This takes me back. Used to take the train from Tottenham Corner to Reedham back in the late sixties to go to the Orchid in Purley. Used to love those days. Really nostalgic.Great days and lovely memories! All my old friends must be in their 70’s now!
This is my daily commute (all the way up to London Bridge though)! I love this service and this train - always so clean and tidy too (well, up until recently as the line no longer goes fast from East Croydon to London Bridge, instead stopping at many stations in between). Although my commute is on the longer side, I have come to love it and this has been really cool to see it from another perspective! Thank you also for all the fun facts :)
Lived in Hartley Down for first 18 years of my life and Reedham was our closest station just off Old Lodge Lane - can still recall seeing the Brighton Belle dashing across in Cream and Umber - . Smitham and Coulsdon North were almost the same distance and the long concrete bridge is still there - I recall the last days of the gas lamps along the bridge being lit manually and my brother commuting to his school from Coulsdon North. Chipstead Valley was always a quick way to feel the 'countryside' and so good to see the regular 4 carriage service rather than the 2 that used join with 4 from Caterham. I went to Reedham School for the first year of infants! This was a lovely jaunt through Surrey.
Thanks for taking me back. Used to live on this line over 60 years ago and my first train rides were from Smitham. (I can't call it Coulsdon!) Blimey, all those new builds there now! I was an occasional visitor to Tattenham Corner if I'd had a few up in town after work and fell asleep! What used to annoy me was all the stops. My boss used to leave for work at the same time as me and would beat me in. He lived in Brighton!
Despite all the speed restrictions, this seemed to be a lovely, smooth ride; maybe different when you're back in the train though. I love how quickly the railways find open countryside after leaving central London.
Thank you!very interesting…I’ve never used this line and I was surprised how attractive it is. There are also some interesting and complicated civil engineering aspects…particularly when the route ends up running parallel to the Brighton mainline! Nice quality videoing too…regards from Rob in Bournemouth.
