Croydon’s lost stations which were closed to make way for trams

Croydon’s tram service has become a modern commuter success story (for the most part), despite trams largely falling out of favor in the mid-20th century.

Some towns and cities have successfully reintroduced them, with London Tramlink now providing a fast and efficient service between Wimbledon, central Croydon, New Addington, Elmers End and Beckenham Junction. This connects parts of south London that were previously difficult to access.

However, every new development is built on something old. There have been railways here before and many existing transport networks have had to close or undergo significant changes to accommodate the fourth busiest light rail network in the UK.

READ MORE: The Tube line, which was originally so small it wasn’t even recognized as its own line

Addiscombe

One such victim was Addiscombe, a historic Croydon station which was closed to make way for trams. The station first opened its doors in May 1864 as Croydon (Addiscombe Road).

It was a crucial stop on the South Eastern Railway, later becoming part of the Southern Railway, and was at the end of a line that ran to London Bridge. It also had line connections to Brighton, Dover and London Victoria.

Unfortunately, after enjoying a boom in the early 1900s, the station gradually fell into disrepair. It became part of the Southern Region of British Railways and platform 3 was closed in 1956.

Through trains to London have been withdrawn and replaced by a transfer service to Elmers End. In its later years it was operated by Connex South Eastern and was in Zone 5 of the London network.

The station finally closed its doors when Tramlink opened in 2000.

The proposed new link would follow the old railway route from Elmers End to Woodside and then to Sanderstead. The station was finally demolished in 2001, making way for the East India Way housing development.

Today, a section of the old line can be explored on foot through Addiscombe Railway Park.

Beddington Lane

Beddington Lane is a name you’ll probably recognize from Beddington Lane Tramway Station, which now occupies the site of this long-abandoned station. Originally, this part of London was served by the Surrey Iron Railway (SIR), a line on which horse-drawn lorries carried goods between Wandsworth and Croydon via Mitcham.

This unique railway, which opened in 1803, transported goods such as coal, building materials, lime, manure and corn. However, it ceased operation in 1846 and was replaced by the Wimbledon and Croydon Railway.

Part of this new line included the single platform station at Beddington which opened in 1855. This charming little station consisted of wooden buildings at a level crossing.

But when plans for a new tram line were put in place, the station closed in 1997 and a new tram station was built on the site. The old line from Wimbledon to West Croydon was refurbished and became part of the modern tram network we know today.

Bingham Road

Bingham Road station was once located on the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway, which later evolved into much of the line used by Tramlink.

The railway line, which operated until the early 1980s, ran from Sanderstead to Elmers End, passing through Selsdon, Coombe Road, Bingham Road and Woodside.

Bingham Road station, which opened on this line on 1 September 1906, was short-lived and closed in March 1915 as part of wartime cost-saving measures. The station, located on the north side of Bingham Road, had two wooden platforms with no buildings.

Today it is the site of Addiscombe tram station.

Merton Park

Merton Park Station, now known as Merton Park Tram Station, is another familiar sight to tram users. The original station and line dates from 1868 when it opened as part of the Tooting, Merton and Wimbledon Railway.

The line ran from Wimbledon to Streatham, with both Wimbledon and Merton branches meeting at Tooting. Originally called Lower Merton, the station had three platforms, but the Tooting platforms were closed to passengers as early as 1929.

Freight services continued until 1979.

Mitcham

The station served passengers on the West Croydon to Wimbledon line until 1997 when it was closed to make way for Tramlink. The original station building has since been converted into a private house, forming part of a small housing estate covering part of the original station site.

Mitcham Tramway Station replaced an earlier station on the Wimbledon and Croydon Railway which originally opened in 1855.

Tram preparations led to the closure of this station in 1997.

Waddon Marsh

Originally opened in 1930 on the Southern Railway, this station was designed to serve new housing in the area as well as Croydon’s gas works and power stations. It was part of the older line between Wimbledon and West Croydon.

However, when Croydon B Power Station closed in 1976, use of the station declined.

The footbridge and one of the platforms have been removed.

In 1997, the station and the rest of the line were closed to make way for Tramlink. Waddon Marsh Tramway Station was built about 100 meters south of the old station.

Woodside

Believe it or not, this station was opened in the 1870s to serve a racecourse in nearby Croydon. There was even a special ramp for horses to get on and off the trains.

But things did not go according to plan. The racecourse closed in 1890 and the line to Selsdon was closed soon after.

The station began to fall into disuse.

Things improved in 1935 when the lines were electrified, providing direct services to London.

However, the line never fully recovered from the disruption caused by World War II. After the war it was replaced by a transfer service to Elmers End and a few services to London.

The station gradually declined and was closed in the early 1990s.

In preparation for the new tram link, it was replaced in 1997. Today, the site is home to Woodside tram station.

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