The Mid-Kent Line is the name used by the successors to railways built by the Mid Kent Railway and South Eastern Railway between 1857 and 1882. The railway was originally planned the border of the counties of Kent and Surrey, and on to Westerham

Westerham

Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, in South East England with 5,000 people. The parish is south of the North Downs, ten miles west of Sevenoaks. It covers 5800 acres . It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a...

 and Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...

 but a combination of factors caused it to never actaully serve the part of the county named in its title.

The line was opened on 1 January 1857 between Lewisham, now in the London borough of that name

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...

, and Beckenham Junction

Beckenham Junction station

Beckenham Junction is a railway station and a tram terminus in Beckenham, south east London. It is in the London Borough of Bromley and Travelcard Zone 4, 8.6 miles from London Victoria....

. Stations on that section were:

• Ladywell
  Ladywell railway station
  Ladywell railway station is in Ladywell, in the London Borough of Lewisham in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
  
  
• Catford Bridge
  Catford Bridge railway station
  Catford Bridge railway station is on the Mid-Kent Line, serving Hayes line trains from Charing Cross to Hayes. It lies between Ladywell and Lower Sydenham stations, in Travelcard Zone 3. It is next to, and on a lower level than, Catford railway station on the Catford Loop line...
  
  
• Lower Sydenham
  Lower Sydenham railway station
  Lower Sydenham railway station is just to the north of the boundary between the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Bromley in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 4...
  
   - rebuilt on a new site in 1904-6
• Beckenham (renamed Beckenham Juncton in 1864.

Operated by the South Eastern Railway the line was extended from a new station at New Beckenham to Elmers End and Addiscombe in 1864 with later intermediate stations at Clock House (1980) and Woodside and South Norwood (1881). The section between Elmers End and Addiscombe was closed in 1997 in preparation for its Tramlink replacement opened in 2000.

In 1882 two extensions were constructed; one the Hayes branch

Hayes Line

The Hayes Line is the railway service in south east London, United Kingdom operated by Southeastern between Charing Cross or Cannon Street and Hayes in the London Borough of Bromley...

 went to Eden Park, West Wickham and Hayes and the Woodside and South Croydon Railway

Woodside and South Croydon Railway

The Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway was a short, relatively short-lived and unsuccessful railway in the London Borough of Croydon in London, England. Its site is now largely occupied by Tramlink.- Route :- History :...

 (a joint South Eastern Railway and London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...

 line) to the Oxted Line

Oxted Line

The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....

, and electrified as far as Sanderstead

Sanderstead railway station

Sanderstead railway station is in the London Borough of Croydon, a mile from Sanderstead village. It is in Travelcard Zone 6.The station, operated by Southern, is served by Oxted Line trains from East Grinstead and Uckfield to East Croydon and London Bridge and London Victoria.On the London-bound...

 which and closed in 1993. The Mid Kent line and Hayes Branch was electrified in 1925-6 and the Sanderstead line in 1935.

Today trains run only to Hayes

Hayes railway station

Hayes railway station is a railway station located in Hayes in the London Borough of Bromley, south east London, England.The station is served by Southeastern services from Charing Cross and Cannon Street. It forms the suburban terminus for trains on the Hayes line...

. Tramlink

Tramlink

Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...

 now occupies the track of the former line south of Elmers End

Elmers End

Elmers End is a place in London Borough of Bromley, England. It has a large green space which is the centre of a gyratory. Very close to the combined railway station and Tramlink terminus bearing its name is the old sewage farm. The remains of this industrial site can still be seen...

. Goods services wedre withdrawn in 1964 with the exception of Beckenham Junction which survived until 1982.