(Coombe Road, 12.3.1984)
This was Coombe Road on the old electrified line that used to skirt Croydon, closed in 1983. Closure of electric lines on the southern was very rare - I can only think of the Nunhead-Crystal Palace High Level (1954) and Haywards Heath-Horsted Keynes (1963) as precedents, though since the above closure the short Addiscombe and Coulsdon North lines have also closed.
This route didn't stay rail free for long as much of it was utilised by Croydon Tramlink, which also involved the compulsory purchase and demolition of a number of houses built on the trackbed after closure - something that is going to become very commonplace in the future as the Beeching cuts are reversed.
Some wise words there; particularly at the end of the last paragraph..!
ReplyDeleteAn Aunt had a flat overlooking the line, she missed the trains when they ended. They moved a mile or so up the road later and had the Sanderstead line at the bottom of the garden instead!
ReplyDeleteIn his Evercreech Junction film, Sir John Betjeman points out the folly of line closures as they were happening. Pointing out that one day we'll regret such closures as the roads become more congested. How right he was!
Due to the constuction of the Croydon Trams........this is why the line closed.
ReplyDeleteThe line did not close due to Tramlink Construction, the line had been for many years scaled down due to low passenger numbers and if you look at the history of the 'Selsdon Line' as it was known you will see that during its lifetime the line had been closed on more than 2 occasions.
ReplyDeleteIt featured in the film The Rebel starring Tony Hancock too!
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