A chum sent fbb a link to a recent 'Ian Visits' blog, always a good read and exclusively about London. The report was about improvements to a suburban railway station.
Although he finds it hard to admit it, the old bloke must confess that he had no idea where Gipsy Hill station might be. The colour of paintwork did, however, suggest Southern as a possible clue.
The rather insipid green on the door and dado suggest 'Southern' ...
... which seemed a good place to start.
And there it was, one stop short of Crystal Palace ...
... and there it is, lower right.
Now fbb has written before and oft about his limited understanding of the former Southern Railway suburban network; that is the real Southern Railway, not the privatisation upstart!
The published diagram is complicated enough, but the track plans are beyond the ability of your blogger's brain to comprehend or remember.
Carto is excellent but remains a challenge.
The 'Windrush' label supplants 'Overground' for part of the much extended East London line.
The closed line ran to the other Crystal Palace station ...
... High Level, which closed in 1954. This edifice was linked to the doomed Crystal Palace itself by a magnificent subway, now restored but not yet open to the public.
But it is only a short walk from the site of the High Level station and subway to Gipsy Hill station.
Gipsy Hill station takes its name from the road on which it sits ...
... which probably does have a link with Gypsies, despite the different spelling. None other than diarist Samuel Pepys ...
... tells us that his wife visited a gypsy encampment at Norwood, but fails to say why! Back then, the Gipsy Hill community would not have existed!
Talking of famous people, Patrick Grant ...
... of 'The Great British Sewing Bee" hails from Gipsey Hill. Thus spake, not Zarathustra, but Wikipedia, so it must be right.
And so to the uncluttered station (below, top) originally opened in 1856.
Compared with Gipsy Hill station, recent and cluttered.
... tada! ... neat and tidy ...
... and the staff and VIPs basking in its clutter-less glory.
One particular delight of the station building that has been retained is the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway crest.
This appears in simplified form on the eaves of the station building.
For the record, the cross is London, the dolphins are Brighton, the crescent and star are Portsmouth and, erm, the other one, of course, is for the Cinque Ports.
One consequence of the decluttering seems to have been the removal of the coffee shop ...
... which may, or may not, be a permanent de-clutter.
Soithern is upholding Gipsy Hill as the precursor of many more statiion unclutterings. But Great British Railways might curtain Southern's nobly plans.
One consequence of the decluttering seems to have been the removal of the coffee shop ...
But there is more to be enjoyed in and around this apparently rather ordinary station.
Next Gipsy Hill blog : Tuesday 21st July
