The Anonymous Widower

Cheam Station

Cheam Station is one of the stations on the route a proposed South London Outer Orbital, although I doubt the limited-stop service would call.

I took these pictures as we passed through.

It is a curious station, quite unlike any others you see on the electrified lines South of the Thames. The layout is explained in the History section in the Wikipedia entry.

The station is almost 16 miles (26 km) from London Bridge station. Over the years Cheam station expanded, and was rebuilt and the rail bed widened in preparation for the installation of AC overhead electric services, which would have included the building of an additional central platform island. Due to the outbreak of the First World War, the full planned expansion was cancelled and was never completed. Nevertheless, the through lines were still in place until the late 1970s when the Bognor Regis and Portsmouth express services were withdrawn from the Sutton and Dorking route to serve an expanding Gatwick Airport. The wide space between the tracks still remains and shows where the fast lines had been laid prior their removal. The brick main buildings are on the down side of the station.

How different would trains be South from London, if the electrification was overhead?

June 7, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Stations, Trains