London and Croydon Railway
The Surrey Iron Railway had been opened in 1806 between Wandsworth and Croydon; it was a plateway operating on the toll principle, in which carriers could move wagons with their own horses.The levels around New Cross were also difficult, and to find the best compromise a 1 in 80 gradient was selected, involving at that time the use of assistant engines due to the steepness.The line proved to be expensive to build, costing £615,000 rather than the estimated £180,000, due to large cuttings at New Cross and Forest Hill.A new station was built at London Bridge for Croydon trains, on the north side of the L&GR one, with track shared as far as Corbetts Lane.Because of the planned additional traffic following the opening of the L&BR and the SER, the L&CR sought powers to widen the viaduct from Corbetts Lane to London Bridge in 1840.By this time the L&CR had joined the newly opened SER and L&BR to form a committee, and agreement was reached with the L&GR to exchange their stations at London Bridge in 1843 in order to avoid their trains crossing over at Corbetts Junction.As a result, they jointly constructed a branch from the L&CR at New Cross to a new terminus designed by Lewis Cubitt at Bricklayers Arms, thereby avoiding use of the L&GR.[11] The railway opened an early example of a roundhouse motive power depot at New Cross 1 June 1839, but this brick-built building was burned down 14 October 1844.It was replaced by a nearby traditional straight shed in 1845, and the original turntable and associated lines were incorporated into a locomotive repair depot in the same year.The line into London Bridge became increasingly congested so at Corbetts Lane a white disc was installed, to be operated by the pointsman.[13] In 1844, the L&CR was given parliamentary authority to lay an additional line next to the existing track and test an atmospheric railway system.Pumping stations were built at Portland Road, Croydon and Dartmouth Arms, which created a vacuum in a pipe laid between the running rails.
London, Brighton and South Coast RailwaySurrey Iron RailwayplatewayStockton and Darlington RailwayLiverpool and Manchester RailwayCroydonCroydon CanalBermondseyLondon and Greenwich RailwayLondon Bridge stationJoseph Gibbs5 & 6 Will. 4West Croydon stationParliament of the United KingdomLong titleCitation6 & 7 Will. 4Royal assentSouth Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway Act 1836London and Brighton RailwayLondon and Brighton Railway Act 18377 Will. 4 & 1 Vict.viaductDartmouth ArmsNorwood JunctionSurrey CanalWilliam CubittcuttingsNew CrossForest Hilllevel road crossingssleepersbroad gaugetimberscross sleepersSydenhamAnerley BridgeJolly SailorLewis CubittBricklayers Arms9 & 10 Vict.act of ParliamentDeptford DockyardSharp, Roberts and CompanyG. and J. RennieG and J RennieWilliam FairbairnSharp Brothersroundhousemotive power depotpointsmanrailway semaphore signalCharles Hutton GregoryGothicatmospheric railwayvacuumchimneyflyoverpumping enginesBrighton and Chichester RailwayBrighton Lewes and Hastings RailwayIan Allan PublishingWhishaw, F.Whishaw, Francis