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Epsom Downs railway station

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Location
  
Epsom Downs

Station code
  
EPD

Accessible
  
Yes

Number of platforms
  
1

Managed by
  
Southern

DfT category
  
F1

Fare zone
  
6

Local authority
  
Reigate and Banstead

Epsom Downs railway station

Address
  
Epsom KT17 4JP, United Kingdom

Similar
  
Epsom railway station, Ewell East railway station, Tattenham Corner railway st, Ewell West railway station, Carshalton Beeches railway st

Epsom Downs railway station is a railway station located on the boundary of the Reigate and Banstead and Epsom and Ewell boroughs of Surrey, with the railway to the north forming a continuation of the boundary.

Contents

The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Southern, although a terminus of its own branch line is grouped as part of the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines. In the past the station had nine platforms, but today only one is in use.

Epsom Downs is also served by nearby Tattenham Corner station, which is on the Tattenham Corner Line, also served by Southern. Both stations are located in Travelcard Zone 6.

History

With large numbers of passengers travelling to Epsom to visit the Epsom Downs Racecourse, it became clear that a station near the course was needed. Attempts to build one immediately next to it were strongly opposed by the Epsom Grandstand Association and eventually land was purchased half a mile from the course. Designed by David J. Field, the original station was opened on 22 May 1865 on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway's extension from Sutton. The line had double track and a nine-platform station with a large building.

With the opening of Tattenham Corner railway station, much closer to the racecourse, on 4 June 1901 (Derby Day), traffic declined, helped in particular by the Royal Train changing its destination to Tattenham Corner in 1925. Services were cut back repeatedly over subsequent decades. On 1 May 1972 the number of working platforms was reduced to two, and following the destruction by fire of Epsom Downs signal box in November 1981 almost the entire branch was reduced to single track operation in October 1982.

On 13 February 1989 a new station was opened 21 chains (420 m) short of the original one. The old station and platforms were demolished and the land in between given over to a major housing development. The replacement station was installed by British Rail under the Network Southeast sector.

Services

Services at the station are operated using a mixture of Class 377 and Class 455 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service from the station is one train per hour to London Victoria via Sutton, West Croydon and Norbury. After 7pm these services run via Crystal Palace rather than Norbury. There is no service on Sundays.

References

Epsom Downs railway station Wikipedia