Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway
Encyclopedia
The Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway was an abortive railway scheme which obtained powers in July 1865 to build a line from Croydon
to Tunbridge Wells
, via Oxted
with the intention that it should be worked by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). The project was abandoned in 1867, before completion, following withdrawal of support by the LB&SCR, but part of the trackbed was later used in the construction of the Oxted Line
.
to Tunbridge Wells
, via Oxted
. The intention was that the line, once built, would be worked by, or else leased to, the LB&SCR.
The scheme, and particularly the involvement of the LB&SCR chairman Leo Schuster, attracted opposition from the South Eastern Railway
(SER) who saw it as a significant incursion into their territory, creating a new direct line from London to Tunbridge Wells in opposition to their own existing one, and thereby contravening an 1849 agreement between the two companies. In retalliation, the SER put forward proposals for a new 'London, Lewes and Brighton' railway, together with the London Chatham and Dover Railway. There were also irregularities in the purchase of land, and criticisms of the use of foreign labour by the contractors.
As a result of these difficulties and the financial crisis of 1866-7, the LB&SCR signed a new agreement with the SER in which they withdrew support for the scheme and the SER abandoned their own scheme. Work on the new line ceased, but the Surrey and Sussex company remained in existence until 1869 when it was merged with the LB&SCR and then closed.
Much of the trackbed for this railway was later used in a joint scheme by the LB&SCR and SER to create a joint line
from Croydon to Oxted
.
South Croydon railway station
South Croydon railway station is in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It is on the Brighton Line at its junction with the Oxted Line. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southern.-History:...
to Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells West railway station
Tunbridge Wells West is a railway station located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It is one of two railway stations in Tunbridge Wells constructed by rival companies. The other, Tunbridge Wells Central was opened in 1845 by the South Eastern Railway . Tunbridge Wells West was closed to mainline...
, via Oxted
Oxted
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
with the intention that it should be worked by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). The project was abandoned in 1867, before completion, following withdrawal of support by the LB&SCR, but part of the trackbed was later used in the construction of 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....
.
History
The railway originated as an independent scheme drawn up by several former officers and directors of the LB&SCR in 1864 for a line from CroydonSouth Croydon railway station
South Croydon railway station is in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It is on the Brighton Line at its junction with the Oxted Line. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southern.-History:...
to Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells West railway station
Tunbridge Wells West is a railway station located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It is one of two railway stations in Tunbridge Wells constructed by rival companies. The other, Tunbridge Wells Central was opened in 1845 by the South Eastern Railway . Tunbridge Wells West was closed to mainline...
, via Oxted
Oxted
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
. The intention was that the line, once built, would be worked by, or else leased to, the LB&SCR.
The scheme, and particularly the involvement of the LB&SCR chairman Leo Schuster, attracted opposition from the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
(SER) who saw it as a significant incursion into their territory, creating a new direct line from London to Tunbridge Wells in opposition to their own existing one, and thereby contravening an 1849 agreement between the two companies. In retalliation, the SER put forward proposals for a new 'London, Lewes and Brighton' railway, together with the London Chatham and Dover Railway. There were also irregularities in the purchase of land, and criticisms of the use of foreign labour by the contractors.
As a result of these difficulties and the financial crisis of 1866-7, the LB&SCR signed a new agreement with the SER in which they withdrew support for the scheme and the SER abandoned their own scheme. Work on the new line ceased, but the Surrey and Sussex company remained in existence until 1869 when it was merged with the LB&SCR and then closed.
Much of the trackbed for this railway was later used in a joint scheme by the LB&SCR and SER to create a joint 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....
from Croydon to Oxted
Oxted
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
.