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70-748: The Bombardier Electrostar (sold as the ADtranz Electrostar until 2001) is a family of electric multiple-unit (EMU) passenger trains manufactured by Bombardier Transportation (formerly Adtranz ) at their Derby Litchurch Lane Works in England between 1999 and 2017. It has become the most common new EMU type in the United Kingdom since the privatisation of British Rail with a number of variants. Electrostar trains are most common on high-volume suburban commuter routes around London; and on mainline services from London south to Surrey and

140-652: 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

210-586: 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

280-457: 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

350-607: 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

420-483: A motor-driving car or power-driving car. On third rail systems, the outer vehicles usually carry the pick up shoes with the motor vehicles receiving the current via intra-unit connections . Many modern two-car EMU sets are set up as twin or "married pair" units. While both units in a married pair are typically driving motors, the ancillary equipment (air compressor and tanks, batteries and charging equipment, traction power and control equipment, etc.) are shared between

490-460: A number of aluminium alloy extrusions , is covered by body panels and topped by a single piece roof, again made from extruded sections. Car ends (cabs) are made from glass-reinforced plastic and steel, and are bolted onto the main car bodies. Underframe components are collected in "rafts" which are bolted into slots on the underframe. The predominantly aluminium-alloy body gives light weight to help acceleration and energy efficiency. The Electrostar

560-464: 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

630-905: 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

700-453: Is also less expensive to maintain as it is more tolerant of track imperfections than Cape Gauge. Standard gauge allows for travel at Gautrain's required speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). From September 2016 Great Western Railway introduced 45 4 car Class 387/1s on peak services between London Paddington and Hayes & Harlington . They replaced the Class 165s and the Class 166s on

770-584: 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

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840-401: 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

910-552: 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

980-417: Is simpler as no provision is needed for exhausting fumes, although retrofitting existing limited-clearance tunnels to accommodate the extra equipment needed to transmit electric power to the train can be difficult. Multiple unit train control was first used in the 1890s. The Liverpool Overhead Railway opened in 1893 with two-car electric multiple units, controllers in cabs at both ends directly controlling

1050-496: Is the backbone of Southeastern's long-distance routes, seeing services on most of its lines originating from its London termini ( London Victoria , Charing Cross , Cannon Street and London Bridge ) including; On the outer suburban portions of these above routes, the Class 377/5 Electrostars and the Class 465/9 Networkers support the Class 375 Electrostars , but they do not work in multiple together. The Class 376 operates on

1120-535: The 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) Cape gauge, Gautrain is built to the more expensive standard gauge of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ). According to the Gautrain planning and implementation study, this is done for several reasons, including that standard gauge is safer and more comfortable to passengers. The rolling stock is also easier, quicker and less expensive to obtain than Cape Gauge rolling stock, and standard gauge

1190-779: The China Railway High-speed in China, ICE 3 in Germany, and the British Rail class 395 Javelin. The retired New York–Washington Metroliner service, first operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and later by Amtrak , also featured high-speed electric multiple-unit cars, known as the Budd Metroliner . EMUs powered by fuel cells are under development. If successful, this would avoid

1260-596: 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

1330-674: The Class 313 and Class 508 trains on the North London Line and West London Line , and to provide the opening service on the new East London line extension in 2010. In 2009, as part of the government's wider rolling stock plan, an order was placed for thirty four-car Class 379 Electrostar units intended for use by National Express East Anglia (now operated by Greater Anglia ) on the Stansted Express and West Anglia services. The first of these units entered passenger service on Thursday 3 March 2011. Production of

1400-566: The Class 466s (2 car Networkers) prior to the introduction of accessibility regulations in January 2020. Southern's Class 377 fleet is found on all parts of the network apart from the non-electrified routes. They frequent metro routes, formerly alongside the Class 455s , until the latter's withdrawal in 2022, and Class 456s until they transferred to South West Trains in 2014. Often found on London Overground operates Class 378s over four lines of its six around London: On 8 June 2010,

1470-513: 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

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1540-550: 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

1610-534: 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

1680-608: The south coast , east to Essex , and north to Cambridge and Stansted Airport . The model shares the same bodyshell and core structure as the Bombardier Turbostar which is the most common post-privatisation diesel multiple unit (DMU) family; both evolved from the Class 168 Clubman design by ADtranz. The Turbostar and Electrostar platforms are a modular design, sharing the same basic bodyshell and core structure, and optimised for speedy manufacture and easy maintenance. A common underframe , created by seam-welding

1750-586: 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

1820-428: 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

1890-544: 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

1960-586: 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

2030-557: 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

2100-726: 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

2170-679: The King's Cross-Cambridge-King's Lynn route, though they can also been seen on other services. These units were delivered in the livery of Southern , with green doors and Southern upholstery. Electric multiple unit EMUs are popular on commuter, and suburban rail networks around the world due to their fast acceleration and pollution-free operation, and are used on most rapid-transit systems. Being quieter than diesel multiple units (DMUs) and locomotive -hauled trains, EMUs can operate later at night and more frequently without disturbing nearby residents. In addition, tunnel design for EMU trains

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2240-494: 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,

2310-476: 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

2380-612: 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

2450-548: 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

2520-503: The Thames Valley services and now operate between London Paddington and Reading , Didcot Parkway and Newbury . GWR announced in 2018 that they will modify 12 units to be used on Heathrow Express due to the Class 332s depot closing. From late 2016, 29 of the Class 387/1s operating on Thameslink were displaced by the delivery of Class 700 Desiro City units, and were transferred to Great Northern. They operate mostly on

2590-453: The batteries are charged via the electric pickup when operating on electric mode. EMUs, when compared with electric locomotives , offer: Electric locomotives, when compared to EMUs, offer: London Victoria 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

2660-485: The construction of electric traction railways and trolley systems worldwide. Each car of the train has its own traction motors: by means of motor control relays in each car energized by train-line wires from the front car all of the traction motors in the train are controlled in unison. The cars that form a complete EMU set can usually be separated by function into four types: power car, motor car, driving car, and trailer car. Each car can have more than one function, such as

2730-739: 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

2800-491: 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

2870-740: 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

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2940-492: 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

3010-646: The metro routes in suburban London, in conjunction with the Class 707 Desiro Cities , Class 465 and Class 466 Networker s , operating over the London portion of the above lines from the London Termini (including Blackfriars ) out to Dartford and Sevenoaks ); This leaves the Bromley North Line , operated by Class 465s (4 car Networkers). The Bromley North Line , Sheerness Line and Medway Valley Line used to be operated exclusively by

3080-902: 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

3150-416: The need for an overhead line or third rail . An example is Alstom ’s hydrogen -powered Coradia iLint . The term hydrail has been coined for hydrogen-powered rail vehicles. Many battery electric multiple units are in operation around the world, with the take up being strong. Many are bi-modal taking energy from onboard battery banks and line pickups such as overhead wires or third rail. In most cases

3220-447: 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

3290-553: The outer end of the pair, saving space and expense over a cab at both ends of each car. Disadvantages include a loss of operational flexibility, as trains must be multiples of two cars, and a failure on a single car could force removing both it and its partner from service. Some of the more famous electric multiple units in the world are high-speed trains: the Italian Pendolino and Frecciarossa 1000 , Shinkansen in Japan,

3360-525: 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

3430-441: 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

3500-482: The route between Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa opened in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup . The rest between Johannesburg Park Station and Rosebank was to be completed in 2011. This section was actually opened 7 June 2012, the delay caused by work to resolve a water-seepage problem in the single-track tunnel section between Rosebank and Park. Although railways in South Africa use

3570-532: 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

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3640-399: 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

3710-667: 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

3780-499: 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

3850-568: The traction current to motors on both cars. The multiple unit traction control system was developed by Frank Sprague and first applied and tested on the South Side Elevated Railroad (now part of the Chicago 'L' ) in 1897. In 1895, derived from his company's invention and production of direct current elevator control systems, Frank Sprague invented a multiple unit controller for electric train operation. This accelerated

3920-547: The trains ended in 2017 when unit number 387174 for Great Western Railway was completed at Derby Litchurch Lane Works . The family was superseded by the Bombardier Aventra . [REDACTED] From 2022 Great Northern will operate 6 Class 387/3s these will allow for some the Class 387/2s to be sent to Southern. c2c uses Class 357 on services down the London, Tilbury and Southend line from Shoeburyness and Southend to London Fenchurch Street . The Class 375

3990-426: The two cars in the set. Since neither car can operate without its "partner", such sets are permanently coupled and can only be split at maintenance facilities. Advantages of married pair units include weight and cost savings over single-unit cars (due to halving the ancillary equipment required per set) while allowing all cars to be powered, unlike a motor-trailer combination. Each car has only one control cab, located at

4060-424: 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

4130-399: 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

4200-454: 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

4270-530: 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

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4340-462: 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

4410-511: 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

4480-512: 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

4550-429: 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

4620-566: 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

4690-420: 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

4760-758: Was selected for use on the Gautrain system in South Africa, a new railway between Johannesburg , Pretoria , and the Johannesburg International Airport . The trains were assembled by UCW Partnership in South Africa from components made in Derby. Transport for London (TfL) announced in August 2006 that it had ordered 48 three- and four-car Electrostar trains for the new London Overground service. These were categorised by Network Rail as Class 378 , and entered service in 2009 to replace

4830-576: 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"

4900-408: 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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