Epsom Downs railway station

Epsom Downs

Epsom Downs Location of Epsom Downs in Surrey
Location	Epsom Downs
Local authority	Reigate and Banstead
Managed by	Southern
Station code	EPD
Number of platforms	1
Accessible
Fare zone	6
National Rail annual entry and exit
2004–05	44,338
2005–06	49,901
2006–07	54,153
2007–08	69,800
2008–09	70,654
2009–10	67,916
22 May 1865	original station opened
13 February 1989	station resited
Lists of stations	DLR · Underground · National Rail · Tramlink
External links	Departures • Layout
	Facilities • Buses

Epsom Downs railway station is a railway station located on the boundary of the Reigate and Banstead and Epsom and Ewell boroughs of Surrey with the railway to the north forming a continuation of the boundary.

The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southern, and is part of the Sutton & Mole Valley Line services.

Services

The typical off-peak service from the station is one train per hour to London Victoria via Sutton, West Croydon and Norbury. After 7pm these services run via Crystal Palace rather than Norbury. There is no service on a sunday

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Banstead		Southern Sutton & Mole Valley Lines Mondays-Saturdays only		Terminus

History

With high levels of passengers travelling to Epsom for horse races, it became clear that a station near the course was needed. Attempts to build one immediately next to it were strongly opposed by the Epsom Grandstand Association and eventually land was purchased half a mile from the course. Designed by David J.Field, the original station was opened on 22 May 1865 on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway's extension from Sutton. The line had double track and a nine-platform station with a large building.

With the opening of Tattenham Corner railway station much closer to the racecourse on 4 June 1901 (Derby Day) traffic declined, helped in particular by the Royal Train changing its destination to Tattenham Corner in the 1920s. Services were cut back repeatedly over subsequent decades. In 1972 the number of working platforms was reduced to four, and following the destruction by fire of the Epsom Downs signal box in November 1981 almost the entire branch was reduced to single track operation in October 1982.

On 13 February 1989 a new station was opened about 300 metres short of the original one. The old station and platforms were demolished and the land in between given over to a major housing development.

External links

• Sutton & Mole Valley Line map
• The Epsom Downs branch website
• Train times and station information for Epsom Downs railway station from National Rail