Southern Region of British Railways - Line and Station Closures

Line and Station Closures

The formerly busy Blackfriars goods yard and wharf had closed between 1935 and 1947. Freshwater on the Isle of Wight closed in 1953. The "Bluebell line" between East Grinstead and Lewes closed between 1955 and 1958. The lines in Devon and Cornwall were also transferred to Western Region in 1963; most Southern Region services west of Exeter (such as to Bude and Padstow), including the Atlantic Coast Express, ceased in the 1960s. Many "under-used" stations like Walworth Road Goods in southern London, Wilton in Wiltshire, Sheffield Park in Sussex and Kemptown in Brighton, Sussex closed. Sheffield Park became part of the Bluebell Railway preserved line.

The Beeching Axe severely cut the route mileage of most regions but the Southern Region escaped major losses in the London commuter area due to high passenger numbers on its frequent suburban services. The Axe did, however, close some country branch lines such as Tunbridge Wells Central to Three Bridges, Eridge to Polegate, Horsham to Guildford, Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst, New Romney to Appledore, the Bexhill West branch, and the Steyning Line, plus many goods yards including Deptford Wharf, Falcon Lane and Walworth Road, amongst others.

The line between Blackfriars and Farringdon was also closed in the 1960s but was reopened in the 1990s.

Holborn Viaduct in central London closed in 1990. As part of the upgrading of the reopened Blackfriars–Farringdon line it was replaced by City Thameslink station which occupies the same site, at a lower level.

As a contrast, Waterloo station had been extensively refurbished and expanded to allow for the development of the Eurostar terminal. These platforms will be turned over to domestic services as international services have moved to St Pancras railway station.