NUNHEAD - GREENWICH PARK

(1871 - 1917)

The LCD opened this line in 1871 with stations at Nunhead, Brockley Lane, Lewisham Road, and Blackheath Hill.
Greenwich Park wasn't actually reached until 1888.

Declining passenger numbers caused its closure in 1917 although the section from Nunhead to a point just east of Lewisham Road station was reopened to provide the SE with an alternative route into central London. To facilitate that, a connection was made with the SE railway north of their station at Lewisham.

For a 1930s map still showing the line and its stations (Lewisham Road station is visible but not named), click here.

The route of the railway is very difficult to pick out on modern maps, however the National Library of Scotland have provided an excellent facility for comparing old maps with modern maps (and including an aerial view). Click here for the railway detailed below, starting at Lewisham Road station.

 

 

LEWISHAM ROAD

(1871 - 1917)

The section of line between Nunhead and a point just east of this station was re-opened to provide relief for goods traffic in 1929. This involved diverting the line toward Lewisham, and passenger trains followed in 1935.
The two stations on this stretch of line (Brockley Lane being the other one) were never re-opened however.

 

Lewisham Road station remains in Jan 2003.
The station is by the junction of Loampit Hill and Tyrwhitt Road (i.e. nowhere near Lewisham Road itself).

(photo: Jan 2003)

 

 

 

 

 

Eastwards looking view of Lewisham Road station site. The line veers off to the right to join the SE line down to Lewisham and beyond. The original line carried straight on, passing over the SE line just south of St.John's station.

(photo: Jan 2003)

 

 

 

 

 

As of May 2022, the station building still survives as a wonderfully odd furniture and other household items shop. Its days are numbered however; of the numerous planning applications submitted for the site, one has finally been given approval.

(photo: Jun 2006)

For more info: www.disused-stations.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 

There was a small building to the left of the station building, suspected of being a coal store. After closure it was used for other purposes such as a snack bar.

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

You wouldn't have put money on the station building lasting this long, given its mainly wooden construction. It is badly in need of repair but as it is scheduled for demolition, it would seem unlikely that that will happen. It has got a new roof though.

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

View of the station building looking in the direction of the road.

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

The rear of the station building. Note the descending wall on the right hand side, shown in more detail in the next photo.

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

The other side of this descending wall had stairs attached to it, taking passengers down to the westbound platform (in the Nunhead direction).

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

The entrance to the building is on the left, the area that led to the platforms is on the right.

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

View the other way. The door on the left is just that: a door. It is not one of the windows, thus it would appear that this was the means of getting out onto the station platforms.

(photo: May 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

View from one of the station windows of the track area below. The platforms are long gone as are the footbridge and stairs down to the platform area.

(photo: May 2022)

 

Continued on next page...

 

 

Part 2: Nunhead - Greenwich Park line.