Tattenham Corner Line

Tattenham Corner Line

Stations (from north to south) Purley *(for Brighton Main Line) Reedham Smitham Woodmansterne Chipstead Kingswood Tadworth Tattenham Corner

The Tattenham Corner Line is a railway line in Southern England. It was opened in two parts: from Purley to Tadworth as the Chipstead Valley Railway in 1893, and to Tattenham Corner as the Epsom Downs Extension Railway in 1894. Both companies were then acquired by the South Eastern Railway. The Tattenham Corner Line is now part of the Southern franchise.

The line diverges eastwards from the Brighton Main Line at Purley. It immediately splits from the Caterham Line and passes below the Brighton line. It then runs close to the Brighton line as far as Smitham, after which it turns westwards and follows the Chipstead Valley, eventually climbing to the high ground at Tattenham Corner.

It is a possibility that the line will be closed and turned into a croydon tramlink line, but at this stage it seems very unlikely.

The line is primarily a commuter route, but the station at Tattenham Corner was built to serve the Epsom Downs racecourse, with large numbers of extra trains on Derby day. During the rush hour, trains from London divide at Purley, with one part going to Caterham and the other part to Tattenham Corner.

There is also a railway terminus at Epsom Downs, about 2 km north of Epsom Racecourse. It was built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and opened on 22 May 1865.

The line was electrified by Southern at 750v DC (third rail) during the interwar years.

References

• Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Caterham and Tattenham Corner. Middleton Press, 1994. ISBN 1-873793-25-1.

Railway lines in South-East England:
Main lines:		Arun Valley Line   Ashford via Maidstone East Line   Ashford-Ramsgate via Canterbury Line   Brighton Main Line   Chatham Main Line   East Coastway   Hastings Line   Channel Tunnel Rail Link   Kent Coast Line   London–Ashford–Dover Line   North Downs Line   Portsmouth Direct Line   South Western Main Line   Thameslink   West Coastway   West of England Main Line
Commuter lines:		Alton Line   Ascot-Guildford Line   Bexleyheath Line   Caterham Line   Catford Loop   Chessington Branch   Dartford Loop   Eastleigh-Fareham Line   Eastleigh-Romsey Line   Greenwich Line   Hayes Line   Hounslow Loop   Mid-Kent Line   New Guildford Line   North Kent Line   Oxted Line   Sheerness Line   Slough-Windsor & Eton Line   South London Line   Staines-Windsor & Eton Line   Staines to Weybridge Line   Sutton Mole Valley Line   Tattenham Corner Line   Waterloo-Reading Line   West London Line
Rural lines:		Brockenhurst-Lymington Line   Henley Branch Line   Island Line   Marlow Branch Line   Marshlink Line   Medway Valley Line   Redhill-Tonbridge Line