Caterham Line

Caterham Line
Overview
Type	Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Greater London Surrey
Termini	London Bridge London Victoria Caterham
Stations	Kenley, Whyteleafe, Whyteleafe South & Caterham
Ridership	2006-07 = 1.657 million 2007-08 = 1.843 million 2008-09 = 1.808 million 2009-10 = 1.799 million 2010-11 = 1.857 million 2011-12 = 1.936 million
Operation
Opened	5 August 1856
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Southern
Rolling stock	Class 377 "Electrostar" Class 455
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Caterham Line
Legend 0m 00ch London Bridge London Victoria Purley North Junction 15m 13ch Purley 15m 23ch Chipstead Line Junction Tattenham Corner Line Brighton Main Line 16m 29ch Kenley 17m 58ch Whyteleafe 18m 18ch Whyteleafe South 19m 70ch Caterham

A 1905 Railway Clearing House map of the Caterham Line and surrounding lines.

The Caterham Line runs between Purley in South London and Caterham in Surrey. The line operates as a commuter service to London.

History

The Caterham branch was opened as the Caterham Railway on 5 August 1856, from a junction with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). The opening had been delayed because of a quarrel between the LB&SCR and the South Eastern Railway (SER), in whose territory the line was deemed to be. When the Caterham Railway went bankrupt in 1859, the SER took it over.

A 4 EPB on the Southern Region standing at Caterham railway station in 1984.

Infrastructure

The line is double-track and electrified at 750 V DC using third rail. Immediately south of the junction station at Purley the Tattenham Corner Line leaves, and the railway follows the valley opposite Riddlesdown and the Oxted Line, which it parallels almost to Caterham. The branch has a line speed of 60 mph.

Services

Train services on the line are operated by Southern, and run to London Bridge and London Victoria . During peak hours trains to London are faster, but combine (am and also 1 pm) or divide (mostly pm but also some am) at Purley, the other section being for the Tattenham Corner Line.

A typical off peak service from London Bridge calls at New Cross Gate, Brockley, Honor Oak Park, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Norwood Junction, East Croydon, South Croydon, Purley Oaks, Purley, Kenley, Whyteleafe, Whyteleafe South and Caterham.

Services are provided by a mixture of Class 455 and Class 377 EMUs.

External links

• History of the branch line