Thus construction of the MKR in its original form was abandoned at New Beckenham
New Beckenham railway station
New Beckenham railway station serves Beckenham in the London Borough of Bromley in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern.- Services :The typical off peak train service per hour is:...
, and a sharp kink to the west was introduced to take trains to a revised terminus at Addiscombe, near Croydon. This opened in 1864, and branches at Elmers End (to Hayes) and Woodside (to connect with the Oxted Line at Sanderstead, opening in 1885) were added. The branch from Woodside to Sanderstead
Woodside and South Croydon Railway
The Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway was a short, relatively short-lived and unsuccessful railway in the London Borough of Croydon in London, England. Its site is now largely occupied by Tramlink.- Route :- History :...
was relatively unsuccessful and was finally closed by British Rail on 13 May 1983. The branch to Hayes became the main route, with the service between Elmers End and Addiscombe reduced to a shuttle service (although with some through services at peak hours).
Conversion to tram operation
The route between Elmers End and Woodside has been converted to tram operation, although the section from WoodsideWoodside
- Australia :*Woodside, South Australia, a town*Woodside, Victoria, a town*Woodside Petroleum, an Australian company- Canada :*Woodside National Historic Site, the boyhood home of William Lyon Mackenzie King...
to Addiscombe
Addiscombe
Addiscombe is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south of Charing Cross.It is situated just to the northeast of central Croydon, and is home to a high proportion of people who commute to Central London, owing to its proximity to the busy...
had been abandoned. The track had to be lowered at this point to fit the overhead wires safely under the bridge at Woodside
Woodside tram stop
Woodside tram stop is a light rail stop situated between Woodside Green and Ashburton Park in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London...
; elsewhere, former Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
lines have been kept where possible, and the superior ride quality of the older track is noticeable.
Instead of running into the old Addiscombe station — which has been demolished, with housing being built on the former station site — trams follow the Sanderstead branch alignment as far as Addiscombe Road. While the old branch skirted around 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...
, the obvious major traffic objective in the area, Tramlink was able to make good use of this alignment by running trams up onto the Addiscombe Road in order to serve Croydon town centre. This provides the only section of Line 1 that is not on former railway lines. In addition, extra stops were added at 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...
and Blackhorse Lane
Blackhorse Lane tram stop
Blackhorse Lane tram stop is a light rail stop in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London.The tram stop is served by Tramlink routes:* 1 * 2...
. Addiscombe tram stop
Addiscombe tram stop
Addiscombe tram stop is a light rail stop in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London.The tram stop is served by Tramlink routes:* 1 * 2...
replaces Bingham Road Halt original station is was across Bingham Road from where Addiscombe tram stop
Addiscombe tram stop
Addiscombe tram stop is a light rail stop in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London.The tram stop is served by Tramlink routes:* 1 * 2...
is now. The tram stop is at road level, Bingham Road Halt Station was on an embankment and crossed the roads over bridges. It is still on the route of the Woodside and South Croydon Railway
Woodside and South Croydon Railway
The Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway was a short, relatively short-lived and unsuccessful railway in the London Borough of Croydon in London, England. Its site is now largely occupied by Tramlink.- Route :- History :...
(locally known as the Sanderstead branch).
West Croydon to Wimbledon
The other half of the route took over the former West Croydon to Wimbledon shuttle. Parts of the alignment between Waddon Marsh and Mitcham follow the Surrey Iron RailwaySurrey Iron Railway
The Surrey Iron Railway was a horse drawn plateway whose width approximated to a standard gauge railway that linked the former Surrey towns of Wandsworth and Croydon via Mitcham...
which opened in 1803 between Wandsworth and Croydon. In more recent times this was a public service between West Croydon
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...
and 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...
, diverting off the original route at the ends, and latterly the service had run with a single train, giving an interval of approximately 45 minute between services. The line was closed by Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
on 31 May 1997, and, since there were no parallel bus services, temporary route TL1 was introduced, running half hourly and serving all the former stations. Initially operated by Cowie South London and later transferred to 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...
, the route was never a success, carrying an average load of about 3.
Since Tramlink has taken over, a 10 minute service is provided during the day on Mondays to Saturdays and has proved unexpectedly popular. It provides a better public transport link to the previously under-served Purley Way
Purley Way
Purley Way is a section of the A23 trunk road in the London Borough of Croydon, in the areas of Purley, Waddon and West Croydon, and has given its name to the out-of-town shopping area alongside it with a catchment area covering most of South London. It was designed as a bypass for Croydon and was...
retail area. Previously there was just the rail service, calling just at Waddon Marsh, or bus route 289, running into Croydon via a circuitous route via Thornton Road. Coincidentally, it is also the 289 that parallels Line 1 between central Croydon and Elmers End, so it is surprising that it was unaffected by London Transport
London Regional Transport
London Regional Transport was the organisation responsible for the public transport network in Greater London, UK from 1984-2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.The organisation was...
's drastic bus cutbacks.
In 2006 Route 1 was cut back to serve the loop rather than Wimbledon and Route 3 took over services to Wimbledon.
Capacity
Route 1 runs from the West Croydon to Elmer's End, although Route 3 services used to run to West Croydon and Route 1 to Wimbledon. The Line runs parallel to Route 2 for the entire way apart from between Arena and Elmer's End. For the entire route, bus 289 runs totally next to it. A long term plan is to build a proper twin track terminus at Elmers End, which would allow a more robust timetable to be introduced. Nevertheless there has been some fine tuning of the timetable to minimise disruption, including services to Wimbledon being switched over to Route 3.Change in Route Colours
Since Transport for London took over operation and ownership, a new network map was put inplace, changing routes 1 and 2 to lime and showing them as one route, but trams still show on route displays three routes, as trams from Elmers End change numbers in central CroydonCroydon
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...
to route 2 - Beckenham Junction and do the same when coming from Beckenham Junction.
Route is listed from west to east. The following stops are served by all trams:
Then to East Croydon and as route 2 to Beckenham Junction |
