Baynards railway station

Baynards
Location
Place Baynards Park
Area Waverley, Surrey
Grid reference TQ077351
Operations
Pre-grouping London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
Post-grouping Southern Railway
Southern Region of British Railways
Platforms 2
History
2 October 1865 Station opened
14 June 1965 Station closed
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain
A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z
UK Railways portal

Baynards was a railway station on the Cranleigh Line. The line was single track and opened on 2 October 1865.

The station comprises the stationmaster's house, two waiting rooms, covered platforms, storesheds, a booking hall, a porch and a large goods shed. The station covers in all 0.45 acres (0.18 ha).

History

It was built for Lord Thurlow, the owner of nearby Baynards Park, whose land was on the route of the proposed railway line. As a condition of sale, Lord Thurlow insisted on having a station built to serve his estate, despite there being no nearby settlement. The station was also used as the local post office in times when up to 30 horses and carts would queue outside on market days.

Baynards railway station in 1961

Near the station was the Baynards Brick and Tile Works which was served by its own private siding. In early years it was a brickworks, producing Fuller's earth for the wool industry, and then foundry clay in later years. It then became a chemical processing works, receiving annually 400 tons of goods by rail (including sulphur from Italy via the Thames docks, tin from Swansea and packaging from Sittingbourne), whilst also sending out its own goods, from seed dressings to polishing compounds.

In February 1957 the BBC filmed an adaptation of The Railway Children here. The Station Porter/Signalman during this period, Geoff Birdfield, won a prize for the best display of dahlias on the railway line; he had around 1000 dahlias of 240 different varieties that he grew behind the platforms. After closure of the line in 1965, Birdfield erected a 52 ft (16 m) x 12 ft (3.7 m) greenhouse on one platform and cold frame on the trackbed. He remained at Baynards until 1970 and finally retired as a relief signalman in 1980, having spent 44 years working for the railway.

The station building was auctioned on 21 June 1973 at Bramley Grange Hotel where it was purchased by its current owners who have carefully restored it to its original condition. Every year the Rudgwick Preservation Society organises a guided walk to the station where the owners give a tour, attracting up to 150 people.

Preceding station Disused railways Following station
Cranleigh
Line and station closed		   British Rail
Southern Region
Guildford to Horsham
Cranleigh Line		   Rudgwick
Line and station closed

Other Cranleigh Line stations

References

    External links

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baynards railway station.

    Coordinates: 51°06′18″N 0°27′47″W / 51.10509°N 0.46305°W