Greenwich Park branch line

Last updated

Greenwich Park branch line
(Lewisham line)
Lewisham crossover I.JPG
Southeastern train on the crossover near Lewisham
Overview
StatusOperational
Owner Network Rail
Locale Greater London
Termini Peckham Rye
Lewisham
Service
Type Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System National Rail
Operator(s) Southeastern
Rolling stock British Rail Class 465
British Rail Class 466
Technical
Number of tracks2
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification 750 V DC third rail
Route map
Greenwich Park branch line.png
(Click to expand)

The Greenwich Park branch line (also known as the Lewisham line [1] [2] ) is a short section of railway line in south east London which links the Catford Loop line to the South Eastern Main Line which originally terminated at Greenwich Park station. It provides a link for freight trains travelling from north London to the south east, as well as a route for passenger trains from London Victoria station to destinations in South East London and Kent.

Contents

History

The line was originally built as the Greenwich Park branch line by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway from Nunhead to a terminus at Greenwich Park. It ran from a junction at Nunhead in a generally north-east direction to a terminus on the Greenwich High Road, close to the north-west corner of Greenwich Park, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km). A short tunnel took the branch under the A2 at Blackheath Hill. The entrance to Brockley Lane station is still visible at Brockley Cross.

There were four stations:

All closed on 1 January 1917, and the branch beyond Lewisham Road was abandoned on 1 January 1926 by the Southern Railway.

On 7 July 1929, the branch was reopened as far as Lewisham Road station, with a new connection to the South Eastern Railway lines at Lewisham. The Southern Railway had absorbed the London, Chatham and Dover and the South Eastern Railways and sought to link the two networks to enable cross-London freight. From 30 September 1935 the line was electrified, [3] enabling passenger trains from Dartford to access Victoria (see Bexleyheath Line).

It has acted as a diversionary route for trains routed to London Bridge for any engineering works in the New Cross area. Trains divert to other London terminals (stations) using this line.

Possible revival of Brockley Lane station

A report released by the Department for Transport and Transport for London in 2016 covering future improvements to rail services in London and the South East mentions a new interchange at Brockley as a potential, long-term future improvement for South East London, opening the possibility of Brockley Lane station being reopened, although there is no further information beyond this. [4]

Current traffic

Passenger services are provided by Southeastern. Currently the off-peak service is 2tph between London Victoria and Gravesend via Bexleyheath (terminating at Dartford late at night).

Freightliner Intermodal [5] operates regular container trains to Thamesport on the Isle of Grain.

DB Cargo UK runs engineering trains to Hoo Junction.

Related Research Articles

London Borough of Lewisham Borough of London

Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London; it forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham. The local authority is Lewisham London Borough Council, based in Catford. The Prime Meridian passes through Lewisham. Blackheath, Goldsmiths, University of London and Millwall F.C. are located within the borough.

Woolwich Arsenal station Docklands Light Railway and National Rail station

Woolwich Arsenal station is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) paired interchange station in the heart of Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It has two parts; its raised, south-western part of the station is on the semi-slow, commuter service, corollary of the North Kent Line and also in its Dartford Loop services section between London and Dartford, run by Southeastern. Regular services beyond Dartford are to the Medway Towns, which start/finish in the opposite direction at Luton via the City of London, West Hampstead and St Albans. Its other part is the terminus of its own branch of the DLR, run by Transport for London.

Blackheath railway station National Rail station in London, England

Blackheath railway station is Grade II-listed and is in the south-centre of Blackheath, a village in southeast London. In traditional terms the area immediately south-west of the station around Lee Terrace and Lee Park is part of Lee; a status challenged by the station's naming, buildings such as the Blackheath Halls and the development of Blackheath Park to the south east. It is 8 miles 52 chains (13.9 km) measured from London Victoria.

Lewisham Area of London

Lewisham is an area of south-east London, England, 5.9 miles (9.5 km) south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and is also within the historic county of Kent. It is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London, with a large shopping centre and street market.

Greenwich station Docklands Light Railway and National Rail station

Greenwich station is about 400 m south-west of the district centre, in London, England. It is an interchange between National Rail between central London and Dartford, and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) between Lewisham to the south and Docklands and the City of London. It is in Travelcard Zones 2 and 3.

Maze Hill railway station National Rail station in London, England

Maze Hill railway station is in Greenwich, London, and is situated on the Greenwich Line connecting suburbs along the south side of the River Thames with central London stations. The station is in the Maze Hill area of Greenwich, and is the closest station to Greenwich Park, being about 150m east of the north-east corner of the park. It is 4 miles 38 chains (7.2 km) down the line from London Bridge.

Westcombe Park railway station National Rail station in London, England

Westcombe Park station is in Greenwich, London, and is situated on the Greenwich Line connecting suburbs along the south side of the River Thames with central London stations.

Lewisham station Docklands Light Railway and National Rail station

Lewisham is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway station in Lewisham, south-east London which first opened in 1849. On the National Rail network it is 7 miles 61 chains (12.5 km) measured from London Victoria and is operated by Southeastern.

Brockley railway station National rail station in London, England

Brockley railway station serves the south-east London district of Brockley and is on the main railway line between London Bridge and Brighton. It is 3 miles 56 chains down the line from London Bridge.

Dartford railway station Railway station in Kent, England

Dartford railway station serves the town of Dartford in Kent, England. It is 17 miles 12 chains (27.6 km) down the line from London Charing Cross. Train services from the station are operated by Southeastern and Thameslink. Southeastern also manages the station. Dartford is a major interchange station in the North Kent region of the Southeastern network. Ticket barriers control access to the platforms.

Eltham railway station National Rail station in London, England

Eltham railway station is in the Well Hall area of Eltham, South East London, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is 10 miles 68 chains (17.5 km) measured from London Victoria. It is in Travelcard Zone 4.

Nunhead railway station National Rail station in London, England

Nunhead railway station is in the Nunhead area of the London Borough of Southwark. It is 5 miles 77 chains (9.6 km) measured from London Victoria. The station is managed by Thameslink. It is in Travelcard Zone 2.

Bexleyheath line

The Bexleyheath line runs for 8 miles (13 km) from Lewisham to Dartford in Kent. It separates from the North Kent Line just to the east of Blackheath Station, and rejoins the same line just south of Slade Green near Dartford.

North Kent Line

The North Kent Line is a railway line which branches off the South East Main Line at St Johns junction west of Lewisham station in Greater London and runs to Rochester Bridge Junction near Strood, Medway where it links to the Chatham Main Line.

Dartford Loop Line

The Dartford Loop Line is one of three lines linking London with Dartford in Kent, England. It lies to the south of the other two: the North Kent Line and the Bexleyheath Line.

St Johns railway station National Rail station in London, England

St Johns railway station is in the London Borough of Lewisham. It lies 5 miles 47 chains (9.0 km) down the South Eastern Main Line from London Charing Cross, and is situated between New Cross and Lewisham.

Catford Loop Line

The Catford Loop Line is a railway line in southeast London. It carries a suburban stopping passenger service from central London to Sevenoaks, and is also a relief route for the Chatham Main Line carrying passenger trains from London Victoria to the Kent coast. There is also much freight activity as this is the main route to Willesden and the north via Latchmere Junction. Freight traffic includes aggregates trains to and from locations along the Thames estuary, and Kent, aviation fuel running between Colnbrook and the Isle of Grain, and a small number of international workings from the Channel Tunnel via the yard at Dollands Moor. Until around 2013, a significant quantity of intermodal traffic from Thamesport used the line - however, the opening of London Gateway meant that the larger container ships stopped serving Thamesport and this traffic then ceased.

St Johns is a district around the station of the same name in south-east London. It lies within the Borough of Lewisham and borders the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It makes up the northwestern part of Lewisham along with Telegraph Hill.

Greenwich Park was a railway station opened in 1888 by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) in Greenwich, south-east London. The station was originally called Greenwich and the LCDR intended it to rival a nearby station also named Greenwich which was owned by the South Eastern Railway (SER) and which had opened over 50 years earlier. The LCDR's station was the terminus of a branch line from Nunhead.

Brockley Lane railway station

Brockley Lane is a closed railway station in Brockley, south London. It was opened in June 1872 by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway on its Greenwich Park Branch Line. It closed to passengers in January 1917 with the branch, but remained open as a goods station until May 1970.

References

  1. "Kent Sussex & Wessex Sectional Appendix; LOR SO260 Seq 003" (pdf). Network Rail. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  2. Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (20 July 2017). Holborn Viaduct to Lewisham. p. panel 97. ISBN   0-906520-81-9.
  3. "Electric Railways". Stendec Systems. 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2007.
  4. "A new approach to rail passenger services in London and the South East" (PDF). Department for Transport, Transport for London. January 2016.
  5. "Intermodal Services". Freightliner. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017.