CROYDON CENTRAL STATION (DISUSED), CROYDON, SURREY UK - Train Stations/Depots on Waymarking.com

An idea that never really took off, the station was opened on the 1st January 1868 by the London Brighton & South Coast Railway. It never proved to be a popular line and was closed to passengers in 1871 and demolished on 1st September 1890.
The area of the station is now a sunken gardens and all that remains is the retaining wall. In place of the station we have the Croydon Town Hall, Clocktower, Corporation Offices and Central Library.

Some history and notes (taken from the Disused Stations Website – link below – many thanks :

The new station had two parallel platforms on the south side of Katherine Street protected by sawtooth canopies and two centre roads which could be used for storage or engine release. Behind the buffers there was a narrow concourse connected to the main building by two short flights of steps. The main station building was at right angles to Katherine Street and included a two storey stationmaster's house at the north end. There was a small cab yard to the side of the building. Beyond the platform the four tracks converged into two, flanked on the north side by a retaining wall below Katherine Street. From the opening there were 12 daily trains from London Bridge and 13 up trains most calling at all stations. Another four down and three up trains ran between Central Croydon and Kensington (Addison Road). Despite its convenient location for the town centre, it was quicker to change at New Croydon for a fast train into London and passengers made little use of the new station so by the beginning of 1871 the service was reduced to three trains each way to London Bridge and one afternoon journey down from Victoria. Complete closure followed after the last train on 30th November.
The station still failed to attract sufficient passengers and closed for the last time on 1st September 1890 when LNWR and GER trains were cut back to New Croydon. The tracks to the east of Park Lane were retained and converted into an engineer's department depot known as Fairfield Yard. The remainder of the branch was sold to Croydon Corporation and used for the New Town Hall which opened in 1896. Fairfield yard remained in use until February 1933 after which date the site was used as a temporary car park before cleared in the 1960's during the redevelopment of Croydon.

Today, Croydon Town Hall stands on the site of Central Croydon station but the cutting to the east of the town hall with its high brick retaining wall on the south side of Katherine Street survives as a sunken garden, part of the Queens Gardens. A pedestrian subway follows the course of the line under Park Lane and through the underground car park between the Ashcroft Theatre and the College of Art. A plaque commemorating Central Croydon Station can be seen on the retaining wall in Queens Gardens.

The gardens are an impressive site especially in the spring and summer. You are looking for a plaque commemorating the station and gardens high up on the retaining wall on your left just before the pedestrian subway which follows the line of the old track.

Many thanks to the Group Owners for giving me permission to add this waymark and advising me on the content.

Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No Is the station/depot open to the public?: Yes If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?: A town hall and public gardens. What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: 29 Chain Branch from New to Central Croydon (London Bridge and London Victoria. Station/Depot Web Site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/17/2013 Master Mariner visited it