IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Delves Close, PURLEY, CR8 4HS

Carved stone post by the A23, in parish of COULSDON (CROYDON District), Brighton Road, Coulsdon near Milestone Drive, back of wide pavement against garden wall, on East side of road. Surrey limestone pillar, erected by the Croydon & Reigate turnpike trust in the 18th century. Inscription reads:- : XIII/ MILES / FROM / WESTMINSTER / BRIDGE / 38½ / MILES / TO / (BRIGHTON) : : XIII/ MILES / FROM / WESTMINSTER / BRIDGE / 38½ / MILES / TO / BRIGHTON : : XIII / MILES / FROM / WESTMINSTER / BRIDGE / 38½ / MILES / (TO) / (BRIGHTON) : Carved benchmark and rivet on top. Greater London HER. Identifier: MLO101521 https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=2816319&resourceID=272 Milestone Society National ID: SY_LBT13a

This is one of the most congested stretches of the A23, between the junction of Old Lodge Lane and the north end of the Coulsdon Bypass. Taken from bus stop RJ.

This is a Metrobus vehicle, running from Redhill to West Croydon. The route has a 20-minute frequency. North of Purley, these buses run via Pampisford road rather than Brighton Road as used by most routes. The bus is seen here approaching the Smitham Downs Road bus stop.

Looking southwest from the junction with B2030 Smitham Downs Road.

Looking south.

The houses along this part of Brighton Road had very long gardens. Around the end of the 1990s, the gardens were sold and the new houses of Bouverie Gardens built on them. One house on Brighton Road had to be demolished to provide the access to these new houses.

Seen at the lower end of Hartley Old Road, Purley, Surrey. Post box, Postman's bicycle; just missing the Postman. I had seen him near the other end of the road, and would probably have had to wait several minutes to complete the hat-trick.

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. Reedham station opened as Reedham Halt on 1st March 1911. The station took its name from the nearby Reedham Home for Fatherless Children, opened in 1844. This in turn took its name from its founder, philanthropist the Rev. Andrew Reed - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Reed_(clergyman) The purpose of Reedham Halt was to enable Chipstead Valley passengers to reach the orphanage and the new housing being built along the nearby main road. The Home was renamed Reedham Orphanage in 1904 and Reedham School in 1950. It closed in 1979, but the trust which ran it still occupies the original lodge (gatehouse) of the estate, just east of the station on the corner of Old Lodge Lane and Reedham Drive. The halt was renamed as a station on 5th July 1936. Reedham station is very close to the main Brighton line as can be seen here - the train in the distance is on the main line. In fact the line between Reedham and Coulsdon Town station, the next one to the south, runs alongside the main line almost the whole way.

Old Lodge Lane leads from Reedham left towards Kenley. Hartley Down leads right towards Smitham and Coulsdon.