Mapping It Out
A drawing by my father dated 30th March 1948 of Selsdon station near Croydon.
Opened In August 1885 as Selsdon Road Junction, which later became Selsdon Road, the station had two platforms on the line to Elmers End and two on the Oxted line. The station was closed completely from January 1917 for a couple of years as an economy measure during World War 1. The Oxted line platforms reopened in May 1919, but the Elmers End platforms remain closed until electrification of that line in 1935. At this stage the station was renamed ‘Selsdon’, although Selsdon itself was two miles away down Selsdon Road. The goods yard was enlarged to five roads resulting in the layout shown on the map. Closure of the Oxted line platforms came in June 1959, not surprising really with the station being just a quarter of a mile from South Croydon. The buildings on all platforms were demolished around 1963 and just two short wooden canopies were provided over the central sections of the Elmers End line platforms. A very small wooden booking hut was provided at the entrance to the station on the Down Elmers End line platform. In 1968 the goods yard was reduced to just two sidings and became a domestic oil terminal. In 1976 the two wooden canopies were demolished and just metal ‘bus shelters’ being provided. Also from 1976 all through London services ceased and Selsdon was served by a Monday to Friday peak time only shuttle service between Elmers End and Sanderstead operated by two car 2-EPB units. In both morning and evening peaks, one train from Elmers End would terminate at Selsdon and start back from the Down platform. Closure to passenger services came in May 1983, with Selsdon having the distinction of being one of the last stations to be entirely lit by gas. Flats were built either side of the Elmers End line platforms and after the oil traffic ceased in 1993 the whole track area was left to ‘Mother nature’. The line is now very heavily overgrown from the junction of the Oxted line northwards to just south of the former road bridge over Coombe Road. North of that road bridge through to Elmers End the line is now part of the Croydon tram network.
Some other photos of Selsdon:-
www.flickr.com/photos/24343055@N03/28899099452/in/album-7...
www.flickr.com/photos/24343055@N03/27973894244/in/album-7...
www.flickr.com/photos/24343055@N03/14945506942/in/album-7...
Mapping It Out
A drawing by my father dated 30th March 1948 of Selsdon station near Croydon.
Opened In August 1885 as Selsdon Road Junction, which later became Selsdon Road, the station had two platforms on the line to Elmers End and two on the Oxted line. The station was closed completely from January 1917 for a couple of years as an economy measure during World War 1. The Oxted line platforms reopened in May 1919, but the Elmers End platforms remain closed until electrification of that line in 1935. At this stage the station was renamed ‘Selsdon’, although Selsdon itself was two miles away down Selsdon Road. The goods yard was enlarged to five roads resulting in the layout shown on the map. Closure of the Oxted line platforms came in June 1959, not surprising really with the station being just a quarter of a mile from South Croydon. The buildings on all platforms were demolished around 1963 and just two short wooden canopies were provided over the central sections of the Elmers End line platforms. A very small wooden booking hut was provided at the entrance to the station on the Down Elmers End line platform. In 1968 the goods yard was reduced to just two sidings and became a domestic oil terminal. In 1976 the two wooden canopies were demolished and just metal ‘bus shelters’ being provided. Also from 1976 all through London services ceased and Selsdon was served by a Monday to Friday peak time only shuttle service between Elmers End and Sanderstead operated by two car 2-EPB units. In both morning and evening peaks, one train from Elmers End would terminate at Selsdon and start back from the Down platform. Closure to passenger services came in May 1983, with Selsdon having the distinction of being one of the last stations to be entirely lit by gas. Flats were built either side of the Elmers End line platforms and after the oil traffic ceased in 1993 the whole track area was left to ‘Mother nature’. The line is now very heavily overgrown from the junction of the Oxted line northwards to just south of the former road bridge over Coombe Road. North of that road bridge through to Elmers End the line is now part of the Croydon tram network.
Some other photos of Selsdon:-
www.flickr.com/photos/24343055@N03/28899099452/in/album-7...
www.flickr.com/photos/24343055@N03/27973894244/in/album-7...
www.flickr.com/photos/24343055@N03/14945506942/in/album-7...