Footpath alongside the site of the former Merton Park station

Image: © Marathon Taken: 20 Feb 2017

The Wimbledon to West Croydon Line was opened in 1855. In 1868, the Tooting, Wimbledon & Sutton line was opened, and a branch from Tooting via Merton Abbey to the Wimbledon to West Croydon line at Merton Park was also opened. Initially a station was only provided on the Tooting line called Lower Merton which opened on 1st October 1868. This had a stationmaster's house incorporating a booking office on the down platform. This building still exists, but is now a private house called Station House. It is the yellow house in the far distance in the centre of the photograph. A new platform was opened on the Mitcham line on 1st November 1870 and the station which then served both lines was called Merton Park from 1st September 1887. The last passenger train on the Tooting to Merton Park line ran on 2nd March 1929, and after that only steam freight trains and the occasional excursion used the line. The junction at the Tooting end was severed in 1934 so that the line was worked as a long siding from Merton Park. All traffic finally ceased in May 1975 and the tracks between Merton Park and Tooting were removed soon afterwards. Passengers for Merton Park station on the Wimbledon to West Croydon line then had to cross two disused platforms until that line closed in 1997, to be replaced from May 2000 by Tramlink. Part of the old trackbed of the Tooting branch has been preserved. A small section of the down Tooting branch platform survives but whereas ten years ago this could easily be seen it is now almost unrecognisable through brambles. The former station was ahead here and the line to Tooting swung round to the right of the photograph. The Mitcham branch platform has been removed and no trace remains - the new Merton Park Tramlink stop is further towards Wimbledon, just before Morden Road. A very full history with photographs can be seen at http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/merton_park/index.shtml

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