Chessington Branch Line

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The Chessington Branch is a branch of railway line which runs from Motspur Park to Chessington South.

[edit] History

The Chessington Branch, 4.25 miles (7km) in length, was the last line to be constructed by the Southern Railway. It was originally the intention to construct a loop line through Chessington from a junction at Motspur Park, on the Dorking line, to meet the line again at Leatherhead. The new line was incorporated in 1929 to serve the many new housing estates being built south of Surbiton. The line was opened as follows:

• 29 May 1938 Motspur Park - Tolworth, with an intermediate station at Malden Manor,
• 28 May 1939 Tolworth - Chessington South - intermediate station Chessington North

World War II then intervened and the line was not completed. After the war the Green Belt put a stop to further extension, and the line ends just south of Chessington South.

The stations on the line were all built in the Art Deco style, typical of the 1930s (see this illustrated article on Malden Manor station)

[edit] Description of the branch

The line is mainly constructed on embankments. There are short distances in cuttings and several bridges. There is a 140ft (42m) viaduct over the Hogsmill River near Malden Manor station. All the stations are of their time, and constructed in concrete. The route is double track and was electrified (750 V DC using third rail) at the time of its construction.

[edit] Typical journey times from Chessington South

Based on 2006 timetable. Stations in italics served by through trains, but are not part of the Chessington Branch.

Destination	Journey time
Chessington North	2 minutes
Tolworth	4 minutes
Malden Manor	7 minutes
Motspur Park	10 minutes
Raynes Park	13 minutes
Wimbledon	17 minutes
Earlsfield	21 minutes
Clapham Junction	24 minutes
Vauxhall	29 minutes
LONDON WATERLOO	35 minutes

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