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| Crystal Palace Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | Network Rail | ||
| Locale | Greater London | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 7 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Suburban rail | ||
| System | National Rail | ||
| Operator(s) | Southern Thameslink (non-stop) | ||
| Rolling stock | Class 377 Class 700 | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 1856-1858 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Number of tracks | 1-2 | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | 750 V DC Third Rail | ||
| Operating speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) maximum | ||
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TheCrystal Palace Line[1][2] is a railway line inLondon which runs from Balham Junction toBeckenham Junction. The engineer's reference for this line is BBJ.[3]
The line runs from Balham Junction on theBrighton Main Line route intoLondon Victoria toBeckenham Junction, viaStreatham Hill andCrystal Palace. The line has a junction with thePortsmouth Line[2][1] at Norwood, and again meets the Brighton Main Line, this time the line intoLondon Bridge, just beyond Crystal Palace. The line runs alongside the LondonTramlink betweenBirkbeck and Beckenham, and has junctions with theMid-Kent Line and theChatham Main Line where it terminates atBeckenham Junction.
The first part of the line, betweenNew Wandsworth andCrystal Palace (Low Level), opened 1 December 1856 as theWest End of London and Crystal Palace Railway. In 1857 the route was extended to Norwood. On 3 May 1858 the company opened an extension from Bromley Junction (near Norwood Junction) toShortlands railway station (then called Bromley) via Beckenham Junction station. The following year the original line from Pimlico to Norwood Junction was sold to theLondon Brighton and South Coast Railway, and the section from Bromley Junction to Shortlands to theLondon, Chatham and Dover Railway, but the WEL&CPR continued to provide its own passenger services. The two halves were reunited in 1921 as part of theSouthern Railway following enactment of theGrouping Act.
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2019) |
Southern provides most services, with trains fromLondon Victoria running through toWest Croydon and services fromLondon Bridge terminating atBeckenham Junction.[4]
The line also provides a diversionary route forThameslink services avoidingLondon Bridge – usually this is only in thepeaks or during the night, but theThameslink Programme engineering works have made it necessary for someBedford toBrighton services to take this route throughout the day. These generally do not stop at any of the stations on the line.
The section from Beckenham Junction toBirkbeck is partly converted forTramlink, with trams running from Beckenham to Croydon andWimbledon.
