Visiting Every Station - Tattenham Corner Branch 

„In Zone 6, no one can hear you scream.“ That would be such a great T-Shirt design. Get on that!

I love how Geoff, having managed to find the new hard-to find map, immediately scribbles all over it in marker pen. That's what we love about him.

Tattenham Corner used to be a much bigger station. At one time it had seven platforms. In 1993 a train over ran the buffer stop, mounted the concourse, and smashed into the wooden station building. Luckily only two people, both railway staff, suffered minor injuries. One was the train driver who was found to be drunk and later imprisoned. I believe the current policy used by the UK railway companies nationally regarding staff being found under the influence of alcohol or drugs stems from this accident.

The Tattenham Corner branch line was built exclusively to be able to bring the toffs to Epsom Racecourse as it is nearest to the stand entrance! That is why it seems to us a bit weird as a line that goes nowhere!

Love the way Geoff says, “So many people getting off!”. Clearly he doesn’t know there’s worse.

Thanks for the video Geoff. Just an idea from a non railway regular: I happened to notice the mirrors on the platform of one of those stations (I guess they are for the driver), it would be interesting to hear about railway features, things, etc. that people might not normally notice or take for granted but don't actually know what they are for or how they work. I expect many of your viewers are the sort of people who do know about these things but also this sort of thing might benefit from talking to people who work on the railways and i think what they have to say is interesting to a wide range of viewers. As always thanks and I look forward to the next video.

"I'm unsure whether to go into the woods" - sounds like the start of a horror movie

Seeing tat corner station gives me shivers. I used to help maintain the oil cooled main electricity cable that fed the trains. In those days the cable used to run from the station underneath the downs all the way to Epsom downs station, to complete a circuit connection with the Sutton line. The cable would leak oil, I'd have to find and fix the leak. I spent many a winter's day up there digging up the downs to find a leak the size of a pin hole. So glad when they made the system "stub end feed" from Purley sub station.

I've been watching this guy since 2014 at age 9 years old. Since now as 14 years old. I love this guy and what he loves doing and I will keep watching him. He is very entertaining to watch! Big fan Geoff!!

Geoff: By the way, we appear to have a... blowing bin bag. Me: What am I DOING with my life?

One of your best Geoff! Green & white trains with shoes! 377s and 455s! More like this please.

Love the involuntary homage to the silent film era... more of this please!

You were very unlucky to encounter a cancelled train on Southern Geoff....rarer than hens teeth!

Smitham, Reedham and Coulsdon South were my home stations when I was a child. Nice to see how Smitham’s changed. I always enjoyed the way the line after Purley jumps under the main line and appears the other side for Reedham. Also the branch never used to get those nice trains.

Did you know.Kingswood has a left over arch.This is because it used to have 4 platforms when Tattenham Corner had 7 platforms.Sadly a NSE 455 submerged into the old Tattenham Corner station.Oh!Theres a foot crossing at Chipstead station so yes there’s 3 foot crossings.

9:02 I think we need a compilation video of all the drills, mechanical mowers and other weird tools that have interrupted Geoff, while he was filming.

In relation to the timetable conundrum: there are 4 trains an hour during rush hour. There was a half hourly service on the old timetable too. The Coulsdon Town service was a new addition. The calling pattern and stock changed on the tattenham line. Ages ago you had the Tattenham shuttle too.

Thank you for showing Kingswood station. My grandad Henry Gilmour worked in the signal box there in the days of the old Southern railway until he collapsed in the box on a hot day and delayed the Queens train for 8 minutes on her way to Tattenham Corner for the Epsom Derby. There was an enquiry in which Henry was downgraded to station porter. The old photos of Kingswood station do it more justice compared to today.

It's a very pretty rural line out beyond Woodmansterne. Fond memories of using Smitham in the days when the now non-existant Coulsdon North was Peak-hour only. Also spent many years commuting from Reedham and would have been nice to see that as the first stop on the branch as just at the bottom of my road! Nice video Geoff

Nice vid Geoff, I pass there every day & I walk in those woods a lot. You should do the Chipstead to Kingswood walk again in May when the bluebells are out, but go through the woods, not via the road, lovely on a nice day 👍

the overnight security guard on 21.12.19. I accidentally ended up very lost on the last train on a Sunday night with no more trains running, he was kind, helpful and went above and beyond his "job" to make sure i got home safely. keep up the great work.

Possibly one of the most scenic branches on the Southern Network within the Greater London/Surrey area. And it was a new additional thing for the timetable shakeup. Only 2 out of 4 continue to Tattenham Corner after Coulsdon Town. Expect on race days where all trains continue to Tattenham Corner with two additional services to and from Victoria which run non-stop between Purley and Tattenham Corner on race days.

The Coulsdon Town terminators were indeed new in May 2018. It's effectively the old London Bridge-Sydenham-Caterham stopping service but diverted to Coulsdon Town so it can be 10-car (Caterham is only 8-car max). Caterham got a new portion off the fast Tattenham Corner trains instead. Tattenham Corner has never had 4tph all day, although for a while there was a Purley-Tatt Cnr shuttle in the off-peak in addition to the London Bridge through service.

Tattenham Corner had a lovely station building until December 1993, when a driver decided to stuff a class 455 through it. He was jailed for nine months for being intoxicated. There is a lot of housing around the area, far more than there is by Epsom Downs station. Both up market and plenty of social housing.

I was brought up in Kingswood and lived in the road (Forest Drive). To answer your question about the stoppers from Smitham. In the old days there used to be a station on the main line called Coulsdon North. Trains were stabled here and went to Victoria calling at all stations. The Tottenham trains used to join at Purley with the Caterham branch and went to London Bridge (platform 10) in the rush hours and through to Charing Cross in the non rush hours. The Coulsdon North station site is now a retail park. There were no terminators at Smitham

Brilliant video! I love the Tattenham Corner Branch with its semi rural feel and how it's in Surrey but you can travel on it with Oyster and a Zone 1-6 travel card. The walk in the woods looked pleasant to!

One of my favourite rail replacement jobs. Purley to Tattenham Corner all Stns - what better way to spend a weekend.

In 2002-2004 (at least) there were 2 trains an hour from Tattenham Corner to London, and 2 trains an hour from Smitham to London, via Gipsy Hill/West Norwood.

Historical background to trains terminating at Coulsdon Town: Years ago there was a third station, Coulsdon North, right next to Smitham, but on the main line; not only the main line but actually a spur off the Quarry (i.e. up and down fast) lines. Trains from Smitham went to Charing Cross, via London Bridge, whereas Coulsdon North were all stations to Victoria. The problem was that calling at all stations as far as East Croydon took up far too many slots on the fast line, so they closed Coulsdon North and diverted the trains to Smitham next door. Initially therefore the trains from Tattenham Corner were London Bridge services, while those starting from Smitham (now Coulsdon Town) went to Victoria. In don't know if that is still the case, but it may be. Also, the Tattenham Corner and Caterham branches were essentially operated together, dividing/re-coupling at Purley. Does this help?

Regarding trains to Tattenham Corner pre-timetable change. I believe there used to be 2 trains per hour (off peak) to Tattenham Corner before the timetable change, both from London Bridge. In addition to this there were 4 an hour to Caterham (2 from Victoria, 2 from London Bridge). The Coulsdon Town service (2tph) was an addition when Thameslink introduced the new timetable. This was because instead of running 4 trains to Caterham and 2 separate trains to Tattenham Corner per hour, Thameslink decided to form a twice hourly Caterham & Tattenham Corner service (from London Bridge) which splits at Purley, in effect removing 2 trains per hour between London Bridge and Purley, so the Coulsdon Town service was added to make up for this.

When I did this service from East Croydon to Tadworth about 9 years ago, the service was formed of 2 Class 455 units. Because most platforms are too short on this route, at Purley, the guard would get everyone out of the rear 4-car unit tell them to get in the front 4-car unit and lock all the doors until it got to Tattenham Corner. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what happened when it terminated at Tattenham Corner. They would get everyone off the train, lock the doors at the Tattenham end, unlock the doors at the London end and tell everyone to use the (now) front 4 carriages. When I went back to Tadworth last year, they were just using a 5-car Class 377 as Geoff was using in this video.

I ticked off all the stations on this branch at the end of last year. I went on a Sunday, made possible by the service frequency even on Sundays still being very good.

Brilliant...! We used to go to my Gran's at Woodmansterne as kids in the 70's - there were more than 2 per hour then for certain. Can't say the place has changed much...

Good thing you didn't do it on Sunday, trees down on the line! Also was a pleasure to meet Geoff just before he started filming this!

You made me think of Hercule Poirot at 07:10 "Askew is quitte disconsering"

Great video...as usual...still think you should've done Reedham (yes,I KNOW the line follows the main line until Coulsdon Town/Smitham,but it IS still part of said branch line!)🎩 .

Really enjoyed this video Geoff, it was festooned with interesting moments! I was particularly excited when you went "off piste" and picked up public footpaths and foot crossings! As for Chipstead - surely that's just crying out for you to eat some chips on the station. There is a chippy at Woodmansterne. 🍟

A little fun fact for you Geoff, regarding Tadworth it used to be home to the BTP Police Training School and Dog School until it was closed in 2010 I think, when it was sadly sold off. A housing estate now stands where it once was and all that remains is a tree and a plaque commemorating the site. Have a look at BTP History Group website for more info on it and the railway police in general. Might make a good video.

The attraction at Tattenham Corner which you missed may have been the now locked original gates (Royal access only) to whats left of ROYAL DRIVE, down which royalty would descend after arrival by train, onto the race course to ride around to the grandstand (Tadworth resident)

Tattenham Corner Station is most convenient for those wanting to attend the Derby by train. Espom Downs station is much further away, tucked away. When I went there for the first time, I nearly got lost on a golf course on my way there from Sutton 😂🤣😂🤣

That music. Brilliant!

Love the class 377.

WOW!!!! Thanks for showing me the 377! You're the best!

Hi Geoff. Not four trains an hour as I can recall on the line in the last 16 years at least. The trains that terminate at Coulsdon Town go via Brockley and Forest Hill rather than the usual route. I think you can also cross the line at Chipstead so there could be 3 not two crossing points between Chipstead and Kingswood!

The references to toffs and stockbrokers on this branch are on the nail. Under SECR ownership before 1923 on race days they used to run an out and return all Pullman special from Charing Cross/London Bridge especially for the bookies and their well heeled clients. Apparently the return trip was usually an orgy of champagne and cigars for the winners, and the Pullman stewards used to vie for assignment to the service because of the generous tips. Presumably the losers walked home or took the cheaper LBSCR service from Epsom Downs

Very interesting, I walk Banstead Woods often but I've never come across those 2 crossings will have to hunt them out next time

i believe until 2010, Tattenham Corner trains used to go to Charing Cross

0:20 - I’d hate to have been that bag when Ciara popped round.

There was 2 an hour to Tattenham Corner from London Bridge. And a Purley - Tattenham Corner shuttle

4 Trains an hour to and from Tattenham Corner during morning and early evening rush hour. Geoff you spent an hour in Tadworth and didn't inspect the Bridge restaurant which is in a few of your shots. This is old station house; one of three on the branch. You got the other two at Chipstead and Kingswood!

.... and this is a really really good video.

Hello Geoff and a good video you’ve done as usual thanks showcasing your adventures on the southern trains tattenhan corner branch as I’m familiar with that part of the railway as I lived south of Coulsdon south Stn ten minutes walk during 2009-2011 which means I was obviously there when they changed the name from smitham to Coulsdon town and at that time they installed ticket barriers at Coulsdon south Stn and as a carpenter I was working in Brighton for two days in December 2010 and I remember getting the only direct service from Coulsdon south to Brighton very early in the morning now back to the tatt cnr branch I’ve done the journey from streatham or streatham common to tatt cnr when working for a week or two in 2004 or 2005 and the same when watching football at Banstead ath fc and many years ago did the journey to reedham on a Friday or Saturday night with a five minute walk to the Cinderella Rockefeller’s discotheque which is now a fitness health gym also with reedham Stn on the Sw London bus map it shows it as part of the main branch London to Brighton when it’s really on the tatt cnr branch and finally I want to mention the trains rolling stock as there’s two types sorry I don’t know the code number or name but one is squared bodied with openable windows and low backed seating and the other is sloped side bodied with non openable windows due to having air conditioning and with high back seats the former being for local services and the latter being for inter city services so that’s it so take care and cheerio

There certainly used to be trains from London Bridge that terminated at Smitham. Not sure how ofteh they ran. This was in the mid 2000s. Not really sure how the timetable has changed since.

Services used to run direct to Victoria instead of London Bridge in the evenings on a weekday. Now all Tattenham corner services are served by 377/6/7 as 10 coach trains. Also the line was served by 455s, 456s and 377s normally as a 4 car configuration. A few times they would run a 3 or 6 car 377/3. Geoff you should see the line on derby day! 🤣🤣 it’s packed!

New Train horror movie title - "In zone 6 no one can hear you Scream"

I got the 166 to Woodmansterne too when I was visiting all the stations on the branch. Very handy :)

Just re-watched this in preparation for ticking this branch off on Sunday, while I’m in the area.

Thinking back to April 2018 when I did visit Tadworth and Kingswood to film trains there and also clearing the Tattenham Corner Branch and I was at these stations during off peak but there was 4 services an hour to London Bridge and i'm sure during that time, no trains terminated at Coulston Town during the time of my visit... sadly not 100% sure on that one, but I do know when I visited the line there was 4 trains an hour which started there to London Bridge which is still what it's like today, anyway great video.

I am absolutely convinced that a "take Geoff to work day" by someone who replaces bin bags at stations will make for a brilliant video.

I live in Epsom and I know you used to commute between Guildford/Epsom Geoff but it's so weird seeing you go near where I live... it's like it becomes famous once it's on RU-vid!

Commuting into London, there's not a lot in it between Tattenham Corner and Epsom Downs. Both have direct trains to Victoria that take 1 hour (running every 30 minutes), although the service from TC loops a long way round, it's fast from Croydon whereas the ED train stops at every shack along the way. Tattenham Corner also has direct trains to London Bridge that take 55 minutes (running every 30 minutes), whereas from Epsom Downs you have to change for London Bridge, although it is about 5 minutes quicker ... if the trains run to time and you make your connection!

Saw the crossings and crossed them.very nice

I live around that branch and it’s been 2 trains an hour through to Tattenham for as long as I can remember

Awesome video you've got Geoff

Have used both these crossing for hike and bases for Scouts. Good experience for them to use a railway crossing on a hike. Not many left now!

Great video! ... but what happened to Reedham?

Some services have always terminated at coulsdon town. The services from coulsdon town were to replace services from coulsdon north

I live at Tattenham Corner (You can even see my car at the end), would have been a good time to meet, oh well maybe next time. In answer to your question, it was always two trains to Tattenham meaning the Coulsdon service is new but there also was an additional service that used to run from Purley to Tattenham which no longer happens.

Wouldn’t be a Geoff video without a bin bag blowing in the breeze!

Try the OS map app or Anquet Maps which shows you on an OS map on your phone exactly where you are via GPS. Both can also plot your route as you move. Makes it so easy to walk and not get lost. I walked from Banstead through the woods to the foot crossing you used. Had I known you were going there I'd have offered to meet you and it's a short walk to a nice pub from the crossing!

When I were a yoof, many, many years ago I was dragged along to T.C. annually to 'help' atnthe Sunbeam Club "Pioneer Run" (the equivalent for motor bikes of the VCC run from Hyde Park). It was always blurry cold and wet.. A god place to start becaust it had a large redundant goods yard ( ? suitable for bringing bloodstock in to the Epsom races ??) wherein to corral the 'bikes? All gone now and replace by houses. I suppose TC was there for the Races - which I guess were more regular that they are now. How's that for a bit of useless knowledge...

9.10 A drill annoys Geoff again 😂

The 2tph Coulsdon Town terminators replaced the stopping service from London Bridge to Caterham via Forest Hill. LB to Caterham trains now run via Selhurst and Tulse Hill. I seem to recall there used to be 3tph to Tattenham Corner with an additional Purley to TC shuttle which used to be a Class 456 unit.

I used to live along this branch!

I used to go college in Coulsdon back in the day. I never understood why they changed Smitham to Coulsdon Town until now. I thought it was Out of Order at the time. I think station names should be set in stone & never be changed. I feel the same about bus numbers too.

Man takes bad trains and it’s good content

Great music interlude there ...

And in addition to my other comment,it is ONLY served by Tattenham trains,and so surely should be considered part of the branch (though I appreciate Reedham is poorly bussed and a considerable walk from Coulsdon Town)🎩

Hello from Sweden!

Shame you didn't visit Reedham (Surrey). Coming from Reedham (Norfolk) I've always wondered what our namesake station looked like!

Tattenham Corner is a stationey name for a station.

Great stuff as ever Geoff. As the planner that approved the cafe in Tadworth, let me apologise for its early closing! It’s a funny old railway line; Woodmansterne is in Coulsdon and nowhere near Woodmansterne; the station at Kingswood was built in a grand style for the big house at Kingswood Warren (until recently the BBC’s r&d hq - where Vegas was invented!) Tattenham Corner retains its very impressive platforms due to its proximity to Epsom Downs racecourse. The road that was built on old sidings is called Emily Davidson Drive after the suffragette that’s was crushed by the king’s horse.

2:14 there were a few at Fenchurch Street back a couple of weeks ago when I managed to get one

I wish I'd have known about your visit!!

#heart of wales line keep up the good work

Yes, beyond Woodmansterne (also Kenley on the Caterham branch, and Upper Warlingham station on the East Grinstead line) were not in Zone 6 originally, when the Teavelcard zones were first introduced. Like Buckhursr Hill to Epping on the Central Line, the Zone 6 boundaries beyond the London area were pushed back to include all these stations, in order to encourage more people to take the train into London. The Epsom Downs line also originally had Zone 6 finishing at Belmont. Yes, I believe there were more trains going to Tattenham Corner before the May 2018 timetable change, although there have been Coulsdon Town/Smitham reversers for many years. Also, things have become more regimented now, both in terms of the stopping patterns on the main line beyond Purley, and the types of train used. No trains from Tattenham Corner go to Victoria anymore now. Tattenham Corner services all run non-stop from East Croydon to London Bridge, and are virtually always formed of the 377/6 Electrostars (they have to be, as they all couple/uncouple at Purley with a Caterham service), whereas the Coulsdon Town reversers make all the stops between London Bridge and Croydon, and are nearly always formed of the older 455 trains. Before it was more fun, not knowing what type of train was going to turn up on the branch!! Speeding up the service on the Tattenham through trains north of Croydon has undoubtedly persuaded some people to use this service in preference to the Epsom Downs branch, as that is now slower, with most Epsom Downs trains running slow via Wallington, West Croydon and Norbury into London (hardly any go via Hackbridge, this requires a change of train at Sutton).

I literally went there a week before Geoff went haha

I travel to Tattenham Corner annually for XC Surrey League race. Usually second saturday of November.

To the timetable question, yes the Coulsdon Town terminators are new trains from the May 2018 timetable. Previously the service pattern on the Caterham / Tattenham Corner was as below: Peak: 2 tph Victoria - Caterham/Tattenham Corner (dividing at Purley) & 2 tph London Bridge - Caterham/Tattenham Corner (dividing at Purley). These ran pretty much as they do now only with the London Bridge services calling at Norwood Junction. Off peak: Daytime / Sat evenings: 2 tph Victoria - Caterham (stopping, via Selhurst), 2 tph London Bridge - Caterham (stopping, via Forest Hill), 2 tph London Bridge - Tattenham Corner (calling at Norwood Junc, East Croydon, Purley then all stations to Tattenham Corner). On weekday evenings (and after 11pm on Saturdays) the London Bridge - Tattenham Corner service didn't run and the Victoria stopping service went instead to Tattenham Corner. A few years before that there was also an hourly shuttle from Purley to/from Tattenham Corner that used a 456 - this connected with the London Bridge - Horsham train. It got withdrawn due to poor usage from what I recall. On Sundays, there were 2 tph Victoria-Caterham via Selhurst and 2 tph London Bridge - Tattenham Corner (via Forest Hill). In May 2018 as part of the Thameslink programme the serviced changed as below: Peak - as discussed above, pretty much the same as before. Off peak - The Victoria - Caterham services were withdrawn and instead they were replaced by a London Bridge - Caterham service via Peckham Rye & Selhurst. The London Bridge via Forest Hill stopping services now run to Coulsdon Town. The peak time London Bridge dividing service, which runs fast to East Croydon, now runs all day. On Sundays there are 2tph from London Bridge to Caterham/Tattenham Corner (dividing at Purley) that is a stopping service via Forest Hill. There are a few exceptions to that pattern, especially peak-time "against the flow", but I won't bore you with all the details! As an aside, the original Thameslink programme plans had a service between Tattenham Corner and Cambridge, but that got canned in favour of the dividing service as I don't think there were enough paths available at East Croydon for it to work.

I happen to use this branch every day, shame I missed you by approximately 30 minutes

The coulsdon town ones were an extra edition. I think part of it is some of the caterham trains run with tattenham corner trains before dividing at purley

The racecourse is way closer to Tattenham corner station than Epsom downs station its like 5-10 minute walk to the entrance to the racecourse but when you go round the corner from Tattenham corner station, you can immediately see the racecourse.

Having seen the video I am following up with a visit myself, having never been to Tattenham Corner. Following the route on my OS app. I noticed that Coulson Town station still appears as Smitham in the 1:25,000 map. I have reported this to the OS who will investigate and update their master map.

Chipstead is my local station....🔥

There also used to be half an hourly services to Charing Cross about 10 years ago

Ah, thanks Geoff! Now I know why the evening servcie London Victoria - Coulsdown Town on Train Simulator 2020 London-Brighton is called the Smitham Snoozer!

Don’t you find it weird & annoying that Tattenham corner, Banstead, Epsom downs are in zone 6 but not Epsom itself! They have made Epsom contactless recently but still not in the same zone & more expensive than day ticket to tap! Funny to see Banstead & the 166 bus as I used to live in the area & get that bus every day! 😄

Will you do a secrets of the Nottingham Trams or Sheffield SuperTrams or Blackpool Trams or West Midlands Metro?

Trains never used to terminate at Coulsdon Town (formally smitham) until May 2018.

When I used to live in Belmont (mid 90s) one of the trains didnt stop at Tattenham Corner ...and went right through the ticket office. IIRC, i was told Tattenham corner was the original station for the racecourse at Epsom downs. However, as more people used it, a purpose build station at Epsom downs was built with multiple platforms that could deal with all the "special trains" that arrived on raceday. Sadly, cars took away the need. The rather lovely old station caught fire in suspicious circumstances and the whole area is now a new housing estate with a single platform Epsom Downs station in amongst the houses.