West Croydon to Wimbledon Line

West Croydon to Wimbledon Line
Legend Brighton Main Line (to London) West Croydon Sutton and Mole Valley Lines (to Horsham via Dorking and Epsom) Waddon Marsh Beddington Lane Sutton & Mole Valley Lines Mitcham Junction Sutton & Mole Valley Lines Mitcham Morden Road Merton Abbey Branch Merton Park South Western Main Line (to London) Wimbledon District line South Western Main Line (to the South West)

The West Croydon to Wimbledon Line was a railway line in south London.

History

It was built by the Wimbledon and Croydon Railway (W&CR) over part of the trackbed of the Surrey Iron Railway. It opened on 22 October 1855 connecting the South West Main Line of the LSWR to the LB&SCR.

Initially it was operated under contract by its engineer George Parker Bidder but in 1856 it was leased to the LB&SCR, which purchased it outright in 1858. After construction of the branch from Merton Park to Tooting in 1868 the section from Wimbledon to Merton Park became joint LSWR/LB&SCR. On 1 January 1923 under the 1921 grouping it became part of the Southern Railway. The line was electrified using the third rail direct current system from 6 July 1930. The last train ran on 31 May 1997 and the line closed on 2 June 1997 for most of it to be re-used in the Tramlink network.

A 1912 Railway Clearing House map of the western end of the West Croydon to Wimbledon Line.