There are 29 Railway Stations on the edge of Zone 4 on Network Rail routes within the London Zones, but excluding the Tube. This is my story, whereby I will visit each one and proceed to walk home to SE9.
Today's walk took in no less than 9 Railway Stations and 6 Croydon Tram Stops and took me through the London Borough's of Greenwich, Lewisham, Croydon, Sutton and Kingston.
I left home at 11:10 and arrived at Malden Manor at 18:49 - 7 hours and 39 minutes walking. I then continued for a further 2.1 miles to Kingsmeadow for the Football (AFC v Coventry City a 1-1 draw with a stoppage time goal, terrible performance) where I rewarded myself with a pint of Hogs Back TEA, it was pure nectar!
My route followed the same route as I used for my New Malden walk until I got to Hither Green when I turned left down Baring Road, turning left again towards Lewisham Crematorium, crossing the railway near Grove Park Carriage sidings.
Grove Park Carriage sidings
I walked along Railway Children Walk, named after E.E. Nesbitt who lived on a house that backed on to the railway line which gave her the inspiration for the Railway Children novel.
My first Railway Station was Beckenham Hill,(5.6 miles / 12:57)not one of my Edge of Zone 4 Stations, but it is in Zone 4. Its served by Thameslink. I remember catching a train here in my early twenties to play football for NWB, it appears the sports ground has been built over.
Beckenham Hill
Across the road is Beckenham Place Park, my route takes me through the park on route to Beckenham Junction. Beckenham Park Place is a fine Palladian style mansion.
Beckenham Park Place
Once through the Park it was a short walk down to Beckenham Junction Railway Station. (Edge of Zone 4 - 6.8 miles / 13:30). This is served by both Southern and SouthEastern Trains, there is also an interchange with the Croydon Tram link.
Beckenham Junction
I stopped for my lunch at Beckenham Junction. The station has two through platforms and two bay platforms. The tram is across the car park. This was the first time I had ever been to Beckenham Junction Station. Not much going on a few trains, stoppers and non-stoppers.
Formewr Station Building?
Beckenham Junction Tram Stop
The photo on the top, taken from the corner of Rectory Road looks very much like an old station building. The garage extension is an add on.
Another 1.7 miles brought me to Elmers End Railway Station (Edge of Zone 4 - 8.5 miles / 14:14).
Elmers End Tram Stop
Again this shares its platforms with the Croydon tram link, being a branch from the Beckenham Junction line to Croydon.
From Elmers End I walked towards Birkbeck, I could have captured this station but had to turn left to cross South Norwood Country Park. This runs alongside Beckenham Crematorium and the entrance into the Crematorium was via a crossing across the Croydon Tramlink at Harrington Road.
Harrington Road Tram Stop
There was a horse drawn hearse evident. I did not realise there was a station here, as its not clearly defined in my A-Z! More likley my poor eyesight.
From here I walked into Norwood passing under a railway bridge across Norwood Hill were there is a blue plaque (not a real one) which refers to the Atmospheric Railway. I never realised there had been one in London, I thought the only one was in Devon.
I passed Norwood Junction, which is an Edge of Zone 4 station, but one I have covered off previously.
Norwood Junction
I was now walking along Selhurst Road which of course brought me to Selhurst Railway Station(Edge of Zone 4 - 10.9 miles / 15:07). Selhurst was very busy as it is across the road from the Southern Railway Selhurst Depot and it must have shift change time!
Selhurst
After a further 1.2 miles, some of which was down a small alley alongside the railway I arrived at West Croydon Railway Station (12.1 miles / 15.33). This is in Zone 5 so I did not visit the station as it would have cost me on my Travel Card, save that for another day. West Croydon is also a Croydon Tram stop.
West Croydon
After West Croydon the tram stops came thick and fast as did the trams. As well as West Croydon there was Reeves Corner, which was the site of the big fire during the summer of unrest a few years ago. This was followed by Wandle Park which I actually accessed via Wandle Park.
Wandle Park
To get to Wandle Park I had to cross the railway between West Croydon and Waddon. The tram stop here was quite busy as the schools were out.
Next up was Hackbridge, but before I arrived here I had a lengthy 3 mile walk along the River Wandle, past my friend Mitchell's road. No time to pop in as I was running late then through Beddington Park.
Hackbridge
I last remember going to Hackbridge in 1975, by car with my mother, to buy a hi-fi system from the Comet Warehouse which cost over £125, my mother lent me the money as she did not me to want me buying a motor bike! There used to be a really big industrial estate here but its all been knocked down now and housing is going up instead. Hackbridge Railway Station(Edge of Zone 4 - 15.1 miles / 16:32) will be very busy in a few years time.
The next station was Sutton Common, I could have taken in Carshalton, but did not bother, too far to walk. I remember a bus from Raynes Park used to go to Wrythe Green and now 40 years later I've made it here! I had to circumnavigate Sutton to get to Sutton Common and covered some old ground. My Mother used to drive me to school this way, in particular crossing over Angel Hill. Sutton Common Railway Station ( Edge of Zone 4 - 17.5 miles / 17.18) is on the Wimbledon loop and is an island Platform.
Sutton Common
It felt like an age walking to Worcester Park. This is another name from my childhood and again another place I never visited. I was surprised how long the main drag in Worcester Park was stretching from Cheam to the Station. You wouldn't want to visit one shop at one end and another at the other end regularly. It was dark as I arrived at Worcester Park Railway Station (Edge of Zone 4 - 20.3 miles / 18:25).
Worcester Park
I was very flaky by the time I had walked the 0.9 of a mile to Malden Manor Railway Station (Edge of Zone 4 - 21.2 miles / 18:49). I like the design of this station, and its sisters at Tolworth and Chessington North and South. Very 1930's Southern Railway Art Deco. This branch line was going to be extended to Leatherhead but the war put a stop to that. The extension to Chessington was the last London branch line built by the Southern.
Today's walk is a mixture of events, first the Edge of Zone 4 Walk, secondly an opportunity to complete my River Lea/Lee Navigation walk and finally a visit to the least used National Railway Station in London - Angel Road.
With regards to The Zone 4 Walk, I'm invoking rule 7.2a which allows me to walk to a point which will join up with other walks from this general area i.e. Barking, Highams Park etc and then do one final walk home. This is similar to what I did when I undertook the Sudbury Hill Harrow walk.
So today I'm going to follow the River Lea through Tottenham, Hackney, Stratford, to Three Mills Island and then the Limehouse Cut to Limeshouse Basin.
I left home at 08:00 and caught the 08:20 to Cannon Street and then the Central Line to Stratford to connect with the 09:30 Greater Anglia service from Stratford to Bishops Stortford, with Angel Road being the 4th stop after Lea Bridge (new station), Tottenham Hale and Northumberland Park.
Rights lets get all the Angel Road facts out the way, 2014/2015 number of passengers 85,770, 20105/2016 27,754 passengers, that's 235 during 14/15 and 76 during 15/16.
There are 5 morning services to Stratford at 06:14, 07:24, 08:24, 09:24 and 09:52. 5 evening services 15:52, 16:52, 17:53, 18:53, and 19:52.
Whilst in the opposite direction to Bishops Stortford there are 4 services in the morning 06:19, 07:51, 08:52, 09:48 and in the evening seven services 16:17, 17:03, 17:33, 18:03, 18:33, 19:03, 19:47.
That's a total of 21 trains, with no service on Saturdays or Sundays. You can catch my video below. The station is in the middle of a waste land of re-cycling and the North Circulate Road, so not surprised at the limited use. Five people got off my train and one got one.
So, from Angel Road I walked along Meridian Way, popping into Tesco's to use the loo and buy a croissant, God that was an effort I thought I would go into the cafe as it would be quicker, err no. The girl must have pushed so many buttons. In the end I gave up, leaving my change behind, after all I had a walk to do!
From here I took a left turn down Leeside Road which brought me to the Rive Lea which basically I followed all the way to Limehouse, end of blog!
I've done this walk a couple of times already this year and a few more in previous years. The first lock of the day was Stonebridge Lock which is just past Northumberland Park. There were a few cyclists and a couple of walkers, not many barges on the move though.
I passed under a pipe encased in heavy metal close to the Lockwood Reservoir, this proved to be a Sludge Main, with an emergency number in case the sludge escapes and envelopes you, hope there was a mobile signal! Next up was Tottenham Lock, where there's some nice Thames Barges.
Shortly after this lock there was a diversion due to rebuilding of the bridge which carries the Overground across the canal on the Goblin Line which is currently being electrified. When I say rebuilding, more like maintenance. There was a nice little river tractor helping out.
As I approached the Springfield Park area of Stamford Hill, there are the remains of some canal side industrial wharf cranes which I have photographed a number of times. So this time I took an alternative approach!
Next the River Lea Rowing club, apparently the oldest one on the river, was doing good business, I expect there was a walking group present having a breather.
At this point I crossed the canal into Walthamstow Marshes, where a number of railways cross the marsh and canal.
At Millfields Park North there was another canal crossing and a nice piece of modern art - a rusting tree.
I'm now on the left hand side of the canal and I popped into to have a quick look at the Middlesex Filter Beds, which are now a nature reserve.
Next stop was Hackney Wick, in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium, or London Stadium as its called these days as home to West Ham United. Here I had my lunch, cold pasta from last night and hot coffee. It was actually quite cold now as I sat on a bench opposite the Hertford Union Canal link to the Regents Canal. There was a lot of activity across the canal with no less than four freight trains.
After lunch I continued along the side of the Olympic Park passing through Old Ford Lock, which was quite atmospheric.
I then had to take a diversion as Crossrail were undertaking landscaping for a few weeks, the path re-opening on the 11 Feb, should I come back, i doubt it, well at least not in the short term. This diversion took me along the Greenway with good views of the stadium and the gyro thingy.
The diversion also gave me a good view of a temporary sidings for Crossrail where ballast is delivered. There was a Freightliner Class 66 delivering a load. I thought at one point I was going to be able to see it leave but it was just moving along slightly so the next wagon could be unloaded.
I was able to pop into Pudding Mill Lane DLR station to nab a station sign.
The diversion brought me to the Bow Interchange were I was able to rejoin the canal and head off to Three Mills Island. At this point the Waterworks River, Three Mills Wall River, Bow Creek all join up and there's a tiny spit of land which leads down to a series of locks.
Before going this way I took the Leeway South which walks along the River Lea as far as Cody Dock were I had a welcome cuppa and piece of cake. Interesting place Cody dock, there's an old dock (obviously) I wonder if this is the site of the old iron works ship yard were amongst others the SS Robin was built.
From here I retraced my steps back to the lock and continued my walk along the Limehouse Cut, straight as a die.
This comes out at Limehouse Basin and a lock to join the River Thames and the end of the days walk at 15:15.
First of all I walked this one the wrong way round, I started from SE9 and walked to New Malden, in fact I continued past New Malden to Kingsmeadow, home of AFC Wimbledon for their FA Cup replay with Sutton United, that was a disaster! All in all I ended up walking 21 miles that day.
I've done this walk a number of times now and can now do it without the help of a map, well almost, I had to refer to my A2Z when I arrived at Tooting as I became a little disorientated. The most interesting fact is that this walk takes you through the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth, Merton and Kingston, so it starts with a Royal Borough and finishes with a Royal one! With a bit more planning I could have squeezed in Wandsworth!
BLACKHEATH RUGBY CLUB
B15 BUS STOP
I left home at 13:05 and headed for Westhorne Avenue and the South Circular passing Blackheath Rugby Club, crossing the roundabout at the Yorkshire Grey and off towards Catford. I passed Alwold Crescent, Horn Park, the termination point of the B15 bus, which passes me on my way down to the station at Falconwood.
Whilst in Catford I visited both Catford Bridge and Catford railway stations and then continued onto Forest Hill passing St Dunstan's College which looked particularly impressive in the glowing afternoon sunlight.
ST DUNSTAN'S COLLEGE
HORNIMAN'S MUSEUM
Needless to say I visited Forest Hill station for a sign selfie (I'm collecting station sign name selfies). From Forest Hill it was up hill past Horniman's museum and down into Dulwich, past the park and Peckham Town FC on my right hand side, whilst on my left hand side was Dulwich College, which was called Alleyn's when I was at School. I remember one time when we played them at football, the teams got mixed up, our 1st XI played there 3rd XI and out 2nd XI their 2nd XI. When it should have been 1st v 2nd and 2nd v 3rd, anyway both teams got thrashed!
As I continued around the South Circular A205 towards Tulse Hill I called in at West Dulwich Railway station, but before Tulse Hill I turned off into Lancaster Avenue up York Hill and then down into Streatham passing the impressive Odeon Cinema.
Crossing the A23 I ended up at Tooting Bec Common, why is it called Bec I wonder? Because It is named after Bec Abbey in Normandy, which was given land in this area (then part of the Streatham parish) after the Norman Conquest. Today there were no beautiful young things jogging up and down only school children on their way home. Oh and a Eastern European asking where Balham was, just as well I didn't attempt to assist as I would have sent him the wrong way towards Streatham!
By now the sun was setting and I stopped off at a bench to have a cup of coffee from my flask. Once refreshed I continued my odyssey down Church Lane where they was a pretty good sunset above Colliers Wood, that big black tower has been modernised and is no longer black but actually looks quite nice.
When I arrived at Mitcham Road just down the way from Amen Corner I was a little disorientated as I mentioned above but I was soon back on track arriving at Colliers Wood, were I popped in for a station sign selfie as I did when I arrived at the next stop South Wimbledon. Both these stations have magnificent the up lighters on the escalators, real Art Deco stuff.
From South Wimbledon, I stopped off at Merton Park for another Station sign selfie although really this is a tram stop, but they are permitted.
I thought that would be the last station sign opportunity but I had forgotten about Wimbledon Chase. My friends and me used to walk down here of an evening and hang around on the platform for an hour of so, I think the service was really poor in those days (the 70's).
I was now on the final leg and I was making really good time, so I began to wander about, I walked into an estate I had never been into before, this was built on the site of Carters Tested Seeds. As a young lad we tried to sneak in here and play as there was an old pill box in the centre of the nursery. I had hoped I could cross the the A3 and gain access to New Malden via Beverley Park but I couldn't and so had to retrace my steps. This took me through a dodgy subway and through the back end of a retail/industrial park and up an unknown path bringing me out at Blagdon Road and then on to New Malden station, where I arrived at 18:45.
