Caterham line

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

Caterham line
A Southern Class 455 at Whyteleafe station in 2019
Overview
Type	Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Greater London Surrey
Termini	London Bridge London Victoria 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
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Route map (Click to expand)

Caterham Line
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 Halliloo Platform (private station 1856–1897) 19m 70ch Caterham

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
• 
  A 1905 Railway Clearing House map of the Caterham line and surrounding lines

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

2 tph to London Bridge, calling at Caterham, Whyteleafe South, Whyteleafe, Kenley, Purley, Purley Oaks, South Croydon, East Croydon and London Bridge. This service divides/attaches at Purley, with the other portion continuing to the Tattenham Corner line. This service is operated by Class 377/6 or 7.

2 tph to London Bridge, calling at Caterham, Whyteleafe South, Whyteleafe, Kenley, Purley, East Croydon, Selhurst, Thornton Heath, Norbury, Streatham Common, Streatham, Tulse Hill, North Dulwich, East Dulwich, Peckham Rye, Queen's Road Peckham, South Bermondsey and London Bridge. This service is operated by a pair of Class 455s.

During the peak hours, the latter service is replaced by a train to/from London Victoria, which calls at all stations to East Croydon, then Clapham Junction and London Victoria. This service runs jointly to Tattenham Corner, and is operated by Class 377/6 or 7.

Oyster and contactless payment cards are valid for travel on the entire length of the route. The line from Purley to Caterham is located entirely within Travelcard Zone 6.

External links

• History of the branch line

Further reading

• Spence, Jeoffry (1986). The Caterham Railway. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 978-0-85361-325-1. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
• Moody, G.T. (1979). Southern Electric 1909-1979. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0924-4.
• Glover, John (2001). Southern Electric. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2807-9.