The Woodside & South Croydon Joint Railway: South London Secrets! | Another Station Another Mile #16 

Love how much infrastructure is still standing. Its absolutely beautiful! Thanks for showcasing it

your passion about the station closed 105 years before is infectious and a shock as it’s one of the best preserved disued station in all of the UK

My old home town, I lived 5 mins walk from Woodside station as a child and would go from there to Elmers End to go to London for the day

A group of friends and I rode the last train on the line. Moved away now, but it's good to see my old area.

I used to live at Woodside in 2015 and regularly used the station when the station building was still open.

Fascinating! Thank you so much for this! I worked at Charing Cross Control Room (as the person working the departure board and making announcements) from 1979-1983. Early on in my tenure (can't remember when this ceased) two of the evening peak-time down trains from Charing Cross to Hayes had a connection at Elmers End through to Sanderstead, calling at Woodside, Coombe Road, Bingham Road and Selsdon. I'm really looking forward to your promised video upon the remaining, abandoned section down to Addiscombe. Keep up the very good work!

I lived in the road right next to Woodside station I remember the day it closed as a normal station and then the construction of Tramlink. Lots of memories.

Excellent video. Particularly liked the whiteboard. This brought back a few memories! I used to work in Elmers End Road up by Birkbeck station. In the opening scene, my company bought that carpark in the background from British Rail (I think it was a goods yard), had it cleared and surfaced and used it for car storage. The company is long gone! And when I first came to Croydon to work in 1975, for a time I lived in Birdhurst Rise and frequently used that footbridge at Spencer Road halt to cut off a large corner to visit friends further up Croham Road. Very spooky at night! I remember trains running under the bridge. And if I remember correctly, once the line was closed, part of the line at Blackhorse Lane was built over - you could see it from the road bridge. That appears to have gone now. Also, houses were built on the site of Combe Road station very quickly. They now have trams running much closer than expected - I think the line to New Addington has been diverted slightly to avoid demolition. Another instance of short sightedness selling off railway land.

I know this Line very well, I grow up in St Peters Street very near to the old Selsdon Station before the line closed, My Mum used to take me up to London shopping via this line, & when the line closed in 83 I walked this old line many times through the mid/late 80s & 90s until the tramlink butchered it after 97 when Addiscombe & Woodside closed. I have now moved away & I am currently living in West Malling in Kent, but I still have fond memories of South Croydon & the old Ghost Line, I still have many photos I toke through the years as well. Well done for the re-visit.

Just finished watching Jago Hazzard's video of the same line!

Thank you for a very interesting video.

Great enthusiasm, great information and really well delivered! Nice work.

I have really enjoyed this. Thank you very much.

Spencer Road was a 'halt' in its day and never had anything more than a waiting 'hut', I think constructed of tin. In the back of my memory I think even the short platforms were made of wood, probably old sleepers. I moved to Spencer Road with my first girlfriend, so would have been the early 1980's, long after the halt closed. I took up a bit of interest in the line and saw a picture of Spencer Road halt in a book. I was one of the local lads that used to frequent Selsdon Road station as it closed down. When we didn't have light for our cigarettes, one of us would climb the fence and the Red signal on the approach to the still in use oil depot, as many other commentators have mentioned, as we could just get a light off the Paraffine lamp lighting the signal, by sticking the cigarette through one of the vent holes, as long as we were careful not to drop the darn thing inside the lamp housing. The housing estate in Whitmead Close had not been built at this time and it was waste land, where, as 15 year olds, we used to ride motorcycles and mopeds of questionable origin, and terrorise the local dog walkers, of whom actually, we always tried to be respectful to. One of our clan began his motorcycle career here, mainly founded on a home built 'motorised bicycle' and from this setting went on to have an international motorcycle dealership across the world. For those that remember the occasion of a dumper truck being driven off the Selsdon Road platform onto the railway lines in the early 1980's, we never intentionally did this. We were trying to find reverse to drive it around the yard. We couldn't find reverse and with each attempt it went forward until eventually it went off the edge of the platform on to the lines. The footbridge across the lines from the end of Dornton Road to Whitmead Close, the Dorton Road end had a world war 2 pill box bunker built right under the footbridge accessible from the garden of the last house. Probably its not visible anymore from the foot bridge but I bet its still there. Certainly it would not have showed up on any German aerial reconnaissance photo's and would have come as a surprise to any invading army that got this far. Whitmead Close, all along the side adjoining the old railway line had ww2 Tank traps, when it was a waste land, which were solid blocks of concrete about a metre and half high, and square. We used to take it as it a bit of a dare to jump from one block to the other as they were just far enough apart to make it questionable, and high enough that if you didn't make it, you'd crack your jaw on your way down, and loose your teeth as you went. That thankfully never happened. So this part of the LBSC/ Woodside and Croydon line had been turned into a "strong point" to thwart any invading army during World War 2. Outside No.1 Whitmead Close happened one of my most miserable experiences. When the housing estate was being built, and I had grown up a bit, I was a labourer on the site. The foreman, expecting the boss's, wanted the site cleared up, so I was given a shovel and told to clear all the plaster dust that had overfilled the skip that was outside No.1. The wind was strong and from the south west, so every shovelful of Plaster dust I picked up, which of course was all on the down wind side, and threw in the skip, most of it got caught by the wind and blew straight back at me, to cover me grey, and settle once again on the ground from where it had just come. Looking back over almost 40 years its just possible the foreman had a better idea about who I was than I did ;) I really should go visit the place as much of my adolescent childhood was spent around here with many more memories than I have space to write, even if some of it did get recorded by the local papers and the boys in blue. But then we grow up and the SPG gets disbanded in the Met Constabulary and we all move on. Kids today eh ? they don't make em like they used to :).

I remember a very similar footbridge at Phipps bridge, where the tram runs today.

I love the new intro, it has 80s vibes xD

Again, a well put-together video. Good editing, good use of cutaways, good pace to it, good narrative. Fascinating amount of infrastructure still remaining, particularly at Spencer Road! 👍

I always got the feeling that this line was built for that most excellent of Victorian railway reasons: "We're building it so that nobody else can." Which occasionally pays off, but often resulted in railways that had saw more cows outside than passengers inside the trains...

Keep on being enthusiastic and effusive. That's wonderful. I loved to see the old black stairways; that was a real surprise. Aarre Peltomaa

The former railways of Tramlink network have always fascinated me. Excellent stuff Adam. Keep going mate.

Amazing thank you. I wish I had known. I saw this on the cough anniversary of qualifying as a nurse; I did much of my training in Croydon and I used to walk down Spencer Road to Lloyd park as they were building Tramlink to go to work. I also worked at the end of the line great. I did explore some parts. So I look forward to your videos on the other end of Tramlink at Wimbledon and the Tooting Pear! Which are also surprisingly visable if you take a gander though not to that extent. The Necropolis railway is too without Necromancy: at both ends as long as you don't upset the Monks!

Cracking stuff, as ever! Part of me misses the old music, but time and tide wait for no man.

Jamie oliver is a train spotter who knew! great video and research

I love watching these, we had a line in country victoria that was shut in the 1890's after only 7 years service and some of the piers of the bridges still survive today

Great vid. I like the way you did the buildup to Spencer Road Halt. Can't believe there is so much remaining!

another great video, thanks for the upload!

Outstanding again Sir. Fascinating to see that old line still there!! I'm a big Tram link fan so next time I'm over that way I'll pop over there and take a look. Thanks you for this wonderful video.

Had a friend that lived in Birdhurst Rise used to go to Spender Road Halt. That was 20 years ago, brought back some memories this video. You used to be able to walk about on the tracks then. I believe they look after the footbridge as it helps commuters get to South Croydon Stn quicker.

Great video, quite amazing to see so much still intact after over a century!

so fascinating! the Spencer road halt station is something else

Absolutly smashed it and good to see you out and about again. I too watched the Jago Hazard final instalment of the fleet line and this followed nicely. Excellent as usual.

Do love a Disused Railway, some lovely relics of the past that still stand, Did love Spencer Road Halt but it the Croydon Tramlink reminds me off the Midland Metro, most of the tram line was built over the former GWR Paddington to Wolverhampton Low Level main Line. This is brilliant to watch.

Great video mate, one of the best yet, I reacted the same way when I came across Spencer Road, probably stood there for about half hour imagining what once was. Never got as far as the Selsdon bit. There is a also still a red signal light on the branch just before it rejoins the Oxted line.

That intro was awesome!

Another good video. Enjoy watching your content. keep up the good work. I preferred the old theme tune though... not sure about the one you used on this video! :-)

Actually there's a video of it's last day of services in 1983 with quite a turnout. The route closed as part of the alternative to the 1982 Serpell Report that closed the Kilmacolm branch in Strathclyde and nearly the Barmouth to Pwllheli coast line.

I used to hate getting that train as a kid from Wimbledon to Croydon, especially if you missed the one train on the line

lovely still love the new intro too lmao

The "flat ramp" at Woodside was also used by some Relief Signalman (myself included) to get our motorcycles to the signal box @Woodside when covering there!!

I knew the Tramlink was built partially on old rail lines, but had no idea there was this much left of it. Gotta check it out next time I'm in London.

Nice! I really hope that station building at Woodside will get used again. Even if it's used like a small gallery reminiscent of the old Addiscombe railway with some Tramlink branding at the front to give it that train station feel.

Woodside- the racecourse I read some moved south to the Sussex village of Horley. The racecourse then closed and on the site they built an airport. Gatwick.

11:47 Wow!! Spencer Road halt. It looks as if it has just been closed, let alone all those years back. What a discovery.

Great video, thank you. I live near the Blackhorse Lane tram stop, so I am off to explore the abandoned parts of this line. Thank you!

I did the line on a 2-EPB (I think) a week before it closed. Only one way, did the London Bridge to Sanderstead outward journey in style, behind an East Grinstead bound class 33

There's another closed Southern line that joined the Brighton main line north of Haywards Heath at Ardingly.

Just rewatched this after watching geoffs updated one, hope you are well :)

George Russel this time I see. Just an overall British driver fan? Great video btw

Excellent!

enjoyed it keep up the good work Aj

The irony being that although that line is still relatively clear ... at least, up to Coombe Road where it turns into Tramlink ... there really isn't much reason to reopen it. Croydon is a major destination in the area, and so a line that bypasses Croydon would have little value ... and it would be of limited use in converting it to Tramlink, because it so quickly hits the Oxted Line.

I remember when 4SUB's used to pull out of the bay platform at Beckenham Jnc for Birkbeck, indeed it was the hapless passengers of such who were inflicted upon by trainee staff at the nearby BR training centre sending out trainee guards, drivers and whatnot on very captive audiences (have to give a shout out to Paul Burton, an old schoolfriend and now senior RMT man who was often at the BR centre) and where I did my training as well. It was an awesome setup with Waterloo's signalling school there, driver school, guard school, ticket and platform training... I used to love listening to the signallers doing their bells and I knew what every one was thanks to me father who did once relief I think C grade between Balham and Shortlands, adding Chislehurst and one of my fondest memories was not Orpington B but Orpington A... I remember him grumbling when he had to walk over to hand tokens to the Birkbeck drivers during an engineering possession and it was foul weather, think that was around the time he caught a third rail flash on his wet clothes leaving him with a massive burn up his leg.

Lived in the this area for a while in the 1980s. Bingham Road was my nearest station for while, then later Addiscombe. Never even thought of using either station, East Croydon was so much better served and withing walking distance. The route might have been used to add capacity to the Brighton line. Will never happen now.

Very interesting AJ, you can just about make it out on Google maps, keep up the good work mate

With a station at each end it would certainly be a winner as a heritage line, but the fact it is being kept as is really suggests that there is a back-room plan for it.

is cool that you focusing on stations in bromley as lived in the bourgh

Don't forget... the tram/old lines connects the COUNTIES of KENT with SURREY. The border runs briefly along the track at Harrington Road stop.

Yes finally one of my nearest abandoned railway lines thanks for doing/covering this I have this line gets preserved and back in operation or gets used as an extension for something for e.g the Merton ,Croydon and Southeast London Tramlink

Great video once again.

I’ve been on the Croydon Tramlink and I quite like the trams. As most South Londoners say we don’t need tubes. We got the Tramlink, National Rail including Thameslink and buses around South London. I think Geoff Marshall covered abandoned and former railway lines around London including in South London. Nice video.

I feel like I want to check out the route myself.. 👀 Especially Spencer Road Halt!

I was just about to travel to Croydon to walk along the old line

Rambles - or Waffles as they're sometimes also known - are a good thing. And: who doesn't love Waffles? :D

Jumps straight on after notification

Selsdon Oxted line platforms closed long before 1981 it only had trains on the Woodside line platforms when it closed and you had to change at Sanderstead for onward connections. Selsdon was kept as an oil terminal for some years after closure and the pointwork (and even shunting signal complete with working red light) was still there up until recently.

The railway brige that crosses croham rd just before derelict Selson staion is still there lol

Nice job mate used to live around there. I am now watching from Vancouver Island Canada lots of abandoned railway out here...unfortunately.

i used to take the train to school from elmers end and over the years i worked out that it used to have 4 platforms with the additional platform in between platform 3 and the tesco carpark

Hey, this has got to be one of yr best finds yet; I shared yr enthusiam, so big thx. An F1 and disused/current railway nut like me. Keep 'em coming pal. Thumbs up!

15:50 - Ever been to Mangotsfield? That has a similar feeling.

The Woodside station building is lovely and there have been hopes to bring it back into community use for years. I think it's owned by TFL and the interiors actually been refurbished into office space which I believe was used by contractors when they rebuilt the nearby bridges at Blackhorse lane. If you search 'woodside station croydon' into twitter one of the top results will be a a councillor showing some pictures of the interior, including some nice images onto the track from the station windows.

Not only Jago Hazzard but also the Londonist

They actually rebuilt the footbridge and if you hope the fence and follow the tracks it leads to a bridge that’s above coombe road.

Please bring back the old intro music. Great video. Thanks.

the old buffers are still there if you keep going down towards lloyd park

Love your videos but only one nag is the smokey filter thats been added it bleaches out your great videography.

Amazing video(as always), But we still need to connect this to the Northern City Line😂😂

Just found your channel. It's a bit like Jago Hazzard's videos, equally interesting because London has so many hidden old gems with unknown histories. Maybe I'll visit London again in the future but Corona virus and Brexit haven't made things easier.

o dear born in a prefab at Elmer's end in 1946.went to woodside j,school,and lived in Addiscombe for meany years.

Fascinating, thanks.

We had Woodside station. It was a terminus station until beeching.

A brilliant informative video well done Are you coming up to the east lancs railway in the near future again ,have a look at the new Lloyds bank advertisement was taken at irwell vale Station with the flying scotsman always remember you waiting there for a train for a couple of hours Can't wait to see your next adventure keep up the good work

I can really see tfl reusing the line to extend the trams to coulsdon purley and maybe redhill along the Brighton main line

I walk passed the Woodside Railway station to head to church and I always wondered what is inside there and what the railway used to look like

Fascinating video + cool T-shirt! (waiting for some fckin points tomorrow or at least this year)

11:50 i saw Tracks!

They should extend the tram down to Sanderstead via Selsdon

We have a similar one that runs the Sheffield to Parkgate its a tramtrain so runs on tramtracks and also the national rail line between Tinsley South and Parkgate, via Rotherham

Ah a George Russell fan.

Great stuff Andy. For future possible use of Selsdon to Woodside railway look up "BML2" eg "East Croydon has been described as a ‘bottleneck’ and a ‘major barrier to growth’ by Network Rail. That is why the project originally proposed routing some services to London via a reopened railway between Selsdon and Elmers End." www.bml2.co.uk/

Always wondered why it's called LIGHT railway, so it's because of the railway foundation? I was thinking because of light/bright 😉

Great video man will there be another video on this channel soon. Also what happened to your twitter. Hope your doing ok.

12:25 now I thought 1983, but 1915??????

Word of the Day = 'Extant' :)

It’s actually called King Henry’s Holt

Remember Addiscombe station. The Shitty shuttle service to Elmers end 2 stops then back again! Place was F##kin creepy then found out it was haunted years later. Now its houses and flats!!!

How about some-one do a video series about the trams of london.... everyone seems to tripping over themselves to create youtube videos about the London Underground... but very few are investigating the once extensive london tram network. I used to live in Sutton, and I was surprised to find that there was a tram out to there via Carshalton.

We will find a way this links to the NCL

The new intro is cool but the music to old one was really good, does anyone know what it is

Enjoyed this video but in the age of Covid-19 do we really need old railways to be reopened. Aren't people working from home. TFL is facing a funding crisis due to the decrease in the number of passengers using it during rush hour. Ultimately would it not be better to end the mad rush into the city every working day