Croyfun in Croydon (2)

 A Tram Ride To Beckenham Jct

The pattern of service on the Croydon Tram system has changed over the years. Currently trams from Wimbledon are shown as LIGHT GREEN on the above diagram. The "one way" loop also carries the DARK GREEN route which is for trams to New Addington.

Today our interest is with the onward "light green" route to Elmers End and, even more specifically, to Beckenham Junction, a route chosen by No 3 Son for his expedition (of which more tomorrow).

There are several videos of this route on YouTube but they are a bit long at over 25 minutes. So fbb has taken some slightly fuzzy screen shots showing each station in turn. So we start with ...

East Croydon

,,, where the stop is plumb outside the station entrance.

Next stop is 

Lebanon Road

There is street running along Addiscombe Road where Lebanon Road is a side turning. Through road traffic is discouraged but not forbidden. 

But soon a bit of reserved track appears ...

... leading to 

Sandilands

This would be where you would change if, for example, you were travelling from Elmers End to New Addington. The tracks dips down through the greenery ahead to the junction.

It was at the foot of this slope that a tram, travelling far too fast, tipped iver with tragic and fatal consequences. 

The route to Beckenham Junction takes the left turn.

We are now on the former train track from Elmers End to Selsdon; and next is a newly located station named 

Addiscombe

Not far from the new Addiscombe was Bingham Road.

There is nothing left of this station and he track has been lowered significantly for the tram so no overbridge or steps up to identify the location.

Lost without trace!

Next north is

Blackhorse Lane

This is where the original Addiscombe branch diverged. The branch is now  a "Railway Park" accessed from this stop.

It is possible to walk or cycle ...

... almost all the way to where the station building once stood.

There is now no sign of the station, only a rather out-of-place frontage and a walkway to yet more flats.

But walking towards the arch from the park you see a bulky retaining wall.

This wall stood as part of the station as shown below.

Back to our tram ride.

Woodside

The old Woodside station building still stands.

Next we come to

ARENA

Immediately after this stop the line to Elmers End runs straight on but our virtual tram veers left...

... on to a line built along open public land where no trains ever ran.

There is one stop on this very "countrified" bit of tram route.

Harrington Road

After this stop, the tram becomes single track ...

... and then runs alongside a bit of a proper train set!

Both modes have a stop at

BIRKBECK

This station is on the National Rail line from London Victoria to Beckenham Junction via Crystal Palace. 

Once the station had two platforms ...

... but the line was singled in 1983 ...

... which provided a nice easy route for the trams. The train service is only every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday with no trains on Sunday. 

There are steps to the national rail platform ...

... and on the other track ...

... Steps "recycled" to give access to the tram.

But trams run every 10 minutes so passing places are required; such as this at ...

AVENUE ROAD

There is a second passing loop just after

BECKENHAM ROAD

We are nearly at our terminus, No 3 Son having (in theory) alighted at Beckenham Road) and more busy National Rail routes come to join us.

In the distance you can see the platforms for the proper trains at ...

BECKENHAM JUNCTION

... where two diddy platforms are available for the trams.

Journey's End!

Incidentally, c/o the above Carto map, note how many stations there are for "Greater" Beckenham.

But No 3 son did not have the opportunity to enjoy such a ride ...

... as we shall see tomorrow.

 Next Croyfun blog : Friday 12th April