76-541: The Bexleyheath line runs for 8 miles (13 km) from Lewisham to Dartford in Kent . It separates from the North Kent Line just to the east of Blackheath Station , and rejoins the same line just south of Slade Green near Dartford . The line was first proposed in 1881, when Squire Jones, of East Wickham , organised a petition to persuade South Eastern Railway to build a railway to Bexleyheath. This led to
152-652: A "split" feel of being two separate stations. The Brighton station opened in 1860 with the Chatham station following two years later. It replaced a temporary terminus at Pimlico , and construction involved building the Grosvenor Bridge over the River Thames . It became immediately popular as a London terminus, causing delays and requiring upgrades and rebuilding. It was well known for luxury Pullman train services and continental boat-train trips, and became
228-542: A Mr Rigby. After yet another delay due to a landslide at Blackheath in 1894, the Bexleyheath Line was finally opened on 1 May 1895, running 12 trains per day to and from Charing Cross . The opening day was marked by a brass band marching from Bexleyheath to Barnehurst stations, before returning by train. Shareholders of the new line included: Charles Beadle, a coal and corn merchant; George Mence Smith, oil trader and hardware store owner; and Alfred Bean. However,
304-578: A change of name to Jubilee line , the first part of the line opened in 1979, but the remaining plans were not carried out. When the Jubilee line was extended in 1999, a different route to Stratford was followed. TfL is currently considering extending the Bakerloo line to Lewisham. Both line options stop at Lewisham. If progressed the station is currently expected to open in 2030. In its draft Kent Route Utilisation Strategy , Network Rail mentions
380-586: A focal point for soldiers during World War I . Like other London termini, steam trains were phased out of Victoria by the 1960s, to be replaced by suburban electric and diesel multiple-unit services; all services from the station are currently operated using electric multiple units. Despite the end of international services following the opening of the Channel Tunnel , Victoria still remains an important London terminal station. The connected Underground station, in particular, suffered from overcrowding, until
456-457: A less imposing wooden-fronted building with an entrance on Wilton Road. The Chatham line station had eight platforms, five of which were of mixed gauge, shared by broad-gauge trains of the GWR from Windsor via Southall . Victoria station proved to be unexpectedly popular for both the main companies, and by 1862 there were frequent delays due to congestion at Stewarts Lane Junction. In March 1863
532-607: A major upgrade was completed in the late 2010s. The Gatwick Express service provides easy access between Central London and Gatwick Airport for international travellers. The station complex is in Victoria in the City of Westminster , immediately south of the London Inner Ring Road . It is located south of Victoria Street, east of Buckingham Palace Road and west of Vauxhall Bridge Road . Several railways lead into
608-590: A petition signed by over 1,000. British Transport Police also maintains a neighbourhood policing presence at Lewisham. The North Kent line opened on 30 July 1849 by the South Eastern Railway linking Strood with the London and Greenwich Railway route to London Bridge. The original station was located east of the Lewisham Road overbridge with access off Lewisham Road. With the opening of
684-464: A result, services from its station at Victoria began to be rationalised and integrated with those from the other SECR termini. The LC&DR station began to be reconstructed in the late 19th century after several properties on Buckingham Palace Road, and the hotel, were bought by the company. Work began in 1899 with the removal of the old roof. The rebuilt station was partially opened on 10 June 1906, with additional platforms and cab exit on 10 February
760-853: A terminus in Westminster: the Great Western (GWR), the London & North Western (LNWR), and the East Kent Railway (EKR). The first two already had rail access to Battersea through their joint ownership of the West London Line with the LB&;SCR. In 1858, the EKR leased the remaining lines of the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway from Shortlands railway station , and also negotiated temporary running powers over
836-423: A train derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station , resulting in 5 deaths and 126 injuries. Kidbrooke station was rebuilt in 1972 as a CLASP prefabricated structure. This was replaced by a brick construction in 1994, and a further rebuild was opened in 2021. In 1985, the new Eltham railway station replaced the two existing stations (Well Hall and Eltham Park) serving Eltham. The changes coincided with
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#1732772456155912-515: Is also used as a loop off the South Eastern Main Line . The current station, which dates back to 1857, is constructed of yellow stock brick with stone dressing. Behind it survives, rather unusually, a wooden clapboard building. The facade is symmetrical, with three windows, three entrance doors, and three windows. The original doors, sash windows, skirting, tiling, and banisters are present inside. The original corniced ceiling of
988-581: Is an interchange station in Lewisham , south-east London, for Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and National Rail services. On the National Rail network, it is 7 miles 61 chains (12.5 km) as measured from London Victoria and is operated by Southeastern . There are four platforms for main-line trains: 3 and 4 on the North Kent Line , and 1 and 2 on the Mid-Kent line which
1064-584: Is on the Circle and District lines between Sloane Square and St James's Park stations, and on the Victoria line between Pimlico and Green Park stations. The area around the station is an important interchange for other forms of transport: a local bus station is in the forecourt and Victoria Coach Station is nearby. Victoria was built to serve both the Brighton and Chatham Main Lines, and has always had
1140-596: Is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 2 and Zone 3 and is a major transport hub, with many buses passing through or terminating here. During infrastructure works on the Greenwich Line , Thameslink services are normally diverted through Lewisham, giving it a temporary link to Luton in the north and Rainham in the east. National Rail services at Lewisham are operated by Southeastern using Class 376 , 465 , 466 and 707 EMUs . The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is: Additional trains serve
1216-401: Is served by a mixture of metro and long distance (mainline) services. Metro services are operated using Class 465 and 466 EMUs whilst mainline services are operated using Class 375 and 377 EMUs. As of December 2022, the typical off-peak service run by Southeastern in trains per hour (tph) is: Southern services at Victoria use platforms 9-12 and 15-19 as of August 2022. The station
1292-552: Is served by a mixture of metro and long distance (mainline) services. Southern Metro and Mainline services are both operated by Class 377 EMUs and Gatwick Express is serviced by Class 387 EMUs. From 4 September, the typical off-peak service run by Southern in trains per hour (tph) is: During the Suspension of the Gatwick Express , Southern Services at Victoria began to use Platforms 13 and 14 as well as operating
1368-596: The City of London , the West End and Westminster . Victoria Station was designed in a piecemeal fashion to help address this problem for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) and the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LC&DR). It consisted of two adjacent main line railway stations which, from the viewpoint of passengers, were unconnected. The London and Brighton Railway terminus at London Bridge provided reasonable access to
1444-513: The Department for Transport and Govia respectively. All services at Victoria use electric multiple unit trains. To help passengers choose the correct service, the floor of the main concourse at Victoria was marked with different coloured lines. Passengers could then follow the line marked with the specific colour for that service to arrive at their intended departure point. Southeastern services at Victoria use platforms 1–8. The station
1520-550: The London Chatham and Dover Railway . The new line followed part of the route of the Grosvenor Canal with Victoria station on the former canal basin. It required the construction of a new bridge over the Thames, originally known as Victoria Bridge and later as Grosvenor Bridge. The bridge was 930 feet (280 m) long, which was required so that it could clear all river traffic. It was designed by John Fowler . The line
1596-539: The Mid-Kent line on 1 January 1857 a new station was built to the west so both lines could be served. For a period Old Lewisham Station was also kept open. Eleven passengers were killed in the 1857 Lewisham rail crash when a train ran into the back of a stationary train. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under
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#17327724561551672-534: The funeral of Edward VII , seven kings, over 20 princes and five archdukes were greeted here. In the early 20th century, the development and improvement of the London Underground , meant that Victoria could not compete as a cross-London service. GNR trains stopped running on 1 October 1907, with Midland ones following on June the next year. The GWR ceased to use the station for scheduled services on 21 March 1915, partly due to World War I in addition to
1748-514: The 'Chatham' portion of the station for 999 years from 28 June 1860, with the GWR responsible for 6.67%. The LC&DR completed its main line as far as Canterbury on 3 December 1860 and began to use the LB&SCR station on that day. From 1899 the LC&;DR entered a working union with its rival, the South Eastern Railway , to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). As
1824-428: The 1870s. In 1898 the LB&SCR decided to demolish its station and replace it with an enlarged red-brick Renaissance-style building, designed by Charles Langbridge Morgan . Since widening of the station was prevented by the LC&DR station and Buckingham Palace Road, increased capacity was achieved by lengthening the platforms and building crossovers to allow two trains to use each platform simultaneously. Work
1900-544: The BR era. The Brighton Belle ' s final service was on 30 April 1972, followed by the last Golden Arrow on 30 September. The Night Ferry lasted until 31 October 1980, though the Venice-Simplon Orient Express , a luxury Pullman service, has been running intermittently since 1982. In 1984 the non-stop Gatwick Express service was started, aiming for a 30-minute journey time. This was coupled with
1976-586: The City of London but was inconvenient for travellers to and from Westminster. As early as 1842 John Urpeth Rastrick had proposed that the railway should build a branch to serve the West End, but his proposal was unsuccessful. However, the transfer of the Crystal Palace from Hyde Park to Sydenham Hill between 1851 and 1854 created a major tourist attraction in the then rural area south of London, and
2052-482: The Eltham Park Estate. The line was electrified with the other South Eastern and Chatham Railway local routes to Dartford on 6 June 1926 by Southern Railway . Having initially been built to serve very rural areas, Well Hall, Welling, Bexleyheath and Barnehurst were rebuilt in 1932 to cater for the huge suburban expansion into the area of the 1930s, and Falconwood was added in 1936. On 11 June 1972,
2128-557: The Gatwick Express fleet of Class 387 units. However this has now ended as Gatwick Express Services were reinstated in March of 2022. Gatwick Express , formerly a separate franchise but now operated by Southern, run services from platforms 13 and 14. Ticket barriers were installed on these platforms in 2011. As of September 2022, the typical off-peak service run by Gatwick Express in trains per hour (tph) is: However, within
2204-726: The Golden Arrow, in 1924, and the Night Ferry in 1936. The station had a news cinema (later a cartoon cinema) that showed a continuous programme. The cinema was designed by Alister MacDonald, son of the Prime Minister Ramsay , and was in operation from 1933 until it was demolished in 1981. The GWR remained part-owner of the station until 1932 thereafter retaining running powers, although it does not appear to have used them. Night-train services stopped running from Victoria on 4 September 1939 after World War II
2280-533: The Integrated Kent franchise. The services operated by South Eastern Trains transferred to Southeastern on 1 April 2006. The loop line to St Johns was doubled in 2013. There was formerly a bus terminus within the station, but this was relocated to Thurston Road as part of the Lewisham Gateway project. In 1971 and 1972, parliamentary approval was given for construction of Phases 2 and 3 of
2356-494: The LB&SCR and the LC&DR jointly funded a new high-level route into Victoria, avoiding Stewarts Lane and requiring the widening of Grosvenor Bridge, including the replacement of the broad-gauge rails with a third LB&SCR line. The work was completed during 1867/8. The South Eastern Railway (SER) wanted to use Victoria as a London terminus as it was more convenient than London Bridge, but were advised they would need to pay extensive tolls and expenses to do so. Consequently,
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2432-476: The LB&SCR opened a branch line from the Brighton Main Line at Sydenham to the site in 1854. While this was under construction the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway also planned a line from Crystal Palace, to a new station at Battersea Wharf, at the southern end of the new Chelsea Bridge . Despite its location, the new station was called Pimlico. It opened on 27 March 1858, but
2508-612: The LB&SCR was permitted to lease Victoria station from the VS&;PR, but agreed to accommodate the other railways until a terminus could be built for them on an adjoining site. The LB&SCR side of Victoria station opened on 1 October 1860, the temporary terminus in Battersea having closed the day before. The station was designed by Robert Jacomb Hood . It consisted of six platforms and ten tracks, with an entrance on Victoria Street. The site then covered 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) and
2584-465: The London area; InterCity , operating principal express services; and London & South East (renamed Network SouthEast in 1986) who operated commuter services in the London area. Following de-nationalisation of British Rail on 1 April 1994 the infrastructure to St Johns station became the responsibility of Railtrack whilst a business unit operated the train services. On 13 October 1996 operation of
2660-548: The SER constructed a station at Charing Cross instead. The GWR began services on 1 April 1863, connecting Victoria to Southall, and later some services to Uxbridge , Reading , Slough and Windsor. From 13 August 1866 the LB&SCR ran services from Victoria to London Bridge along the newly completed South London Line . The Great Northern Railway began a service from Victoria to Barnet (via Ludgate Hill ) on 1 March 1868, with other cross-London services running via Victoria in
2736-707: The Second World War and following nationalisation on 1 January 1948, the station fell under the auspices of British Railways Southern Region. On 4 December 1957, the Lewisham rail crash occurred to the west of the station; there were 90 fatalities. As part of the London Bridge re-signalling, a new loop line was opened with a reversible track down to the west (Fast Line) side of St Johns, which opened up on 1 April 1976. Upon sectorisation in 1982, three passenger sectors were created: Provincial (later renamed Regional Railways ) for local services outside of
2812-451: The company soon went into bankruptcy, and in 1900 the South Eastern Railway – which had previously refused to build a line to serve the area between the two lines – was forced to take over. The line originally included five stations: Kidbrooke , Eltham Well Hall , Welling , Bexleyheath and Barnehurst , all rudimentary wooden structures. A more elaborate station was opened at Eltham Park in 1908 to cater for first-class passengers from
2888-402: The final route, and in 1887 another act was passed authorising the construction of a line along a new route, via Blackheath , including the construction of a 1-mile (1.6 km) tunnel at the eastern entrance to Blackheath station. The project subsequently fell into financial difficulties, and it was not until 1891 that work on the line finally commenced, with the construction contract awarded to
2964-739: The first Pullman first-class service to Brighton on 1 November 1875, followed by the first all-Pullman train in the UK on 1 December 1881. Another all-Pullman service was introduced in 1908 under the name of the Southern Belle, then described as "... the most luxurious train in the world...". The SECR began Pullman continental services on 21 April 1910 and on domestic services to the Kent coast on 16 June 1919. The Golden Arrow , another all-Pullman train began services in 1924, and remained in service until 30 September 1972. The LC&DR and GWR jointly leased
3040-491: The following year, along with a new annexe to the hotel. It was formally re-opened on 1 July 1908. As a consequence of the rebuilding, boat trains become more popular from Victoria compared to Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Services increased to serve Ostend and Calais via Dover and Rotterdam via Gravesend. The LB&SCR part of the station also served Dieppe via Newhaven. Victoria has since seen more visits from royalty and heads of state than any other London station. During
3116-489: The formation, on 20 August 1883, of the Bexley Heath Railway Company, led by railway engineer Alfred Bean (owner of Danson House ), composed of local land-owners seeking to raise the value of their land for housing development. The company secured an Act of Parliament to build the line in 1883, routed via Lee . However, this was followed by disputes between the two companies, and disagreements over
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3192-515: The infrastructure. On 27 June 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority decided to strip Connex of the franchise citing poor financial management and run the franchise itself. Connex South Eastern continued to operate the franchise until 8 November 2003; the services transferred to the Strategic Rail Authority 's South Eastern Trains subsidiary the following day. On 30 November 2005, the Department for Transport awarded Govia
3268-740: The introduction of Eurostar in 1994, which did not serve Victoria, and the International Travel Centre closed. In 2019/20, Victoria was the second-busiest station in the UK, with an estimated 73.6 million passenger entries/exits. However, as with other stations, patronage dropped dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The estimated usage figure fell 81% in 2020/21 to 13.8 million, although Victoria retained its rank in second place, behind Stratford . Operationally, there are two separate main line termini : Services are operated by Southeastern and Southern, owned by
3344-492: The lines recently acquired by the LB&SCR, pending the construction of its own line into west London. On 23 July 1859 these four companies together formed the Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway (VS&PR) company, with the object of extending the railway from Stewarts Lane Junction, Battersea across the river to a more convenient location nearer the West End, and the following month the EKR changed its name to
3420-475: The main hall is currently concealed by a lowered fake ceiling. Platform 3 has kept its original canopy with its elaborate cast iron brackets which depict cherries. Some of the original chamfered wood and cast iron supports of the original canopy survive on Platform 2. The station has similarities with other listed stations built at around the same time such as the listed Ladywell railway station , Blackheath railway station and Gravesend railway station which has
3496-532: The name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway . Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act), Lewisham became a Southern Railway station on 1 January 1923. The Mid-Kent line was electrified with services commencing on 28 February 1926. The North Kent Line was electrified with the (750 V DC third rail) system. Electrification was initially to Dartford (6 June 1926) and
3572-902: The nearby Victoria Street , the main line station is a terminus of the Brighton Main Line to Gatwick Airport and Brighton and the Chatham Main Line to Ramsgate and Dover via Chatham . From the main lines, trains can connect to the Catford Loop Line , the Dartford Loop Line , and the Oxted line to East Grinstead and Uckfield . Southern operates most commuter and regional services to south London, Sussex and parts of east Surrey, while Southeastern operates trains to south-east London and Kent, alongside limited services operated by Thameslink . Gatwick Express trains run direct to Gatwick. The Underground station
3648-447: The new Underground lines. Victoria was used as the main station for drafted soldiers, and those returning from action in the war. By the middle of the war, the station served twelve trains a day running between Victoria and Folkestone, with additional trains serving Dover. The station was regularly served with a voluntary buffet for departing soldiers, who served up to 4,000 men a day. Victoria itself did not suffer significant damage during
3724-729: The opening of the new Rochester Way Relief Road, which forms part of the A2 road . In the 2010s, there were multiple landslips on the line, including one which closed the line for at least a week from 11 February 2019. The Bexleyheath line was temporarily closed between 15 and 23 February 2020, to allow for rail improvement works to prevent further landslips in the Barnehurst area of the line. Train services are operated by Southeastern . Services run to London Charing Cross , London Cannon Street or London Victoria . The Monday-Sunday off-peak service is: Lewisham railway station Lewisham
3800-431: The passenger services passed to Connex South Eastern who were originally due to run the franchise until 2011. On 22 November 1999 Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott opened the 4·2 km Lewisham extension of London's Docklands Light Railway with trains running through to Bank. Following a number of accidents and financial issues Railtrack plc was sold to Network Rail on 3 October 2002 who became responsible for
3876-493: The planned Fleet line . Phase 3 of the proposal would have extended the line from Fenchurch Street to Lewisham, with new platforms constructed underground. Further plans for Phase 4 of the extension considered the line taking over the mainline tracks on the Addiscombe and Hayes branch lines. Preliminary construction works were carried out elsewhere on the extension before the plan was postponed by lack of funds. Following
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#17327724561553952-639: The possibility of extending the Bakerloo line from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham, and then taking over the Hayes branch line. Network Rail states that this would free up six paths per hour into central London and so increasing capacity on the Tonbridge main line , which would also relieve the junctions around Lewisham. Lewisham is the southern terminus of the DLR, the previous station being Elverson Road . It
4028-525: The provision of an airport lounge and check-in facilities at first-floor level, with dedicated escalators down to the Gatwick Express platforms. British Airways and other major airlines had their own check-in desks there. British Rail operated an International Travel Centre within the main station, separate from the domestic travel centre. At the time, Victoria was still a major departure point for international travel, with boat trains to Dover and Folkestone for France and Belgium and beyond. This ceased with
4104-441: The remaining services from the station were electrified, including boat trains. Some minor services were withdrawn, and the few remaining steam services, to Oxted and beyond, were replaced by diesel-electric multiple units . Various plans were proposed at this time to redevelop Victoria, including new offices, hotels and a helicopter station. The last steam service left Victoria on 8 January 1964 to East Grinstead , after which it
4180-532: The same day. The two stations at Victoria came largely under single ownership in 1923 with the formation of the Southern Railway (SR) as part of the Big Four grouping. The following year steps were taken to integrate the two stations. The platforms were renumbered in a single sequence, openings were made in the wall separating them to allow passengers to pass from one to the other without going into
4256-400: The same elaborate cast iron supporting brackets as can be found at Lewisham. Platforms 5 and 6 are served by Docklands Light Railway trains to Bank and Stratford . The Docklands Light Railway station opened in 1999 following a southward extension from Island Gardens . The original canopy over Platform 4 was demolished at some point after 1990. The original canopy over the main entrance
4332-399: The station at Victoria bus station or neighbouring streets. By 1850, railways serving destinations to the south of London had three termini available – London Bridge , Bricklayers' Arms and Waterloo . All three were inconvenient for Central London as they terminated south of the river Thames , whereas the main centres of population, business and government were north of the river in
4408-560: The station during the peak hours. The typical off-peak DLR service from Lewisham is 12 trains per hour to and from Bank . Additional services run to and from the station during the peak hours, increasing the service to up to 22 trains per hour, with up to 8 trains per hour running to and from Stratford instead of Bank. London Buses routes 21 , 47 , 75 , 89 , 129 , 136 , 178 , 181 , 185 , 199 , 208 , 225 , 261 , 273 , 284 , 321 , 380 , 436 , 484 , P4 , school route 621 and night routes N21 , N89 , N136 and N199 serve
4484-667: The station line by way of Grosvenor Bridge from the south west, south and south east. It is in Travelcard Zone 1 and is one of 19 stations managed by Network Rail . It has been a Grade II listed building since 1970. Victoria Coach Station is about 300 metres south-west of the railway stations. It is the main London coach terminal and serves all parts of the UK and mainland Europe. London Buses routes 2 , 3 , 6 , 11 , 13 , 24 , 26 , 36 , 38 , 44 , 52 , 148 , 170 , 185 , 390 , C1 , C10 and night routes N2 , N11 , N26 , N32 , N38 , N44 and N136 serve
4560-446: The station. Lewisham previously had an adjoining bus station for terminating routes. The station closed on 28 February 2014 for the major Lewisham Gateway redevelopment project. London Victoria railway station Victoria station , also known as London Victoria , is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria , in the City of Westminster , managed by Network Rail . Named after
4636-499: The street, and alterations were made to the tracks to allow for interchangeable working. The work was completed in 1925, and all platforms were renumbered in a contiguous sequence. Electric suburban services to Herne Hill and Orpington first ran on 12 July that year, followed by South London line services on 17 June 1928, and electric services to Crystal Palace and Epsom (via Mitcham Junction ) on 3 March 1929. The SR also concentrated continental steamer traffic at Victoria, introducing
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#17327724561554712-424: The war, but a section of Grosvenor Bridge was destroyed after an anti-aircraft shell struck a gas main underneath it. Following the war, memorials were built on both parts of the station. The Southern Railway side marks 626 soldiers killed or missing, while the Chatham side marks 556. A plaque marks the arrival of the body of The Unknown Warrior at Victoria on 10 November 1920. The service to Ostend via Dover
4788-399: The works. The station was managed by Network SouthEast also under British Rail. The other major change to the station under BR was the gradual development of services to Gatwick Airport station after its opening on 28 May 1958. A dedicated rail-air terminal opened on top of platform 15 on 1 May 1962, designed by Clive Pascall. Several long-standing services from Victoria ended during
4864-454: Was 800 feet (240 m) long and 230 feet (70 m) wide. The roof was built on a set of wrought iron girders, with an additional safety row that would allow the main girders to withstand a train strike. On the northwest corner of the station was the 300-bedroom Grosvenor Hotel. It was designed by J. T. Knowles, and run independently of the station itself. It opened in 1861. The LCDR and GWR opened their own station on 25 August 1862, occupying
4940-530: Was applied to all these services. The Brighton Belle , the first electric all-Pullman service in the world, ran from Victoria from 29 June 1934 until its withdrawal in 1972. British Railways (BR) took over the station on 1 January 1948. A new set of offices for Continental trains opened on 14 June, while the eastern booking hall was renovated, opening on 5 February 1951. During the 1950s and early 1960s British Railways (Southern Region) completed its Kent Coast Electrification schemes, which meant that most of
5016-462: Was built as mixed gauge from Longhedge Junction, Battersea, to cater for GWR trains. It required a 1-in-50 climb and a 15 chains (990 ft; 300 m) turn from the LSWR main line to reach the bridge. The LB&SCR had hoped to amalgamate with the VS&PR, and introduced a parliamentary bill to allow it to do so in 1860. This was opposed by the GWR and LC&DR and rejected. By way of compromise
5092-511: Was completed in 1908, and included the rebuilding of the Grosvenor Hotel at the same time. The site then covered 16 acres (6.5 ha) with 2.25 miles (3.62 km) of platforms. Overhead electric trains began to run into Victoria on 1 December 1909, to London Bridge. The line to Crystal Palace was electrified on 12 May 1911. Victoria became well known for its Pullman services during the late 19th century. The LB&SCR introduced
5168-512: Was declared, and other services were terminated following the German invasion of France in May 1940. Though the station was bombed several times in 1940 and 1941, there was not enough damage to prevent operations. A plane crashed into the eastern side of the station on 15 September 1940 and a flying bomb caused partial damage on 27 June 1944. The greatest change to the station during the 1920s and 1930s
5244-483: Was demolished in 2009 at a cost of £790k and replaced with a steel version. From December 2009, Lewisham was fitted with electric ticket gates, in line with the Government's new strategy to give all Greater London National Rail stations Oyster card accessibility and closing access to those who attempt to travel without tickets. This was controversial as it involved the closure of the gate on Platform 4 and led to
5320-407: Was electrified on 16 July 1933, allowing Sidcup and Orpington local electric services to call. The Nunhead line was electrified in summer 1935 and opened to electric traffic on 30 September 1935, with services from Bexleyheath and Sidcup to St Paul's (later renamed Blackfriars). This service was cancelled during the Second World War as an economy measure, and recommenced on 12 August 1946. After
5396-428: Was extended to Gillingham by the Second World War. In 1929 large-scale remodelling of the junction was undertaken to enable cross-London freight traffic to be routed via Nunhead and Loughborough Junction . The new route utilised part of the former Greenwich Park branch (which had closed in 1917) and included an overpass . The loop between Lewisham and the main line towards Hither Green, which had opened in 1929,
5472-429: Was re-introduced on 18 January 1919. Civilian trains to Boulogne via Folkestone restarted on 3 February. Boat train services to Newhaven started on 1 June, and a connection with Paris started on 15 July. On 8 January 1920, Victoria replaced Charing Cross as the main station for continental services, as it had more facilities and closer locomotive and carriage facilities. The service to Paris via Calais and Dover began on
5548-566: Was recognised that a terminus would be needed on the north side of the river. During the summer of 1857 a scheme for an independent "Grosvenor Basin Terminus" in the West End of London, "for the use of the Southern Railways of England" was mooted. The station was originally referred to as the "Grosvenor Terminus" but later renamed Victoria as it was sited at the end of Victoria Street. Three other railway companies were also seeking
5624-420: Was replaced by diesel-electric multiple units. The station was redeveloped internally in the 1980s, with the addition of shops within the concourse, and above the western platforms as the "Victoria Place" shopping centre and 220,000 square feet (20,000 m ) of office space. Platforms 16 and 17 opened on the site of the former taxi rank on 21 December 1987. A major re-signalling scheme was carried out during
5700-576: Was the introduction of third-rail electrification for all suburban and many main-line services, replacing the original LB&SCR overhead scheme by 1929 and largely replacing steam traction, except on Chatham Section main-line and Oxted line trains. Services to Orpington were electrified in 1925 and to Epsom the following year. By 1932 the Brighton Main Line was electrified, quickly followed by those to other Sussex coastal towns and Portsmouth by 1938. The brand name "Southern Electric"
5776-408: Was very much regarded as a temporary terminus, composed of a small number of wooden huts, and positioned immediately next to a proposed bridge over the Thames. Shortly afterwards the LB&SCR leased most of the lines of the new railway, and built a further connection from Crystal Palace to the Brighton Main Line at Norwood Junction , thereby providing itself with a route into west London, although it
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