Notes: Until very recently few people seemed aware that Lewisham station opened on a different site to the current station. ME Quick didn't mention the station in Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales - A Chronology and CR Clinker omitted it from, Clinker's Registered Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots. Michael Quick did however mention it in the latest edition of his book stating 'Accident report of 1858 referred to Lewisham Old on the North Kent line and Liverpool Junction new station on Mid-Kent' but added incorrectly that 'presumably regarded as one station by the SE'. Peter Kay (editor of London Railway Record) and Jim Connor (founder and former editor of London Railway Record) were not aware that the station had ever existed until recently. Alan A Jackson in London's Local Railways mentions it briefly, 'At Lewisham a station was provided to replace the old on the country side of the new junction'. There is a reference to the old station in History of the Borough of Lewisham Leland L. Duncan, Blackheath Press 1908 which states 'The foot traffic increased considerably with the removal of Lewisham railway station from its present position from that at the foot of Granville Park, on the opening of the Mid-Kent liner in January 1857'.Despite this lack of knowledge of the original station there is plenty of evidence that a substantial station with a trainshed was opened in 1849 on a different site. It is clearly shown on Ordnance Survey maps dated 1850 and 1897.

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/Lewisham High Street overbridge. It had two facing platforms and was provided with a short trainshed (overall roof). The station entrance and booking office was beneath the bridge from where steps led up to the platforms with a second entrance on the south side of the bridge.

With the opening of the Mid-Kent line in 1857 a new station was built to the west so both lines could be served. Some sources say for a period the old Lewisham station was also kept open but there is no evidence to support this. It was possible that only the booking office remained open with passengers having to walk from there to the new station.

After closure the street level booking office was leased to John E Fells, Wine Merchant a business that was established in London in 1858. The 1857 1:2,500 OS map reproduced below show the platforms were still in place. Shading at the west end usually indicates a station canopy but in this case might be covering over the former stairways to the platforms.

During WWII two V1 flying bombs landed in the vicinity of the old station. One hit Granville Park on 26 June 1944 and 7 days later another hit the Kings Hall cinema in Lewisham High Street on 3 July 1944. The exact location of the second V1 is in doubt as the aerial photo reproduced below shows minimal damage to the Kings Hall cinema. Some sources quote the location of the second V1 as Cressingham Road to the south. It is possible that one of these probably forced the closure of John Fells' shop. The London County Council London wide damage maps from V1 strikes (part of which is reproduced below) shows the first station and presumably the bridge was damaged beyond repair. The bridge was subsequently rebuilt and all evidence of the former station entrance was removed.

An accident occurred close to Lewisham station on 29 June 1857. On that date two trains collided just east of Lewisham railway station in London, killing 11 and injuring 30 more. The 14-carriage 9:15pm from Strood, which was running 15 minutes late, pulled up 200 yards short of Lewisham old station at a red signal. The guard took a red lamp to the rear of the train to warn the 9:30 train following. When he heard the approaching train he ran towards it blowing his whistle and waving the lamp. It appears that he was not seen by the driver and the standing train was struck at a speed of around 20 mph, destroying the brake van and rear carriage.

A telegraph system was in place which should have prevented the second train from leaving the preceding Blackheath station until the leading train had cleared Lewisham, using a system of signal bells being rung in the signal boxes. The signals sent and received were recorded in registers kept in the signal boxes: the investigation determined that the line-clear signal had not been sent by the Lewisham signal box, despite being recorded in the Blackheath book. The driver and fireman of the second train and the Blackheath signalman were charged with "neglect of duty causing the deaths of 11 persons.

Route map drawn by Alan Young.