Mid-Kent Line

Mid-Kent Line
Overview
Type	Commuter rail, Suburban rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Greater London
Termini	Ladywell Hayes
Stations	9
Operation
Opened	1857
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Southeastern
Rolling stock	Class 376 "Electrostar" Class 465 "Networker" Class 466 "Networker"
Technical
No. of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Hayes Line

Legend South Eastern Main Line to London Cannon Street via New Cross Nunhead to Lewisham Link to London Victoria Proposed Bakerloo Line Extension via New Cross Gate to Elephant & Castle Lewisham North Kent Line to Gillingham via Woolwich Arsenal and Bexleyheath South Eastern Main Line to London Charing Cross South Eastern Main Line to Orpington and Dartford via Hither Green Ladywell Catford Loop Line to Thameslink via Blackfriars Catford & Catford Bridge South Circular Road Catford Loop Line to Sevenoaks via Bromley South Lower Sydenham New Beckenham(1866-Current) New Beckenham(1864-1866) Chatham Main Line to London Victoria via Herne Hill Crystal Palace Line to London Bridge via Peckham Rye Beckenham Junction Chatham Main Line via Bromley South Clock House Elmers End Woodside(1871-1997) Ex-W&SC Lines to Sanderstead Addiscombe (1864-1997) Carriage Depot closed 1993 Eden Park West Wickham Hayes

The Mid-Kent Line (referred to as the Hayes Line by train operators, official bodies and the general public) is a British railway line running from Courthill Loop North junction (just south of Lewisham station) to Hayes (Kent) station in the London Borough of Bromley. Despite its name, none of the line is in the present-day county of Kent.

Stations

• Ladywell
• Catford Bridge
• Lower Sydenham
• New Beckenham
• Clock House
• Elmers End
• Eden Park
• West Wickham
• Hayes

History

The name was used by the successors to railways built by the Mid Kent Railway and South Eastern Railway between 1857 and 1882. The line was originally planned to reach Westerham and Sevenoaks but a combination of factors prevented this occurring.

The line was opened on 1 January 1857 between Lewisham, now in the London borough of that name, and Beckenham Junction. Stations on that section were:

• Ladywell
• Catford Bridge
• Lower Sydenham - rebuilt on a new site in 1904-6
• Beckenham (renamed Beckenham Junction 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 (1880) 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 went to Eden Park, West Wickham and Hayes and the Woodside and South Croydon Railway (a joint South Eastern Railway and London, Brighton and South Coast Railway line) to the Oxted Line, and electrified as far as Sanderstead which closed in 1983. The Mid Kent line and Hayes Branch was electrified in 1925-6 and the Sanderstead line in 1935.

Current use

Today passenger trains run only over the main section to Hayes, as track of the former line south of Elmers End is now used by Tramlink.

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