IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Croydon Road, CATERHAM, CR3 6QF

The first proposals for a railway along the Caterham Valley came in 1836 with the object of building a new London to Dover line through a mile long tunnel under the North Downs. It proved too costly and the existing line via Redhill was used. Instead Caterham received a branch line, built by a private company in 1856. The original purpose was to provide a convenient method of transporting the valuable building stone from the quarries at Godstone to London. Soon though the original purpose was overtaken by wealthy Victorian commuters using the line as the Caterham Valley developed. There were early frustrations for these commuters, for example, in the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway arranging for the connecting train at Godstone Road (now Purley) station to leave one minute before the Caterham train arrived. In this photograph from a footbridge between Stafford Road and Croydon Road an engineering train heads up the line towards Whyteleafe South, away from Caterham station.

A footpath from Stafford Road leads past this recreation ground on its way over the railway line and on to Croydon Road. This is the flat bottom of the steep sided Caterham Valley.

A footpath from Stafford Road leads past this recreation ground on its way over the railway line and on to Croydon Road. This is the flat bottom of the steep sided Caterham Valley.

The first proposals for a railway along the Caterham Valley came in 1836 with the object of building a new London to Dover line through a mile long tunnel under the North Downs. It proved too costly and the existing line via Redhill was used. Instead Caterham received a branch line, built by a private company in 1856. The original purpose was to provide a convenient method of transporting the valuable building stone from the quarries at Godstone to London. Soon though the original purpose was overtaken by wealthy Victorian commuters using the line as the Caterham Valley developed. There were early frustrations for these commuters, for example, in the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway arranging for the connecting train at Godstone Road (now Purley) station to leave one minute before the Caterham train arrived. In this photograph from a footbridge between Stafford Road and Croydon Road an engineering train heads up the line towards Whyteleafe South, away from Caterham station. The wooded nature of much of the line can also be seen.

Looking from Tillingdown Hill, towards Warlingham. Near the skyline, to the left of picture, the scar of the former chalk pit at Riddlesdown can be seen.