Mid-Kent Line

Mid Kent Line
Legend To Lewisham South Eastern Main Line Ladywell Catford Bridge Catford Loop Line Lower Sydenham New Beckenham -2nd station New Beckenham -1st station Beckenham Spur junction CML to London Victoria Beckenham Junction CML to Dover Priory Clock House Elmers End Ex-Addiscombe Line and Ex-W&SCR to Selsdon Eden Park West Wickham Hayes

The Mid-Kent Line^[1] (referred to as the Hayes Line by train operators,^[2] official bodies^[3] and the general public^[4]) is a British railway line running from Courthill Loop North junction^[5] (just south of Lewisham station) to Hayes (Kent) station in the London Borough of Bromley. Despite its name, none of the line is in the present-day county of Kent.

Stations

• Ladywell
• Catford Bridge
• Lower Sydenham
• New Beckenham
• Clock House
• Elmers End
• Eden Park
• West Wickham
• Hayes

History

The name was used by the successors to railways built by the Mid Kent Railway and South Eastern Railway between 1857 and 1882. The line was originally planned to reach Westerham and Sevenoaks but a combination of factors prevented this occurring.

The line was opened on 1 January 1857^[6] between Lewisham, now in the London borough of that name, and Beckenham Junction. Stations on that section were:

• Ladywell
• Catford Bridge
• Lower Sydenham - rebuilt on a new site in 1904-6
• Beckenham (renamed Beckenham Junction in 1864.

Operated by the South Eastern Railway the line was extended from a new station at New Beckenham to Elmers End and Addiscombe in 1864 with later intermediate stations at Clock House (1880) and Woodside and South Norwood (1881). The section between Elmers End and Addiscombe was closed in 1997 in preparation for its Tramlink replacement opened in 2000.

In 1882 two extensions were constructed; one the Hayes branch went to Eden Park, West Wickham and Hayes and the Woodside and South Croydon Railway (a joint South Eastern Railway and London, Brighton and South Coast Railway line) to the Oxted Line, and electrified as far as Sanderstead which closed in 1983. The Mid Kent line and Hayes Branch was electrified in 1925-6 and the Sanderstead line in 1935.

Current use

Today passenger trains run only over the main section to Hayes, as track of the former line south of Elmers End is now used by Tramlink.

Goods services were withdrawn in 1964 with the exception of Beckenham Junction which survived until 1982.^[7]

References

Railway lines in London Main Lines Primary High Speed 1 East Coast Main Line Great Eastern Main Line Great Western Main Line Midland Main Line West Coast Main Line Secondary Chatham Main Line Chiltern Main Line Crossrail (under construction) South Eastern Main Line South Western Main Line West Anglia Main Line Thameslink London, Tilbury and Southend Line Branch Regional Aylesbury Line Bexleyheath Line Caterham Line Dartford Loop Line Epsom Downs Branch Hampton Court Branch Line Hertford Loop Line Lea Valley Lines North Kent Line Oxted Line Shepperton Branch Line Sutton and Mole Valley Lines Tattenham Corner Line Watford DC Line Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Line Intra-London Acton-Northolt Line Bromley North Line Catford Loop Line Chessington Branch Line Chingford Branch Line Crystal Palace Line Dudding Hill Line East London Line Gospel Oak to Barking Line Greenford Branch Line Greenwich Line Hayes Line Hounslow Loop Line Kingston Loop Line North London Line Northern City Line Nunhead to Lewisham Link Romford to Upminster Line South London Line West London Line Disused Addiscombe Line City Widened Lines Croxley Green Line Crystal Palace High Level Branch Line Greenwich Park Branch Line North London Line (City Branch) Palace Gates Line Staines & West Drayton Line Uxbridge (Vine Street) Branch Line Watford to Rickmansworth Line West Croydon to Wimbledon Line Woodside & Sanderstead Line London Transport portal

Coordinates: 51°24′57″N 0°02′07″W / 51.4158°N 0.0353°W / 51.4158; -0.0353