Chessington Branch Line

Chessington Branch Line
Overview
Type	Suburban rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Greater London
Stations	4
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	South West Trains
Rolling stock	British Rail Class 455
Technical
Track gauge	Standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail

The Chessington Branch Line is a short National Rail railway line in England, mostly in the London Borough of Kingston, from Motspur Park to Chessington South.

History

The branch, double track and electrified on the DC third rail system (660V at the time of its construction) was the last line laid by the Southern Railway. It was to serve ongoing suburban development south of Surbiton and to be a loop line which left the Dorking Line southwest of Motspur Park, passed through Chessington, and rejoined that line at Leatherhead. Sections brought into use as construction proceeded were:

• 29 May 1938 Motspur Park to Malden Manor and Tolworth
• 28 May 1939 Tolworth to Chessington North and Chessington South

All stations on the line were of concrete in the Art Deco style, typical of the 1930s. (see this illustrated article on Malden Manor station)

Work was halted by the outbreak of the Second World War with track laid to a little beyond Chessington South, and preparatory works continuing further south. After the war Green Belt legislation put a stop to any resumption. A goods yard south of Chessington South was used as a coal concentration depot from the mid 1960s to the end of the 1980s. As a result of the truncation Chessington South is the terminus with only one platform in use. The line was mainly constructed on embankments. There are short distances in cuttings and several bridges. A 140 feet (43 m) viaduct crosses the Hogsmill River near Malden Manor station.

At Leatherhead the route of the line and site of the proposed junction were later used for the M25 motorway.

External links

Chessington Branch Line
Legend Sutton & Mole Valley Lines Motspur Park 10m 11ch Motspur Park Jn Sutton & Mole Valley Lines 11m 05ch Malden Manor Hogsmill River 12m 06ch Tolworth 13m 25ch Chessington North 13m 73ch Chessington South Unused track south of station Section not constructed Sutton & Mole Valley Lines Leatherhead Sutton and Mole Valley Lines