Lewisham
Improvements in the general area occurred under SE&CR auspices, the quadrupling of the Tonbridge cut-off line between St Johns and Orpington taking place over the period 1904 to 1905. However, it was during Southern Railway ownership that Lewisham acquired improved rail connections and its most imposing structure. Beginning with the latter, during 1926 all three North Kent routes became ‘’live’’, the first electric services running in May of that year. The SR was swift in its endeavour to electrify ex-SE&CR suburban lines, and in this bid erected at Lewisham what appears to be the South Eastern Division’s largest electric substation. The most common type of substation on these lines is generally three-storeys in height, constituted of red brick built around a steel frame, and measures approximately 60 feet by 35 feet. At Lewisham, two such structures were seemingly amalgamated, these residing on a site to the north west of the station, at a level below the running lines. The bulk of this colossus was constituted of a two-storey red brick section, measuring no less than 190 feet in length, but demonstrating the standard 35 foot width. Attached to its northern elevation was a similarly-designed structure, this time reduced to 135 feet in length, but demonstrating an extra storey in height. The structure in question is depicted within this section’s pictorial, and its sheer size is justified by the fact that it was both a substation and distribution centre. The SR extracted power for the Eastern Section suburban lines from the London Electric Supply Corporation. This company's Deptford Power House had a direct link with the huge Lewisham substation, and current would be sent through seven large cables to the latter's four rotary converters, rated at 1,500 kW. This substation itself would then distribute the current to the other nineteen substations erected along the Eastern Section during the works, the furthest east being that at Dartford Junction.
We now take a look at the
second SR improvement mentioned – that of rail connections. A track remodelling
of Lewisham Junction took place during 1928 (coinciding with the dropping of the
‘’Junction’’ suffix), in connection with the partial revival of the doomed
Greenwich Park branch. Originally opened on 18th September 1871, the line formed
the LC&DR’s attempt of threatening passenger traffic on the SER’s route to
Greenwich. Lest we forget, at this time the original Greenwich line of 1836 was
merely an unimportant terminating appendix of the SER network. It did not become
a through route, as a result of subsequent extensions, until 1878. However, the
SER had a station serving Greenwich Park (Maze Hill) in place by 1873, on a
westward extension from Charlton. The LC&DR’s line was closed by the joint
management committee of the SE&CR on 1st January 1917, but the track bed would
later prove useful to the railway company’s successor. For the sake of
cross-London freights, the SR brought the Nunhead to Lewisham section of the
former branch back into use on 7th July 1929. Rather than the line simply
‘’flying’’ over the former SER tracks as before, it assumed a new curved course, bringing
it to the threshold of Lewisham Junction. Thus, ‘’St Johns Flyover’’ was born,
and Lewisham could be reached directly from Victoria with the commencement of
electric services over the connection on 30th September 1935. During 1928, as a
result of the layout remodelling, the original SER timber signal box at Lewisham
was jacked up and moved away from the running lines, to allow the widening of
the track bed at the junction. This was a temporary course of action, for the
cabin went out of use in June 1929 with the commissioning of a replacement
signal box at St Johns and the installation of colour aspect lights. These
general improvements also included the installation of a double-track connecting
spur between the Mid-Kent and Tonbridge cut-off lines, providing Lewisham with
direct links with the main ex-SER trunk route and the 1866-opened Dartford Loop
Line.
LC&DR Greenwich Branch Stations
Brockley Lane
Lewisham Road
Blackheath Hill
Greenwich Park
Before moving onto the station’s British Railways era,
mention should also be made of the canopy modifications undertaken by the SR.
The existing wooden canopy valances of the Mid-Kent Line platforms were replaced
with plain riveted metal types, as per the examples which had appeared at Herne
Bay in 1926. BR’s influence on the station began in 1954, with the lengthening
of all four platform faces at their ‘’country’’ ends utilising prefabricated
concrete from Exmouth Junction. By the end of this decade, Exmouth Junction
Concrete Works was supplying components to all Regions of BR. The 1954 platform
modifications were in preparation for the commencement of ten vehicle EPB
formations. It was also at this time that the intricate SER canopy valances on
the North Kent Line platforms were dispensed with and replaced with plain wooden
types; exactly the same occurred at Gravesend Central. Thereafter, it was not
until 1968 that further structural alterations materialised. This included the
installation of a bus shelter type structure on the ‘’down’’ North Kent Line
platform, to the east of the existing timber-backed waiting shelter. Changes
were also afoot for the Mid-Kent Line side of the station: the earlier-mentioned
clapboard structure, which resided on the ‘’up’’ platform was, also in 1968,
obliterated, but fortunately the adjacent waiting shelter remained intact,
albeit with the simplified 1950s canopy valance. Within two years, further
modernisation was to occur, although this time being confined to the signalling
arrangement. As part of the re-signalling of the North Kent Lines in 1970, a new
generation of colour aspect lights came into use at Lewisham. These were linked
to a then new control panel which had been installed in the signal box at St
Johns (opposite the flyover). The new system replaced the mechanical signal
boxes as far as Mottingham, Falconwood, and Woolwich Arsenal, but the automated
Dartford Panel was not commissioned until 1st November of the same year. The St
Johns Panel lasted a mere six years, for in 1976 the much larger London Bridge
Panel came into use, this having control over parts of both South Eastern and
Central Division suburban lines.
The London & South East Business Sector was formed on 4th January 1982, and its
influence on the station would appear to be swift, for by the end of the
following year, a refurbishment programme was completed. This had been run
concurrent with a similar scheme at Gravesend Central and, in general, included
the restoration of brickwork, and the repairing and repainting of canopies. It
was latterly under the sector’s 1986-debuted ‘’Network SouthEast’’ guise that
further platform lengthening occurred. In 1992, in preparation for twelve
vehicle ‘’Networker’’ formations, all four platform surfaces were again extended at
their ‘’country’’ ends with concrete cast components (this time not products of
Exmouth Junction, the concrete works of which had long been closed). As is now
well documented, twelve carriage long suburban formations were subsequently
never given clearance to run.
Of comparatively recent years, the greatest infrastructure changes at Lewisham
must be attributed to those brought about by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
In 1989, proposals emerged outlining the extension of the original 1987-opened
light rail route from the Isle of Dogs, under the Thames to Lewisham, via
Greenwich. The Bill for this was officially deposited to Parliament in November
1991, and approval for the scheme was received on 27th May 1993, the project
being priced at £200 million. The double-track line from the Docklands was
planned to enter Lewisham from the north, pass under the North Kent Line
platforms, and terminate in-between the latter and the station approach road. At
this time, the earmarked site was occupied by a bus station at the British Rail
end, and Victorian housing and a pub at the road end. Naturally, the latter were
brought crashing to the ground, whilst the bus station was shifted slightly to
the east. The DLR platforms resided at street level, below those of the ex-SER
station, and were covered by a modern curved trainshed, measuring some
88 foot by 57 foot. To the north of this structure, at roughly the same height
as the ex-SER main building, resided a wholly new integrated ticket office,
serving both ex-British Rail and DLR passengers. Harmonious with the DLR
platforms, this itself was protected by a futuristic-looking roof, measuring
some 80 foot by 65 foot. Despite the transferring of ticketing facilities to the
new DLR complex, the original SER booking office was, thankfully, left standing.
On 29th September 1999, it was announced that the Lewisham DLR extension was to
open in the following November, two months ahead of schedule. The first services
on the route commenced on 22nd November 1999.
With thanks to Peter Greenhow for additional information concerning the 1929 re-signalling scheme.
Additional Royal Observatory Telegraph System notes courtesy of David Walsh.
This London-bound view from the end of platform 3 on 27th January 2007 is of particular
interest. Directly ahead, beginning an ascent away from the camera, is the 1929-opened
Nunhead line which, indeed, reuses part of the LC&DR's Greenwich Park branch, the latter
of which closed in January 1917. The double-track seen here also leads to the St Johns station
avoiding spur. To the right of this can be seen a Class 465 ascending the climb on the route
from St Johns. On the far right can be seen the huge red-brick substation described at length
within the main text. David Glasspool
The Docklands Light Railway enters the site from the North, passing under the North Kent Line
tracks and terminating at dedicated platforms provided at street level. The original station approach
road and SER building can be seen to the left of the 1999-completed DLR structure. A joint railway
and DLR ticket office is provided in-between the old and new sites. This is a 27th January 2007 view.
David Glasspool
On 27th January 2007, the double-track DLR line is seen heading northwards to Greenwich,
the first stop being Elverson Road. The automatic passenger units (which can be brought
under manual control when necessary) which ply these rails can tackle fierce gradients,
many of which are met when exiting tunnels (Greenwich being a particularly good example).
David Glasspool
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