View from Purley station

Image: © Marathon Taken: 9 May 2012

Purley station was opened by the London & Brighton Railway on 12 July 1841 as Godstone Road. This was closed on 1 October 1847 by the London Brighton & South Coast Railway which had opened the Stoat's Nest station one mile away at Coulsdon. On 5 August 1856 the Caterham branch opened, joining the main line near the site of Godstone Road station. Three months later the LB&SCR reopened its station, this time calling it Caterham Junction. The station was renamed Purley on 1 October 1888 and was rebuilt in 1896 during the widening of the main line between Croydon and Coulsdon. It obtained its name from the Pirelea family who once owned the district. The change followed pressure from the Post Office who complained that mail for Caterham Junction was finishing up at Caterham. This is the view from the end of the platform over Godstone Road. The lines in the centre of the picture are for Caterham and Tattenham Corner trains, whilst the ones on the right are the slow lines to Redhill. The fast lines are out of sight to the right. Foxley Wood is on the horizon to the left. The weather was as miserable as it looks.

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