Epsom Downs railway station

Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs
	The station building, which now houses a day nursery
	Epsom Downs Location of Epsom Downs in Surrey
Location	Epsom Downs
Local authority	Borough of Reigate and Banstead
Managed by	Southern
Station code(s)	EPD
DfT category	F1
Number of platforms	1
Accessible	Yes
Fare zone	6
National Rail annual entry and exit
2019–20	0.112 million
2020–21	29,250
2021–22	67,982
2022–23	0.106 million
2023–24	0.120 million
Key dates
22 May 1865	original station opened
3 October 1982	line singled
13 February 1989	station resited
Other information
External links	Departures; Facilities;
Coordinates	51°19′25.3″N 0°14′20.1″W / 51.323694°N 0.238917°W
	London transport portal

Epsom Downs railway station is in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead^[a] in Surrey. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Southern. It is on the Epsom Downs line 18 miles 57 chains (18.71 miles, 30.11 km) down the line from London Bridge, measured via West Croydon.^[3] In the past the station had nine platforms, but today only one remains.

Epsom Downs is near Tattenham Corner station which is on the Tattenham Corner line, also served by Southern. Both are 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.^[4] 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 on 3 October 1982.^[5]

On 13 February 1989 a new station was opened 21 chains (420 m) short of the original one.^[6] 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

All services at Epsom Downs are operated by Southern using Class 377 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:^[7]

2 tph to London Victoria via Norbury

Prior to May 2018, the station was served by an hourly service on weekdays and Saturdays only, with no Sunday service. In May 2018, a half-hourly service was introduced on all days of the week.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Banstead		Southern Epsom Downs Branch		Terminus

References

^ "Network Map". Southern. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
^ Yonge, John (November 2008) [1994]. Jacobs, Gerald (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 5: Southern & TfL (3rd ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps. map 22. ISBN 978-0-9549866-4-3.
^ Oppitz, Leslie (2002). Lost railways of Surrey. Reading: MRM. p. 131. ISBN 1-85306-771-7.
^ Marius, Callum (8 December 2021). "The peculiar Zone 6 railway station that 'looks like it's in somebody's back garden'". MyLondon. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
^ "NFE Norwood Junction to Epsom Downs Line". Railway Codes. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
^ Table 172 National Rail timetable, May 2022

^ The station is immediately adjacent to the boundary of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell.

External links

Train times and station information for Epsom Downs railway station from National Rail

[southern_access-1] "Network Map". Southern. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2010.

[infobox_stats_ref_rail-2] "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.

[4] Yonge, John (November 2008) [1994]. Jacobs, Gerald (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 5: Southern & TfL (3rd ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps. map 22. ISBN 978-0-9549866-4-3.

[5] Oppitz, Leslie (2002). Lost railways of Surrey. Reading: MRM. p. 131. ISBN 1-85306-771-7.

[6] Marius, Callum (8 December 2021). "The peculiar Zone 6 railway station that 'looks like it's in somebody's back garden'". MyLondon. Retrieved 30 March 2023.

[7] "NFE Norwood Junction to Epsom Downs Line". Railway Codes. Retrieved 6 March 2023.

[8] Table 172 National Rail timetable, May 2022

[3] The station is immediately adjacent to the boundary of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell.

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v t e Borough of Epsom and Ewell
Towns, villages and hamlets	Cheam (part) Epsom Ewell Horton Langley Vale Stoneleigh Worcester Park (part)
Parks	Epsom Common Epsom Downs Horton Country Park Nonsuch Park
Places of worship	St Mary's Church, Ewell
Education	Blenheim High School Epsom College Epsom and Ewell High School Ewell Castle School Glyn School Kingswood House School Laine Theatre Arts North East Surrey College Of Technology Rosebery School for Girls
Transport	Epsom railway station Epsom Downs railway station Ewell East railway station Ewell West railway station Horton Light Railway Stoneleigh railway station
Buildings and structures	The Ashley Centre Epsom Downs Racecourse Epsom Playhouse Fitznells Manor Horton Hospital Long Grove Hospital Manor Hospital St Ebba's Hospital West Park Hospital, Epsom
Sport	Epsom & Ewell F.C. Epsom and Ewell Harriers Sutton & Epsom RFC
People	List of people from Epsom