[Source: Nick Catford]

Beddington Lane Gallery 3:
November 9 January 1971 - October 1979

Southern Electric Group 2-BIL Farewell Railtour is seen at Beddington Lane on 9 January 1971. This was a tour to mark the forthcoming end of the 2-BIL units which had worked on the Central and South Western divisions of the Southern since the 1930s. 2-BIL ('2 bi-lavatory' - a 2-car unit with a toilet in each carriage) units were originally intended to work long-distance semi-fast services on the newly electrified lines from London to Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Reading. On the tour apart from covering some of the old haunts the tour also travelled of some parts London suburban network rarely visited. The tour left from platform 4 at Wimbledon; after visiting Blackfriars the tour ran to West Croydon before returning to Wimbledon via Beddington Lane. 2-BIL unit 2024 is seen here. Unit 2024 (1914 until 1937) was intended for use on Waterloo to Alton and Portsmouth slow services. One 2-BIL unit has survived into preservation in the care of the National Railway Museum.
Photo from R W Carroll collection

The station building at Beddington Lane Halt seen in 1971. A BR Southern Region green totem sign is seen on the lamp standard. Totems from Beddington Lane Halt are hard to find with one selling at auction in 2015 for £2,400.
Photo from John Mann collection

A passenger is buying a ticket at the ticket window in the signal box in November 1975. Note the canopy for weather protection. Tickets were also sold from the signal box at Waddon Marsh Halt.
Photo by Tony Watson from his Flickr photostream

Class 416/2 EMU 5753 is seen approaching (or leaving Beddington Lane Halt in November 1975.
Photo by Tony Watson from his Flickr photostream

Beddington Lane Halt looking north-west in November 1975. The stationmaster's house which was behind the station building has gone and the site is now part of the Beddington Lane Industrial Estate. Note the sign on the signal box 'Ticket Office At Signal Box'.
Photo by Alan Young

Another view of Class 416/2 EMU 5753 leaving Beddington Lane Halt bound for West Croydon in November 1975. British Rail Class 416 (2 EPB) electric multiple units were built between 1953 and 1956. They were intended for inner suburban passenger services on London's Southern Electric network. 5753 was built at Eastleigh in 1956.
Photo by Alan Young

gton Lane seen from seen from the south side of the level crossing circa late 1970s. A passenger is buying a ticket at the signal box

A Class 416 EMU is seen approaching (or leaving) Beddington Lane station in 1977.
Photo by Jeremy Chartham

Class 416 EMU No. 5753 is seen approaching a deserted platform at Beddington Lane Halt bound for Wimbledon in December 1978. The signal on the left has now been removed following closure of the freight siding on 1 February 1976.
Photo by Alan Young

The signalman is exchanging single-line staff with the driver of 5753 before the train departs for Wimbledon in December 1978. The red signal arm is the Beddington Down Starter. The yellow arm is Mitcham Junction Distant (or Outer Distant).
Photo by Alan Young

An unidentified Class 416 is seen leaving Beddington Lane station bound for West Croydon on 19 February 1979. The British Railways Southern Region green signs seen in the picture above which was taken two months earlier have now been replaced with British Rail's white Corporate Identity signs. These no longer show Beddington Lane as a 'Halt' although it had ceased to be classed as such on
6 May 1969.
Photo by Alan Young

Beddington Lane station in February 1979. This picture clearly shows the ticket window at the signal box. The timber station building was only ever waiting rooms and toilets, tickets being bought from the signalman or the train guard.
Photo by Alan Young

Beddington Lane level crossing circa late 1970s; the signal gantry has now been replaced by a single signal. The large house in the background is called Holmwood. The Surrey Mirror on 8 February 1895 reported that Percy Drapper, of Holmwood, Beddington-Lane, was fined with 16s costs for assaulting Frederick Terry, signal porter at Beddington Lane station. Dripper was a passenger on the 9.38 p.m. train on the 17 January. Terry was collecting tickets. At this time Holmwood had been incorporated into a Scientific Instrument Works. It has now been demolished and the site is part of the Brookmead Industrial Estate.
Photo by Martin Allan

A West Croydon bound Class 416 EMU crosses Beddington Lane in October 1979. The five-month old Ford Granada would only last on the road until 1988!
Photo by Kevin Lane from his Flickr photostream

Click here for Beddington Lane Gallery 4: May 1982 - Last Day

 

 

 

[Source: Nick Catford]


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