Birkbeck station

Birkbeck is a railway station and light rail stop in the London Borough of Bromley in the southern suburbs of London. On the rail network it is 10 miles 26 chains (16.6 km) measured from London Victoria. It is located on Elmers End Road (A214) and alongside Beckenham Crematorium.

Birkbeck Tramlink National Rail
Station in 2008
Birkbeck is located in Greater London
Birkbeck
Birkbeck
Location of Birkbeck in Greater London
LocationAnerley
Local authorityLondon Borough of Bromley
Managed bySouthern
Station codeBIK
DfT categoryF2
Number of platforms1 (main line)
1 (Tramlink)
Fare zone4
Tramlink annual boardings and alightings
2009–100.186 million[1]
2010–110.186 million[2]
National Rail annual entry and exit
2017–18Increase 0.108 million[3]
2018–19Increase 0.137 million[3]
2019–20Increase 0.148 million[3]
2020–21Decrease 33,850[3]
2021–22Increase 55,104[3]
Railway companies
Original companySouthern Railway
Post-groupingSouthern Railway
Key dates
1858Line opens
1915Line closes
3 March 1929line reopens
2 March 1930Opening of station
1983station reduced to single platform
2000Tramlink starts
Other information
External links
WGS8451.4039°N 0.0568°W / 51.4039; -0.0568
 London transport portal

History and layout

National Rail

The line through Birkbeck was opened as a double-track branch of the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway in 1858, but was closed from 1860 to 1863 and again in 1915 until reopened in 1929 as part of the Southern Railway electrification scheme. A year later, on 2 March 1930, a new station was opened,[4] to serve a growing suburban area, and named after the Birkbeck Freehold Land Society, whose name derived from the Yorkshire philanthropist George Birkbeck.[5] In 1983 the line between Beckenham Junction and Bromley Junction was reduced to single track and the former up line and up platform was abandoned. The track was subsequently removed and the station building demolished.[6]

The tracks in the station are located well above street level; the National Rail buildings were damaged by fire in 1983.

When the Croydon Tramlink was constructed a single line through the station was laid using the trackbed of the former BR up line and the former BR up platform was rebuilt. The National Rail line is served by a high level platform to the north of the track, whilst the Croydon Tramlink rail line is served by a low level platform to the south of the track. Each platform has its own access from the street, and the only access between the two platforms is via the street, with a fence between the two tracks to deter any attempt to cross the lines.

Birkbeck Station in 1961

The one-platform Tramlink stop opened in 2000. This platform is used for both services which run to Beckenham Junction and Wimbledon.

A proposed line alternative through Birkbeck station from Crystal Palace railway station to Beckenham Junction was considered for conversion to a Tramlink route but Transport for London has dropped the plan on the grounds that the existing rail service is adequate.

Services

National Rail

All National Rail services at Birkbeck are operated by Southern using Class 377 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[7]

During the evenings (after approximately 20:00), the service is reduced to hourly in each direction.

No National Rail services call at the station on Sundays.

London Trams

Tram services at Birkbeck are operated by Tramlink. The tram stop is served by trams every 10 minutes between Beckenham Junction and Wimbledon via Croydon. This is reduced to a tram every 15 minutes on Saturday early mornings and evenings, and on Sundays.[8][9]

Services are operated using Bombardier CR4000 and Stadler Variobahn Trams.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Southern
Monday-Saturday only
Preceding station Tramlink Following station
Harrington Road
towards Wimbledon
 Tramlink
Wimbledon to Beckenham Junction		 Avenue Road
towards Beckenham Junction

Connections

The stop is served by London Buses routes 354 and 356 which provide connections to Beckenham, Bromley, Elmers End, Penge and Sydenham.

Free interchange for journeys made within an hour is available between bus services and between buses and trams is available at Birkbeck as part of Transport for London's Hopper Fare.[10]

  • Main line looking west
    Main line looking west
  • Tramlink looking east
    Tramlink looking east
  • Main line platform sign
    Main line platform sign
  • Tramlink platform sign
    Tramlink platform sign

References
  1. "Tram Stop Usage 2009-10 (FOI)" (XLS). Tramlink annual passenger performance 2009-2010. Transport for London. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  2. "Tramlink numbers 2010-2011" (PDF). Tramlink annual passenger performance 2010-2011. Transport for London. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  3. "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  4. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 34. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  5. "The Railways of Beckenham", Andrew Hajducki, 2011
  6. Pedantic of Purley (9 February 2017). "The Lonely Life of Birkbeck: South London's Bellwether Station". London Reconnections. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  7. Table 173 National Rail timetable, May 2022
  8. "Tram Timetables". Transport for London. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  9. "London Trams Map" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  10. "Bus and Tram Fares". Transport for London. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
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