IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Lime Works Road, REDHILL, RH1 3BS

Near the site of Merstham Quarry

The millstone is probably from the lime works which used to be here. The stone blocks look like they are from the old hearthstone/firestone mines nearby.

This section was over engineered as it turned out, after extension of the road further inside the M25 was terminated. The traffic is light for a six lane road (seven here, with a lane for the M25 slip), but unfortunately further joining traffic causes congestion further in where there are only two lanes, particularly approaching Purley.

This is the course, or very near to it, of the Croydon Merstham and Godstone Railway, looking towards its terminus at Quarry Dean (it never got to Godstone).

Latterly this carried a track over a railway at a much lower level from the main Brighton via Redhill line to the Greystone Limeworks on the other side. The disused works and quarry were then filled with rubbish and partly built over by the M23. Originally, before the true railway, the Croydon, Merstham and Godstone Iron Railway (a plateway) passed over the top, and it is supposed a quarry plateway passed under. Haulage was with horses. There is an 1823 sketch which some consider to show the bridge and what is presumably a plateway under it, possibly from firestone mines. However, photographs when a modern railway ran under show a much loftier bridge. Certainly by 1869 there was mapped another bridge within the quarry which may be the one sketched. The sketch and other relevant views are in http://www.oldreigate.com/?goto=mersthamquarry .

A short distance behind the photographer, is a set of bollards to prevent motor vehicles from accessing this bridleway. Studying the map, I have concluded that this was, formerly, a quiet lane which was open to motor vehicles. Out of picture, just to the left, is the M23 motorway. The condition of the snow, which fell the previous day, suggests that this bridleway is well used.

These were for a bridge on a branch railway to the Greystone Lime Works. It led up from the Brighton line at Redhill and preceded the building of the Quarry Line, so this bridge had to be built. It was immediately in front of the tunnel portal, a tiny bit of which is just showing on the right.

An uncommon case of an elderly railway overbridge not owned by the railway, but by the highway authority.

Not very far from the northern end of the motorway, negotiating the North Downs.

For the history of the tunnel see Image