Epsom Downs railway station

Epsom Downs railway station stands on the edge of the North Downs in Surrey, 30 kilometres from London Bridge. It sits on the single-track Epsom Downs branch, a short line built to serve the racecourse half a mile away. The station was designed by David J. Field and opened in 1865 with nine platforms and a grand building. Over a century later, in 1989, a new station was built 420 metres closer to London, replacing the old one. Today only one platform remains in use, reached by a simple footbridge. The line is now operated by Southern with modern electric trains. The station’s purpose has always been to bring racegoers to Epsom Downs Racecourse. Opposition from the Epsom Grandstand Association forced the line to be built farther from the course. In 1901 a nearer station opened at Tattenham Corner, and in 1925 the Royal Train changed its destination there. Services declined steadily, and by 1982 the branch was reduced to single track. A half-hourly service now runs every day of the week. Visitors find a quiet halt with a single platform and a small shelter. A footbridge gives access from the car park beside the line. The surrounding area is open fields and housing estates built on the old station land. Trains run to London Victoria via Norbury, linking the downs to the city. The branch remains a reminder of the racecourse’s Victorian heyday and the changes that followed.