The Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway (SSJR) was an abortive railway scheme to link Croydon to Tunbridge Wells, via Oxted. The company obtained powers to build the line, with the intention that it would be worked by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). The project was abandoned, before completion, in 1867. Much of the trackbed was used in the 1880s for the construction of the Oxted line.
| Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway Act 1865 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for making certain Railways from the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway to the East Grinstead, Groombridge, and Tunbridge Wells Railway, and to the Brighton, Uckfield, and Tunbridge Wells Railway; and for other Purposes. |
| Citation | 28 & 29 Vict. c. ccclxxix |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 6 July 1865 |
The railway originated as an independent scheme drawn up by several former officers and directors of the LB&SCR in 1864 to link Croydon to Tunbridge Wells, via Oxted. The intention was that the line, once built, would be worked by, or else leased to, the LB&SCR. An act of Parliament (28 & 29 Vict. c. ccclxxix) was granted in July 1865. [2] [3] It authorised the SSJR to build a railway from Croydon to Groombridge, where there was to be a junction with the East Grinstead to Tunbridge Wells line. [2]
The scheme was controversial as the SSJR was sponsored by the LB&SCR, [2] [4] but ran into parts of Surrey and East Sussex which were considered South Eastern Railway (SER) territory. [2] [5] In retaliation, the SER put forward proposals for a new "London, Lewes and Brighton" railway, together with the London Chatham and Dover Railway. [6]
| London, Brighton and South Coast and Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway Companies' Amalgamation Act 1869 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act for the amalgamation of the Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway with the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway ; and for other Purposes. |
| Citation | 32 & 33 Vict. c. lxxii |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 12 July 1869 |
Construction of the SSJR was slow, in part because of the 1866 financial panic caused by failure of Overend, Gurney and Company. In 1869, there was a riot at Edenbridge because Belgian navvies were being employed to build the line instead of local labourers. [2] A second act of Parliament (32 & 33 Vict. c. lxxii) was obtained in 1869 to transfer the line formally to the LB&SCR, [7] which immediately asked for powers to suspend works. The company paid a penalty of £32,250 and construction ceased immediately. [2] [a]
By the time works ceased in 1869, the SSJR had completed the brick, four-arch Woldingham Viaduct. [1] Substantial progress had been made on the construction of the 2,267 yd long (2.073 km) Oxted Tunnel, although sources disagree as to whether breakthrough had been achieved. [1] [9] [10] Excavation of the Riddlesdown, Limpsfield and Mark Beech Tunnels had also begun. [2]
No work took place on the unfinished railway line until 1878, when a third act of Parliament authorised the Croydon, Oxted and East Grinstead (CO&EGR) railway. The new company took over much of the uncompleted SSJR trackbed between South Croydon and Hurst Green, from where its line would run south to East Grinstead. [8] [11] The railway historian, Alan Jackson, writes that the 10 mi (16 km) of line north of Oxted was "practically identical" to the SSJR route. [12] However, the abandoned and incomplete Limpsfield Tunnel workings had collapsed and so a new tunnel was bored, immediately to the east. [13] [14] The Riddlesdown and Oxted Viaducts were constructed by the CO&EGR to a design by Henry Wallis using wrought iron girders, in preference to building in brick, as intended by the SSJR. [15] The South Croydon–East Grinstead line finally opened to passenger traffic on 10 March 1884. [16] [17]
The general alignment of the southern part of the SSJR (between Hurst Green and Groombridge) was followed by the Oxted and Groombridge Railway (O&GR), authorised in 1881. [18] There were significant differences in the two routes, including the length of Mark Beech Tunnel, the construction of which was started by the SSJR. Originally intended to be 1,100 yd (1,000 m) long, the tunnel was 1,338 yd (1,223 m) long when completed by the O&GR. [13] In 1884, the LB&SCR was authorised to acquire the O&GR and the line opened on 2 January 1888. [19] [20]
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, covering a large part of Surrey. It was bounded on its western side by the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR), which provided an alternative route to Portsmouth. On its eastern side the LB&SCR was bounded by the South Eastern Railway (SER)—later one component of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR)—which provided an alternative route to Bexhill, St Leonards-on-Sea, and Hastings. The LB&SCR had the most direct routes from London to the south coast seaside resorts of Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, and to the ports of Newhaven and Shoreham-by-Sea. It served the inland towns and cities of Chichester, Horsham, East Grinstead and Lewes, and jointly served Croydon, Tunbridge Wells, Dorking and Guildford. At the London end was a complicated suburban and outer-suburban network of lines emanating from London Bridge and Victoria, and shared interests in two cross-London lines.
East Croydon is a railway station, tram stop and associated bus station in Croydon, Greater London, England. It is located in Travelcard Zone 5. At 10 miles 28 chains from London Bridge, it is the 20th busiest station in Britain, was the 10th busiest in 2020–21, is the busiest national rail station in London outside of fare zones 1 and 2 and is one of the busiest non-terminal stations in the country. It is one of three railway stations in the London Borough of Croydon with Croydon in their name, the others being West Croydon and South Croydon. A Tramlink tram stop is located immediately outside the main station entrance.
The South Eastern Railway (SER) was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent. The SER absorbed or leased other railways, some older than itself, including the London and Greenwich Railway and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway. Most of the company's routes were in Kent, eastern Sussex and the London suburbs, with a long cross-country route from Redhill in Surrey to Reading, Berkshire.
The Spa Valley Railway (SVR) is a standard gauge heritage railway in the United Kingdom that runs from Tunbridge Wells West railway station in Royal Tunbridge Wells to High Rocks, Groombridge, and Eridge, where it links with the Oxted Line.
Oxted is a town and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, 9 miles (14 km) south-east of Croydon, 9 miles (14 km) west of Sevenoaks, and 9 miles (14 km) north of East Grinstead.
The Oxted line is a railway line in southern England. It runs from the Brighton Main Line at South Croydon in Greater London to Hurst Green Junction in Surrey, where its two branches diverge. The western branch continues via Lingfield to East Grinstead in West Sussex, whereas the eastern branch runs via Edenbridge in Kent to Uckfield in East Sussex. The line is named after the town of Oxted in Surrey and also serves parts of the London Borough of Croydon. The 18-mile-26-chain (29.5 km) South Croydon–East Grinstead section is electrified using the 750 V DC third-rail system and is double track throughout. The unelectrified Hurst Green Junction–Uckfield section is 24 mi 53 ch (39.7 km) in length and, south of Hever, is mostly single track.
The Brighton Main Line is a railway line in southern England linking London to Brighton. It starts at two termini in the capital, London Victoria and London Bridge, and the branches from each meet at East Croydon, from where the route continues southwards via Gatwick Airport to the coast. The line serves the suburbs of South London, as well as the towns of Redhill, Horley, Crawley, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill.
Riddlesdown railway station is on the Oxted line serving Riddlesdown in the London Borough of Croydon, south London. It is in Travelcard Zone 6, 13 miles 38 chains from London Bridge, although off peak trains run to and from London Victoria. It is managed by Southern.
The Caterham line is a railway branch line running from Caterham in Surrey to Purley in South London. It operates as a commuter service to London.
Hurst Green railway station is on the Oxted line in southern England and serves the Hurst Green neighbourhood of Oxted in Surrey. It is 21 miles 20 chains from London Bridge. The station is managed by Southern.
Oxted railway station is on the Oxted line in southern England, serving the commuter town of Oxted, Surrey. It is 20 miles 25 chains from London Bridge. The station is managed by Southern who operate the majority of train services with a few peak services operated by Thameslink.
Dormans railway station is on the East Grinstead branch of the Oxted line in southern England. It serves Dormansland and Dormans Park in Surrey. Most trains run between London Victoria and East Grinstead and are operated by Southern. Thameslink trains call at peak times on weekdays.
East Grinstead railway station is one of the two southern termini of the Oxted line in the south of England and serves East Grinstead in West Sussex. It is 30 miles 4 chains from London Bridge, although trains mostly run to and from London Victoria. The station is managed by Southern.
Tunbridge Wells West is a railway station located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. It is one of two railway stations in Tunbridge Wells constructed by rival companies. The other, Tunbridge Wells Central was opened in 1845 by the South Eastern Railway (SER). Tunbridge Wells West was closed to mainline passenger services in 1985. A new station on part of the site has been opened as a heritage railway line opened in 1996. It stands next to the original engine shed which has been restored to use. The line is called the Spa Valley Railway.
The Redhill–Tonbridge line is a 19-mile-56-chain (31.7 km) railway line in South East England. It runs from the Brighton Main Line at Redhill in Surrey to the South Eastern Main Line at Tonbridge in Kent. There are five intermediate stations: Nutfield, Godstone, Edenbridge, Penshurst and Leigh. All passenger services run as all-stations shuttles between Redhill and Tonbridge, and are operated by Southern using Class 377 electric multiple units.
Groombridge railway station is a station on the Spa Valley Railway (SVR) in Groombridge, East Sussex, England. Once a busy station serving four directions, it closed in 1985 to British Rail services. A new station the other side of Station Road bridge was opened by the SVR in 1997 as part of a standard gauge heritage railway to Tunbridge Wells West.
The Three Bridges–Tunbridge Wells line is a mostly disused railway line running from Three Bridges in West Sussex to Tunbridge Wells Central in Kent via East Grinstead in West Sussex, a distance of 20 miles 74 chains (33.7 km). Opened in 1855, the main section of the line was a casualty of the Beeching Axe – the last train ran on 1 January 1967. The remaining section to Tunbridge Wells closed on 6 July 1985, although the section between Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells West was reopened in 1997 under the auspices of the Spa Valley Railway.
Bingham Road railway station was in Addiscombe, Croydon on the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway. It was opened on 1 September 1906 on the north side of Bingham Road, with two wooden platforms without buildings and was closed on 15 March 1915 as a wartime economy measure. A new station on the south side of Bingham Road was opened in 1935 and finally closed in 1983. The modern Addiscombe tram stop at ground level is situated at the location of the first halt closed in 1915 which was situated on an embankment above the present site.
Frederick Dale Banister MICE, was an English civil engineer, best known for his 35 years as the Chief Engineer of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR).
Coombe Road was a railway station on the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway in London. When it was closed it was owned and managed by British Rail.