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Station Approach, TADWORTH, KT20 5AH

The branch line from Purley to Tadworth was opened on 1 July 1900 in what was then a very sparsely-populated area. Extension to Tattenham Corner followed in 1901 and the branch became immediately popular with racegoers and also for excursions to the countryside hereabouts. Electrification took place in March 1928 on the third-rail system. The buildings shown here are not now in railway use, nor have been for many years. Sadly there has been vandalism with broken windows etc.

The hall is on Station Approach Road, adjacent to the Anglican church Image just over the grid line to the south.

These buildings were almost certainly originally in use as coal offices. Coal facilities along this branch ceased in the 1970s.

The village of Tadworth has a station on the branch line from Purley to Tattenham Corner. This building, on a bridge over the railway, is the original station building opened in 1900. It is now privately-owned. Access to the railway station platforms is from the adjacent roads.

The South Eastern & Chatham Railway reached Tadworth quite late in railway history, in 1900. The line runs in a deep cutting, and this building stands on a bridge that crosses it. The structure seems of a generous size for this location in the outermost suburbs. Plainly it housed more than just the booking hall - perhaps a refreshment room, perhaps a parcels office. Waiting rooms - I imagine - would be at platform level, a good many feet below. Current access to the platforms is by means of long ramps (to accommodate e.g. push-chairs and wheelchairs) - and these by-pass the old station building. As built in 1900, the platforms were most likely reached by way of steep staircases descending directly from the booking hall. Anyway, after years of disuse http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3623434 the building now looks quite spruce and is occupied by a restaurant - the 'bridge grill&meze&bar' (yes, all lower case). Customers were coming and going, even on a quiet January afternoon.

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. The railway provides attractive views of Chipstead Valley and it is certainly one of the pleasantest rides within London Travelcard Zone 6, even though most of it is in Surrey. Tadworth station opened as Walton-on-the-Hill station on 1st July 1900. This is the original station building facing onto Cross Road. As can be seen at the time this photograph was taken it was to let, but by 2018 it was spruced up and in use as a restaurant - see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5656598 The exit is now up to The Avenue. See http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3623430 for the view from the platform.

A similar view of the south end of the station to Image nearly five years earlier. This one shows the height of the trees either side of the line.

The east end of the church faces Station Approach Road; the building is on the corner of The Avenue. The church (Anglican) was built in 1912 to designs by Charles Barry and is not listed.

Located beside the former railway station building.