Croydon Central Railway Station - Authorisation

Authorisation

In 1839, Croydon, then a thriving market town of around 20,000 inhabitants strategically situated on the southern fringe of London, was first connected with the rapidly-expanding railway network when the London and Croydon Railway opened a station (now known as West Croydon) near London Road. Two years later, the London and Brighton Railway opened a rival station (now known as East Croydon) on the other side of town. Both stations were a fair distance from the centre of Croydon and the local stage coach, previously the dominant mode of transport in the area and now undercut by the railway, sought to create new business by ferrying passengers to and from the stations.

This situation prevailed until 1863 when, under pressure from local townspeople to provide a more convenient station, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) (formed in 1846 by a merger between the two rival companies) promoted the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (Additional Powers) Bill which, amongst other matters, sought authorisation for the construction of a branch spur from East Croydon station to Katharine Street where a new "Central Station" would be built. The Act passed into law on 29 July 1864 and the railway company began purchasing the land necessary for its station. Annexed to the bill was a plan of the area required by the railway: this took in a whole block between the present-day Mint Walk and Katharine Street right up to the High Street. The line and station were initially intended not to run parallel with Katharine Street but instead to approach it at an angle. A subsequent realignment of the route made it parallel with Katharine Street, thereby reducing the amount of land needing to be purchased. The plot of land to the west of Park Street was purchased for a total sum of £11,217 and a contract was awarded to Messrs John T Chappell of Steyning to construct the line and station for £4,089.

The short branch line left the Brighton Main Line just south of George Street and curved sharply west, where the Fairfield Halls are today. It passed under Park Lane, through the Queen's Gardens and continued to the site of the Croydon Clocktower and Town Hall.