IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Cordrey Gardens, COULSDON, CR5 2SQ

Nothing to say really. I was tempted to classify this one as 'vandalism (official)'

This is the pleasant ex-LBSCR station at Coulsdon North, photographed on its last day of operation, 30 September 1983.

This shows Platform 1 with a 4-EPB unit about to form the 07.43 all stations to Victoria via Selhurst.

No. 09 007 alongside the disused Platform 4

Back in 1968, the attractive terminus at Coulsdon North had an all-day service of three trains an hour to and from London Victoria. Here a 4-SUB unit waits to depart from Platform 1. The station was closed in 1983.

Pedestrian walkway over the London-Brighton railway line at Smitham

In this view from the footbridge near Coulsdon Town station, the fast lines are nearer the camera and the slow lines are beyond. Coulsdon North station was located here, straddling all four tracks. It was opened as 'Stoats Nest and Cane Hill' in 1899 and went through several different names before being closed as Coulsdon North in 1983. It is only a very short walk to Smitham (now Coulsdon Town) station (see http://www.geograph.ie/photo/3045242 ) and this was one of the reasons it was closed. More information about Coulsdon North station can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulsdon_North_railway_station and http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/coulsdon_north/index.shtml In this photograph a Gatwick Express heads non-stop towards London Victoria.

This photograph, taken from Platform 2, shows that the station retained the dignity of a full-length canopy on Platform 1 right to the end. The closure of Coulsdon North represented a lost-for-ever opportunity. There was a far-sighted plan to construct a major transport interchange here, with an extensive park-and-ride facility to tempt motorists out of their cars, and a non-stop service to Victoria provided by Quarry Line trains which would stop at Platforms 3 and 4. But in 1983, the political climate was not right for this. Nobody knew then about Climate Change. So we got the Coulsdon Bypass instead - not opened until December 2006. And there is STILL congestion on the A23.

Platforms 3 and 4 at Coulsdon North were not normally in use for stopping trains, but were passed by fast 'Quarry Line' trains. Here is an Up train passing Platform 3 at speed.

View southwards from the footbridge at Coulsdon North station just before its final closure on 4/9/83: ex-LB&SC and SE&C lines from London (Victoria, London Bridge, Charing Cross) via East Croydon and Purley to Redhill and Brighton, etc. This station was originally 'Stoats Nest & Cane Hill', then 1911-1923 'Coulsdon & Smitham Downs'. Latterly, it was only the terminus of local trains from London and even these were run down in favour of through trains. These used the through platforms, but these tended to conflict after the quadrupling of the main line and the opening of the 'Quarry Line' (by-passing Redhill) in 1899, so most called instead at the ex-SE&CR station Coulsdon South. The two lines at far left are the original SER pair to Redhill passing through Coulsdon South - just visible. Directly on the right below are the ex-LB&SC fast lines, which join up in the distance with the middle pair of fast lines and then go straight ahead, under the Redhill lines in the Cane Hill covered way (former tunnel), to form the 'Quarry Line' by-pass. Over in the right distance are the sidings for the trains terminating at Coulsdon North. The ex-SE&C line through Smitham to Tattenham Corner is out of sight to the right. This whole area is now (2012) obscured by the A23 Coulsdon Relief roads.