Hampton Court railway station is a suburban railway station in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, located in East Molesey by Hampton Court Bridge which is directly on the border of Greater London.
The station also serves Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and is located in Transport for London's Travelcard Zone 6; the station is across the River Thames from Hampton Court Park. The line is also used for the yearly Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in July and other event such as the Hampton Court Music Festival and a "Country affair" (2006).
It is the terminus of a short branch line, the Hampton Court Branch Line, with a junction on the South Western Main Line west of Surbiton. The only other station on the branch is Thames Ditton. The station was built on the island formed between the rivers Mole and Ember and access was via a wooden bridge from Creek Road. The branch was opened on 1 February 1849. In its first two years the carriages were pulled by horses being replaced by Steam Engines later. By 1868 there were four lines and platforms and a railway turntable as well as coal depot and ancillary buildings on the site. The peak capacity of this station was between 1912 and 1929 when over 10 sets of tracks routed to the site. 4 sets of theses tracks were designated for shuffle sidings (to augment services to the rest of the network) whilst 4 were dedicated for the station itself. 2 additional lines were associated with goods and bulk materials and the coal depot. During this period the Thames side turntable was removed (the foundations of which were recently revealed and destroyed by developer Gladedale (May 2013). It is believed it was relocated to the area now adjacent to Summer Road and Hampton Court Way.
In the 1930s the River Mole's bed was infilled and redirected to join with the River Ember, in order to construct Hampton Court Way and the Edward Lutyens designed Hampton Court Bridge. The station site is owned by Network Rail and the services operated by South West Trains using the 455 Class fleet.
Services from the station to destinations are at half hourly intervals during peak hours dropping to an hourly service thereafter. Weekend services run at a similar frequency. Almost all of the services either start or terminate at London Waterloo.
The typical off-peak service from the station is:
2 trains per hour to London Waterloo via Surbiton and Wimbledon
2 trains per hour from London Waterloo via Surbiton and Wimbledon terminating at the station
Trains take 35 minutes for the 13.3 miles (21 km) journey.
In common with the 16 hourly off-peak closer commuter services to/from London Waterloo calling at Earlsfield railway station (more in peak) and all intermittent London stations all managed by South West Trains, trains must stop at every intermittent station. There are no fast services available to mid distance destinations, which gives overcapacity towards Hampton Court due to the longer journey time and overcrowding during the inner city phase of journeys. This situation can be contrasted to certain other routes to destinations just outside of Greater London in certain other directions.
Trains use both platforms. Only the ground floor of the station buildings are in use. The "Jacobean" style building was designed by Sir William Tite to have ornately-decorated windows and doors. The upper floors are no longer used as station or commercial offices. Recent painting of the building for the Olympic Cycle event included overpainting the upper floor windows and general repairs.
The branch has speed restrictions of 40 mph on the Up line and 45 mph on the Down.
Network Rail have ongoing plans to refurbish the station (but not the refurbishment of the upper floors). Recent works include the extension of the platforms to accommodate 10 car trains and refurbishment of the glazing on the late Victorian canopies. There are washroom and toilet facilities at the station. On platform services include a newsagent, coffee and flower kiosks and capacity for 130 bicycles. There are also taxi booking offices. Disabled access is problematic due to kerb heights and steps from the car park. Platform ramps are available. Passenger waiting areas are external and unheated but under rain proof canopies.
Externally there are the 411 and R68 bus services, drop off and a 230+ pay and display car park. Coach parking is also available. Access to the river is available at the footings of Hampton Court Bridge adjacent. Depending on weather and tourist events Parrs Boats operate a ferry service from the station. National Cycle Route 4 passes the station.
The station sites bounds the historic "Sterte" of Cigarette Island and access to the park can be either from the Car Park or via the riverside.
New ticket machines were installed at all South West Trains' stations including Hampton Court, with these you can use Cash and Debit/Credit Cards to purchase tickets and top up oyster cards to any National Rail destination.
Platform signage installed during 2009 seems to be in a scheme identical to Southeastern colours, with white lettering on a navy blue field. Similar platform signs have also made an appearance at New Malden railway station. This style signage is now appearing across the South West Trains network.
Planning permission for the extensive redevelopment of the site was granted in 2009, this expires in June 2013. To date no works have been carried out by the developer. Most recently in May 2013 the planning inspectorate are reviewing the planning condition relating to the rejection of the travel plan. The development proposes a 300 place underground car park with residential and commercial properties over (in the location of the existing car show room and coach park), a 66 bedroom hotel (in the location of and to the height of the existing lighting tower), a care home (in the location of the current Network Rail works compound area at the end of the car park) and townhouses (in the location of the existing Car Park).
As part of the proposed Crossrail 2 infrastructure, Hampton Court has been proposed by business group London First as the terminus for a potential service to Cheshunt via Central London, opening in the "early 2030s".