1868
CROYDON CENTRAL STATION
1868 - 1890
closed on the 1st December 1871, and re-opened on the 1st June 1886 and finally closed on
the 1st September1890.
This station was situated south of East Croydon station on the upside. The site is now
Croydon Town Hall.
Railway accidents on the
L.B.S.C.R.
from http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk
GETTY IMAGES
Pouparts Junction 19th February 1868. Original Publication: Illustrated London News - pub. 1868
Pouparts Junction 19th February 1868
no mention of Enginemen
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London Bridge 3rd April 1868
no mention of Enginemen
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STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR
On the evening of the 21st June, 1868 a Craven 0-4-2 loco 167 was working a special cattle train from Tunbridge Wells to East Grinstead. Just past Hartfield the driver was warned of an escaped bull on the line, and was proceeding with caution when an axle broke on one of the wagons causing a minor derailment. Attempts were made at once to uncouple and remove the damage vehicle, but before much progress had been made the bull reached the scene, attracted by the bellowing of the frightened cows. It was then that the only casualty took place, for in his haste to reach the safety of his footplate; the driver slipped on the steps and broke his collar bone. The bull was eventually recaptured with the aid of one of the cows and the train sent on its way some four hours late.
STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL
extracted from RTCS book on locomotives of the LBSCR
A derailment at Groombridge on the 2nd July, 1868, was caused by three boys who wedged the points to a short siding open with stones at Groombridge, and when the Tunbridge Wells based 'Bodmer Single' loco No. 7 arrived at slow speed it was partially derailed, although the train of empty stock was undamaged. On being chased by the guard, one of the boys took a short cut across a field containing a bull and was badly gored.
Railway accidents on the
L.B.S.C.R.
from http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk
London Victoria 4th August 1868
no mention of Enginemen
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PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN
TOOTING, MERTON & WIMBLEDON LINE
"THE PEAR LINE”
1868 - 1972
Extracted & adapted from article by
Edward Treby
The Merton Abbey line, opened to passenger traffic originally part of the Tooting, Merton & Wimbledon Railway, authorised in 1864 to build a line from Peckham to Sutton line of the L.B.& S.C.R. at Streatham to the main line of the L.&S.W. R. at Wimbledon. In 1865 it was transferred to the L.&S.W.R. and the L.B.&S.C.R. jointly, and opened on the 1st October, 1868.
The joint line started at from Streatham Junction and ran towards Tooting, where the line was divided into two separate lines to Wimbledon with, the northern loop via Haydons Road, and the southern loop via Merton Abbey. The northern loop joined the L.&S.W.R. main line on the London side of Wimbledon Station, and the southern loop joined the West Croydon to Wimbledon a branch of the L.B.&S.C.R. at Merton Park and then approached Wimbledon Station from the south. The joint ownership extended to the Merton Park to Wimbledon section from the line from West Croydon.
The Tooting, Merton & Wimbledon remained under joint ownership until the formation of the Southern Railway in 1923.The loop lines, become known locally as the “Pear” owing to the shape of this line on the map.
At Wimbledon, the Tooting Merton & Wimbledon trains worked into two platforms, which were under joint ownership, the remainder of the station being owned by the L.&S.W.R. Two main services operated over the Tooting Merton & Wimbledon line. The L.&S.W.R. from Wimbledon to Ludgate Hill (S.E.&C.R.), and the L.B.&S.C.R. from Wimbledon to London Bridge, both service ran via Haydons Road or via Merton Abbey.
The service to Ludgate Hill commenced on the 1st January, 1869. There was considerable operating difficulties companies: these difficulties were mainly between Streatham Junction and Tulse Hill, over which portion of the L.&S.W.R. had running powers the L.B.&S.C.R. for passenger traffic only. From Wimbledon to Tooting, the journey time was 6 mins via Haydons Road and 8 mins via Merton Abbey.
At the close of the century and before the outbreak of war in 1914, there was approximately 15 L.B.&S.C.R. trains in each direction daily between Wimbledon and London Bridge, compared with about 13 L.&S.W.R. trains in each direction between Wimbledon and Ludgate Hill. Certain services between Wimbledon and Streatham only were worked by the L.B.&S.C.R. rail motors.
In 1910, the Wimbledon & Sutton Railway was a authorised from Wimbledon through Merton, Morden and Cheam, to Sutton. It was to be electrically operated by the Metropolitan & District Railway, and would have allowed an extension of that company’s service over the L&.S.W.R. railway from East Putney to Wimbledon, the first section of the L.&S.W.R. to be electrified. although a subsequent Act authorised the raising of further capital, construction had not started when the war began in 1914. The service on the Tooting, Merton & Wimbledon line were withdrawn on the 1st January 1917, as a war time economy measure, but were restored by the Southern Railway in 1923.
The service from Wimbledon to Ludgate Hill and London Bridge via Haydons Road and Merton Abbey were restored on the 27th August 1923, and there were no Sunday services. The through services to the London termini were somewhat fewer, but rail motors were maintained and these gave connections. The restored services provided Haydons Road and Merton Abbey about the same number of trains. As these train came under the Brighton Section of the Southern Railway, it was easier to find paths for them than it had been in pre-grouping days. When the line was reopened in 1923 electrification was completed.
These services would become the main services that served this line under electrification with Holborn Viaduct being the terminal point instead of Ludgate Hill. Ludgate Hill station was closed on the 3rd March 1929, as it was unable to accommodate eight coach multiple units. A Southeastern Motorman’s depot was opened at Wimbledon (C) around this time (this may have been earlier owing to training given to the Motormen). On the same day the Tooting to Merton Abbey line was closed for passenger traffic, with the last passenger service to Merton Abbey run on Saturday 2nd March 1929 and the line remained opened for goods traffic (with line finally closing in the 1st May 1972). On the 10th March, 1934 the junction at Tooting to Merton Abbey was closed ,and in 1935 the section from Merton Abbey to Merton Park was singled by the removal of the former up line.
On the 7th July, 1929, the new Wimbledon to Sutton was opened as far as South Merton. The Holborn Viaduct to Wimbledon being extended to that station. On the 5th January, 1930 the line to Sutton was completed to Sutton and trains run from Holborn Viaduct thereafter ran to West Croydon via Wimbledon and Sutton.
Trains from Wimbledon to Holborn Viaduct was worked by motormen from the Southeastern Section with their own Motorman’s depot at Wimbledon (C), and trains from Wimbledon to London Bridge and Victoria would be worked by Brighton section motormen from the various suburban motormen depots. This practice lasted until the early 1970s, which saw the closure of Wimbledon (C) depot, and these service worked by various Brighton suburban depots.
* This article helps to explain the workings of the services between
Ludgate Hill/Holborn Viaduct to London Bridge and Victoria
Railway accidents on the
L.B.S.C.R.
from http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk
Three Bridges 13th December 1868
Involving Driver Philcox, Fireman & Depot unknown
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