Hither Green railway station
Encyclopedia
Hither Green is a railway station located in Hither Green
in the London Borough of Lewisham
, in southeast London
, United Kingdom
. Hither Green is a busy commuter station with services to several London termini (Cannon Street
, Charing Cross
and London Bridge
) and destinations to the southeast (Orpington
and Sevenoaks
on the South Eastern Main Line and Dartford
and Gravesend
on the Dartford Loop Line
). It is in Travelcard Zone 3
and very close to Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)
, Grove Park Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot
, and Grove Park Safety Training Centre.
The station and all trains are operated by Southeastern
.
Hither Green station was opened on the 1 June 1895, by the South Eastern Railway (SER). It was built at Hither Green junction which had been formed some thirty years earlier. Originally there was a booking hall in Springbank Road which was built to serve the St. Germans Estate. The redbrick gateposts are still visible outside the timber merchants which now occupies the site. The original stationmaster's house survives at 69 Springbank Road. The main station building was built in Staplehurst Road. Since 1974 access to the new booking hall located between platforms 4 and 5 has been up a ramp from a foot tunnel.
In 1899 the SER entered a working relationship known as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
, which managed the station until 1 January 1923, when it became part of the Southern Railway
. The Southern Region
of British Rail
was responsible from nationalisation in 1948 until the regions were completely abolished at the end of 1992.
On 5 November 1967, an express train from Hastings
to Charing Cross derailed between Grove Park and Hither Green station, close to where the railway crosses St. Mildred's Road. Forty-nine passengers were killed..
. Unauthorised personnel can be fined up to £1000 for trespassing on railway property.
While the station has a ticket office, it is not open at all times. Ticket machines are available at all times at the Fernbrook Road exit, between platforms 4 and 5, and at the Springbank Road exit, on platform 1. There are a refreshment stand and news stand, but these are not open at all times.
A toilet is available; however the toilet is locked and can only be opened by a staff member during manned hours to travellers with a valid ticket.
for London Buses. Bus 273 serves Lewisham, Hither Green (Fernbrook Road), Lee Green, Chislehurst, Petts Wood and is operated by Selkent
for London Buses.
The nearby freight yards were an important strategic location for cross-London freight trains from circa 1910-1970. As a result the SR opened a new motive power depot
to the south of the station in 1933.. The depot closed to steam in 1961 and was converted to Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot
Hither Green
Hither Green is a district in south east London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated 6.6 miles south east of Charing Cross, and on the Prime Meridian....
in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
, in southeast London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Hither Green is a busy commuter station with services to several London termini (Cannon Street
Cannon Street station
Cannon Street station, also known as London Cannon Street, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. It is built on the site of the medieval Steelyard, the trading base in England of the Hanseatic League...
, Charing Cross
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
and London Bridge
London Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
) and destinations to the southeast (Orpington
Orpington railway station
Orpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
and Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks railway station
Sevenoaks railway station serves the town of Sevenoaks in Kent. Train services are provided by Southeastern.Trains from the station run northbound to London Bridge, Cannon Street , Waterloo East and London Charing Cross via Orpington, to London Blackfriars via Swanley and Catford, and southbound to...
on the South Eastern Main Line and Dartford
Dartford railway station
Dartford railway station serves the town of Dartford in Kent, England. All train services from the station are operated by Southeastern, which also manages the station...
and Gravesend
Gravesend railway station
Gravesend railway station serves the town of Gravesend in north Kent; train services are operated by Southeastern. The station is 24 miles from London Charing Cross...
on the Dartford Loop Line
Dartford Loop Line
The Dartford Loop Line is one of three lines linking London with Dartford in Kent, England. It lies to the south of the other two: the North Kent Line and the Bexleyheath Line.-Construction:...
). It is in Travelcard Zone 3
Travelcard Zone 3
Fare zone 3 is a zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services...
and very close to Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)
Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)
Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot or Hither Green TMD is a rail depot used for the maintenance and servicing of freight trains. It is a hub for moving freight around southeast England. Hither Green TMD is owned and operated by DBS. The official depot code is HG...
, Grove Park Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot
Grove Park Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot
Grove Park Traincare Depot and Sidings is a major rail depot in South East London. It consists of two sets of sidings , one on either side of the Main line which are linked by a pedestrian overbridge. On the Down side are Bramdean sidings and the large carriage shed, whilst on the Up side are St...
, and Grove Park Safety Training Centre.
The station and all trains are operated by Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
.
History
In 1899 the SER entered a working relationship known as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
, which managed the station until 1 January 1923, when it became part of the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
. The Southern Region
Southern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
of British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
was responsible from nationalisation in 1948 until the regions were completely abolished at the end of 1992.
On 5 November 1967, an express train from Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
to Charing Cross derailed between Grove Park and Hither Green station, close to where the railway crosses St. Mildred's Road. Forty-nine passengers were killed..
Facilities and exits
There are two exits to Hither Green Station: Fernbrook Road and Springbank Road. The Fernbrook Road exit may be used to reach Hither Green village, the 273 bus line, and routes towards Lee Green. The Springbank Road exit may be used also for Hither Green Lane, and for the 225 bus line, private hire cabs, and routes towards Brownhill Road and St. Mildreds Road. The exit towards the southeast end of platform 4 is an exit for authorised personnel only via Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)
Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot or Hither Green TMD is a rail depot used for the maintenance and servicing of freight trains. It is a hub for moving freight around southeast England. Hither Green TMD is owned and operated by DBS. The official depot code is HG...
. Unauthorised personnel can be fined up to £1000 for trespassing on railway property.
While the station has a ticket office, it is not open at all times. Ticket machines are available at all times at the Fernbrook Road exit, between platforms 4 and 5, and at the Springbank Road exit, on platform 1. There are a refreshment stand and news stand, but these are not open at all times.
A toilet is available; however the toilet is locked and can only be opened by a staff member during manned hours to travellers with a valid ticket.
Destinations
Rail services operate from Hither Green station to:- Lewisham, St Johns, New Cross, London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross
- Grove Park (for Sundridge Park and Bromley North), Elmstead Woods, Chislehurst, Petts Wood, Orpington, Chelsfield, Knockholt, Dunton Green, and Sevenoaks
- Lee, Mottingham, New Eltham, Sidcup, Albany Park, Bexley, Crayford, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe (for Bluewater), Swanscombe, Northfleet and Gravesend.
- Slade Green, Erith, Belvedere, Abbey Wood, Plumstead, Woolwich Arsenal, Woolwich Dockyard, Charlton, Westcombe Park, Maze Hill, Greenwich, and Deptford.
Frequency
The typical off-peak service from the station is:- 4 trains per hour (tph) to London Cannon StreetCannon Street stationCannon Street station, also known as London Cannon Street, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. It is built on the site of the medieval Steelyard, the trading base in England of the Hanseatic League...
, calling at all stations. - 4 tph to London Charing Cross, running fast to London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
, then all stations - 2 tph to London Cannon Street via SidcupSidcup railway stationSidcup railway station is a railway station located in Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley in south-east London. It is in Travelcard Zone 5.-Services:These are operated by Southeastern, who also manage the station.* 2tph to * 2tph to...
and Woolwich ArsenalWoolwich Arsenal railway stationWoolwich Arsenal station is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway interchange station located in Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich. It acts as a local station on the North Kent Line between London and Gillingham, served by Southeastern, and is the southern terminus of the Woolwich...
. - 2 tph to GravesendGravesend railway stationGravesend railway station serves the town of Gravesend in north Kent; train services are operated by Southeastern. The station is 24 miles from London Charing Cross...
via Sidcup and DartfordDartford railway stationDartford railway station serves the town of Dartford in Kent, England. All train services from the station are operated by Southeastern, which also manages the station...
- originating from London Charing Cross - 2 tph to OrpingtonOrpington railway stationOrpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
via ChislehurstChislehurst railway stationChislehurst railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It is in Travelcard Zone 5, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern....
- originating from London Cannon Street - 2 tph to SevenoaksSevenoaks railway stationSevenoaks railway station serves the town of Sevenoaks in Kent. Train services are provided by Southeastern.Trains from the station run northbound to London Bridge, Cannon Street , Waterloo East and London Charing Cross via Orpington, to London Blackfriars via Swanley and Catford, and southbound to...
via OrpingtonOrpington railway stationOrpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
, originating from London Charing Cross
Connections
Bus 181 serves Lewisham. Hither Green (Hither Green Lane), Torridon Road, Catford, Lower Sydenham, Downham and Grove Park operated by Metrobus for London Buses. Bus 225 starts at Hither Green (Springbank Road) and reaches Lewisham, Canada Water (newly extended Lewisham - Hither Green). The buses are operated by Go-Ahead London CentralLondon Central
London Central is one of many operators of London Buses. It was established in late 1988 as one of 12 operating subsidiaries of London Buses Limited , and was privatised to the Go-Ahead Group in September 1994...
for London Buses. Bus 273 serves Lewisham, Hither Green (Fernbrook Road), Lee Green, Chislehurst, Petts Wood and is operated by Selkent
Selkent
Selkent, or the South East London & Kent Bus Company Ltd, is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London. It is currently owned by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London....
for London Buses.
Freight yards and motive power depot
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
to the south of the station in 1933.. The depot closed to steam in 1961 and was converted to Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot