Croydon’s derelict train station, hidden amongst beautiful woodland

Tucked away behind the residential streets of South Croydon, a magical piece of history has lain dormant and unused for over a century. If you’re a local, you may have stumbled across it, but for those visiting from outside the area, it’s a hidden gem that’s easy to miss.

Croydon is full of abandoned railway stations, but this one – Spencer Road Halt – is undoubtedly one of the most surreal and intriguing. Located on a lane off Spencer Road and Birdhurst Rise, the station still stands as a testament to a bygone era.

Built in 1906 as part of the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway, the station was intended to give passengers a quick ten-minute walk to South Croydon station, where they could catch a train on the Brighton line for a seaside getaway.

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However, the station never took off and was closed just nine years later in 1915.

What was seen as a minor loss in 1915 has now become a major victory for urban explorers keen to discover an abandoned railway station in south London.

As you wander down the lane towards the abandoned train station, you’ll find yourself in a small wooded area and you might even think you’ve taken a wrong turn. But if you continue, you will suddenly come across an old, big, green, metal footbridge.

It is quite a sight to behold.

And if you look closely under the bridge and through the bush, you’ll see the old railway lines.

Adding to the fun, you can climb the bridge and look down on the old railway line as it disappears into the dark forest. It’s a magical sight that would even leave Harry Potter spellbound.

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