Ladywell railway station explained

Ladywell
Symbol:rail
Railcode:LAD
Manager:Southeastern
Fare Zone:3
Locale:Ladywell
Borough:Lewisham
Events1:Opened
Years1:1 January 1857
Platforms:2
Railexits0405: 0.627
Railexits0506: 0.644
Railexits0607: 0.874
Railexits0708: 0.931
Railexits0809: 0.904
Railexits0910: 0.885
Railexits1011: 0.929
Railexits1112: 0.942
Railexits1213: 0.973
Railexits1314: 1.052
Railexits1415: 1.122
Railexits1516: 1.323
Railexits1617: 1.291
Railexits1718: 1.211 -->
Railexits1819: 1.309
Railexits1920: 1.319
Railexits2021: 0.352
Railexits2122: 0.741
Railexits2223: 0.918
Access:yes
Coordinates:51.4562°N -0.0192°W
Listing Grade:II
Listing Detail:Ladywell Station
Listing Start:23 December 1998
Listing Entry:1246025
Dft Category:E

Ladywell railway station is in Ladywell, in the London Borough of Lewisham in south east London, in Travelcard Zone 3. It is 6miles measured from .

The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern. The Grade II station opened in 1857 and is in Ladywell Fields, adjacent to University Hospital, Lewisham.

History

Early years (1857-1922)

The Mid-Kent line was built by the Mid-Kent and North Kent Junction Railway (MK&NKJR) and was opened on 1 January 1857 as far as Beckenham Junction (although it was not technically a junction as the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway's line did not open until 3 May 1858). From opening the line was worked by the South Eastern Railway (SER). Seven years later the MK&NKJR built an extension from a new junction station at New Beckenham to Croydon (Addiscombe Road) which again was operated by the SER.[1]

In September 1866 a spur was opened from the north end of Ladywell station to the recently opened main line (which avoided Lewisham Junction station) which it joins at Parks Bridge Junction.[2]

Almost all services from the station have terminated at Charing Cross or Cannon Street stations but between 1880 and 1884 a service worked between Croydon (Addiscombe Road) calling all stations to New Cross and then via a connection to the East London Line and terminating at Liverpool Street station.[3]

In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and its bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and Ladywell became an SECR station.

Southern Railway (1923-1947)

Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act), Ladywell station became a Southern Railway station on 1 January 1923.

The Mid-Kent line was electrified with the (750 V DC third rail) system and electric services commenced on 28 February 1926. Early electric services were worked by early Southern Railway 3-car Electric Multiple Unit trains often built from old SECR carriages.

On 30 June 1929 colour light signalling was introduced north of Ladywell.[4]

British Railways (1948-1994)

After World War II and following nationalisation on 1 January 1948, the station fell under the auspices of British Railways Southern Region.

Colour light signalling was introduced south of Ladywell (as far as New Beckenham) on 4 April 1971.[5]

The privatisation era (1994-Present Day)

On 13 October 1996 operation of the passenger services passed to Connex South Eastern. Services were subsequently operated by South Eastern Trains, and Southeastern since 1 April 2006.

Service

All services at Ladywell are operated by Southeastern using,, and EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:

On Sundays, the station is served by a half-hourly service between Hayes and London Charing Cross via Lewisham.

Layout

Side Platform Platform 1
towards Charing Cross, Cannon Street
towards Hayes
Side Platform Platform 2

Connections

London Buses routes 122, 284, 484 and P4 serve the station.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Jackson, Alan A . London's Local Railways . 2nd. 1999. Capital Transport Publishing. Harrow Weald. 37–40.
  2. Book: Jackson, Alan A . London's Local Railways . 2nd. 1999. Capital Transport Publishing. Harrow Weald. 37.
  3. Book: Mitchell. Vic. Smith. Keith. East London Line. 1996. Middleton Press. Midhurst, UK. 1-873793-80-4. 5.
  4. Book: Jackson, Alan A . London's Local Railways . 2nd. 1999. Capital Transport Publishing. Harrow Weald. 37.
  5. Book: Jackson, Alan A . London's Local Railways . 2nd. 1999. Capital Transport Publishing. Harrow Weald. 47.
  6. Web site: Buses from Ladywell and Lewisham Hospital. July 2022. TfL. 31 July 2022.