Kingswood station

Image: © Marathon Taken: 14 Aug 2013

A branch line along the Chipstead Valley from the Brighton Main Line was first projected in 1884. This scheme failed to take off. The line from Purley East Junction to Kingswood & Burgh Heath was eventually opened on 2nd November 1897 as a single track and this was doubled during 1899. The line finally reached Tattenham Corner on 4th June 1901 - Derby Day. The railway provides attractive views of Chipstead Valley and it is certainly one of the pleasantest rides within London Travelcard Zone 6, even though most of it is in Surrey. The original station building seen here is on the up platform. Part of the building is still used by Southern, but the upper floors and part of the ground floor are used as offices for the Tudor Business Centre. As stated above, Kingswood station originally opened in 1897 as Kingswood & Burgh Heath. It was the original terminus of the single-track line before it was extended to Walton-on-the-Hill in 1900 (now Tadworth) and Tattenham Corner a year later. A plaque inside the archway on the left was unveiled by The Bourne Society on 2nd November 1997 to celebrate the centenary of the Chipstead Valley Railway on November 1st 1897 (sic).

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