Petts Wood: Up Chislehurst Loop (2)

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 22 Sep 2013

Here's a rarity - a single track electrified railway line running through woodland within 20 kilometres of Charing Cross station. How did this come about? Prior to 1899 the rival London, Chatham and Dover and South Eastern Railways crossed over one another near Chislehurst, but in that year they merged to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The newly merged railway rapidly built a junction between the two lines, enabling London-bound and coast-bound trains to cross over from one constituent railway to the other. This is the Up Chislehurst Loop line that was built in 1904 and enabled London-bound trains on the former London, Chatham and Dover Railways track to cross over and head for Victoria station, the terminus of the South Eastern Railway. This is the view looking back towards St Mary Cray Junction with a train on the Chatham Main Line just visible at the end of the straight. The railway was built here through Great Thrift Wood.

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