History
The railway station at Raynes Park was opened on 30 October 1871 on the London & South Western Railway (L&SWR) line that ran from its terminus at London Waterloo to Woking and beyond. The main line runs approximately east-west with the through lines (fast lines) through the middle with no platforms.
Raynes Park station is the junction station where the lines to Epsom (and then onto Dorking or Guildford) and Chessington South branch off from the mainline to Woking and beyond.
When originally built the route to Epsom joined with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) at Epsom for the double track line from Ashtead to Leatherhead. From where the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) headed to Effingham Junction and on to Guildford. (The LBSCR headed to Dorking North and then Horsham).
The Chessington branch splits from the Epsom line at Motspur Park (the first station after Raynes Park). The Chessington Branch was a very late arrival, constructed in 1938-9, which never reached through to its planned destination of Leatherhead.
One distinct feature of the station is the long footbridge over the 4 tracks of the main line which is set at an angle because of the offset of the platforms. This stands out as the mainline is on a fairly high embankment (allowing local roads and the Epsom line to pass beneath). Passenger access to the station is via subway at street level on either side of the mainline.
There was originally a LSWR mechanical signal box on the far south opposite platforms 1 and 2, but was demolished and replaced by modern automated signalling equipment many years ago.
Raynes Park goods yard was in and beyond the notch between Platforms 3 and 4, and was accessed from the Epsom lines. It did not push right up into the point of the V though. The goods yard is no longer in use and is now occupied by local manufacturing firms.
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