Lewisham station

Not to be confused withLewisham railway station, SydneyorLewisham Road railway station.

Lewisham
Lewisham Location of Lewisham in Greater London
Location	Lewisham
Local authority	London Borough of Lewisham
Managed by	Southeastern Docklands Light Railway
Station code(s)	LEW
DfT category	C2
Number of platforms	4 NR, 2 DLR
Accessible	Yes(DLR and 4 NR platforms)
Fare zone	2and3
DLR annual boardings and alightings
2019	9.662 million
2020	4.236 million
2021	4.701 million
2022	7.030 million
2023	7.560 million
National Rail annual entry and exit
2018–19	10.326 million
– interchange	2.634 million
2019–20	10.005 million
– interchange	2.564 million
2020–21	2.555 million
– interchange	0.564 million
2021–22	5.249 million
– interchange	1.320 million
2022–23	5.918 million
– interchange	2.154 million
Key dates
30 July 1849	First station opened
1 January 1857	Present station opened asLewisham Junction
7 July 1929	RenamedLewisham
20 November 1999	DLR extension
Other information
External links	Departures Facilities
Coordinates	51.4653°N 0.0133°W/51.4653; -0.0133
London transport portal

Lewishamis aninterchange stationinLewisham,south-east London, forDocklands Light Railway(DLR) andNational Railservices.

On the National Rail network it is 7miles61chains(12.5 km) measured fromLondon Victoriaand is operated bySoutheastern.

Station layout

There are four platforms for main-line trains: 3 and 4 on theNorth Kent Line,and 1 and 2 on theMid-Kent linewhich is also used as a loop off theSouth Eastern Main Line.

Elaborate cast iron brackets

The current station which dates from 1857 is constructed of yellow stock brick with stone dressing and has an unusual survival of a wooden clapboard building at the back. The facade has a pleasing symmetry of three windows, three entrance doors, and three windows.

Original doors sash windows skirting tiling and banisters are present inside. The original corniced ceiling of the main hall is currently concealed by a lowered fake ceiling. Platform 3 has kept its original canopy with its elaborate cast iron brackets which depict cherries. some of the original chamfered wood and cast iron supports of the original canopy survive on platform 2.

The station has similarities with other listed stations built at around the same time such as the listedLadywell railway station,Blackheath stationandGravesend railway stationwhich has the same elaborate cast iron supporting brackets as can be found at Lewisham.

Platforms 5 and 6 are served byDocklands Light Railwaytrains toBankandStratford.The Docklands Light Railway station opened in 1999 following a southward extension fromIsland Gardens.The original canopy over platform 4 was demolished at some point after 1990.

The original canopy over the main entrance was demolished in 2009 at a cost of £790kand replaced with a steel version.

Lewisham station entrance

From December 2009, Lewisham was fitted with electric ticket gates, in line with the Government's new strategy to give allGreater LondonNational Rail stationsOyster cardaccessibility and closing access to those who attempt to travel without tickets. This was controversial as it involved the closure of the gate on Platform 4 and led to a petition signed by over 1,000.

British Transport Policealso maintains a neighbourhood policing presence at Lewisham.

History

Opening and early years (1849–1922)

The North Kent line opened on 30 July 1849 by theSouth Eastern Railwaylinking Strood with theLondon and Greenwich Railwayroute to London Bridge. The original station was located east of the Lewisham Road overbridge with access off Lewisham Road.

With the opening of theMid-Kent lineon 1 January 1857 a new station was built to the west so both lines could be served.For a period Old Lewisham Station was also kept open.

Platform 1, Lewisham station

Eleven passengers were killed in the1857 Lewisham rail crashwhen a train ran into the back of a stationary train.

In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of theSouth Eastern and Chatham Railway.

Southern Railway (1923–1947)

Following theRailways Act 1921(also known as the Grouping Act), Lewisham became aSouthern Railwaystation on 1 January 1923.

TheMid-Kent linewas electrified with services commencing on 28 February 1926.

TheNorth Kent Linewaselectrifiedwith the (750 V DC third rail) system. Electrification was initially to Dartford (6 June 1926) and was extended toGillinghamby the Second World War.

In 1929 large-scale remodelling of the junction was undertaken to enable cross-London freight traffic to be routed viaNunheadandLoughborough Junction.The new route utilised part of the formerGreenwich Park branch(which had closed in 1917) and included anoverpass.

The loop between Lewisham and the main line towards Hither Green, which had opened in 1929, was electrified on 16 July 1933, allowing Sidcup and Orpington local electric services to call.

The Nunhead line was electrified in summer 1935 and opened to electric traffic on 30 September 1935, with services from Bexleyheath and Sidcup toSt Paul's(later renamed Blackfriars). This service was cancelled during the Second World War as an economy measure, and recommenced on 12 August 1946.

British Railways (1948–1994)

After the Second World War and following nationalisation on 1 January 1948, the station fell under the auspices ofBritish RailwaysSouthern Region.

On 4 December 1957, theLewisham rail crashoccurred to the west of the station; there were 90 fatalities.

As part of the London Bridge re-signalling, a new loop line was opened with a reversible track down to the west (Fast Line) side of St Johns, which opened up on 1 April 1976.

Upon sectorisation in 1982, three passenger sectors were created: Provincial (later renamedRegional Railways) for local services outside of the London area;InterCity,operating principal express services; and London & South East (renamedNetwork SouthEastin 1986) who operated commuter services in the London area.

Franchise (1994–present day)

piano in Lewisham station

Following de-nationalisation of British Rail on 1 April 1994 the infrastructure to St Johns station became the responsibility ofRailtrackwhilst a business unit operated the train services. On 13 October 1996 operation of the passenger services passed toConnex South Easternwho were originally due to run the franchise until 2011.

On 22 November 1999 Deputy Prime MinisterJohn Prescottopened the 4·2 km Lewisham extension of London'sDocklands Light Railwaywith trains running through to Bank.

Following a number of accidents and financial issues Railtrack plc was sold toNetwork Railon 3 October 2002 who became responsible for the infrastructure.

On 27 June 2003, theStrategic Rail Authoritydecided to strip Connex of the franchise citing poor financial management and run the franchise itself.Connex South Eastern continued to operate the franchise until 8 November 2003; the services transferred to theStrategic Rail Authority'sSouth Eastern Trainssubsidiary the following day.

On 30 November 2005, theDepartment for TransportawardedGoviathe Integrated Kent franchise. The services operated by South Eastern Trains transferred toSoutheasternon 1 April 2006.

The loop line to St Johns was doubled in 2013.

There was formerly a bus terminus within the station, but this was relocated to Thurston Road as part of theLewisham Gatewayproject.

Incidents

• On 4 December 1957, theLewisham rail crashoccurred to the west of the station, in which there were 90 fatalities. A plaque at the station commemorates this incident.
• In the early morning hours of 24 January 2017, aGB Railfreighttrain travelling from Grain to Neasdenderailedat Lewisham. Although no railway workers or passengers were injured in the derailment, it caused widespread disruption across the Southeastern system, with numerous delays and cancellations for the day.
• On the evening of 2 March 2018, duringexceptionally cold weather,several trains were delayed close to the station andpassengers evacuated the trainand went onto the tracks.

Planned London Underground services

Fleet line service

In 1971 and 1972, parliamentary approval was given for construction of Phases 2 and 3 of the plannedFleet line.Phase 3 of the proposal would have extended the line fromFenchurch Streetto Lewisham, with new platforms constructed underground.Further plans for Phase 4 of the extension considered the line taking over the mainline tracks on theAddiscombeandHayesbranch lines. Preliminary construction works were carried out elsewhere on the extension before the plan was postponed by lack of funds. Following a change of name toJubilee line,the first part of the line opened in 1979, but the remaining plans were not carried out. When theJubilee line was extendedin 1999, a different route toStratfordwas followed.

Bakerloo line service

TfL is currently considering extending the Bakerloo line to Lewisham. Both line options stop at Lewisham. If progressed the station is currently expected to open in 2030.

In its draft KentRoute Utilisation Strategy,Network Railmentions the possibility of extending theBakerloo linefromElephant & Castleto Lewisham, and then taking over the Hayes branch line. Network Rail states that this would free up six paths per hour into central London and so increasing capacity on theTonbridge main line,which would also relieve the junctions around Lewisham.

Services

Lewisham is the southernterminusof the DLR, the previous station beingElverson Road.It is on the boundary ofTravelcard Zone 2andZone 3and is a major transport hub, with many buses passing through or terminating here.

During infrastructure works on theGreenwich Line,Thameslinkservices are normally diverted through Lewisham, giving it a temporary link toLutonin the north andRainhamin the east.

National Rail

Railways around Lewisham and Hither Green
South Eastern Main Line toCharing Cross South Eastern Main Line toCannon StreetviaNew Cross non-stop viaLondon Bridge Nunhead to Lewisham link toLondon Victoria St Johns Greenwich Park branch line toGreenwich Park Bakerloo line (proposed) toElephant & Castle Docklands Light Railway toBank–MonumentorStratford viaNew Cross Gate Elverson Road Lewisham Bakerloo line (proposed) provision for extension toHayes Blackheath Parks Bridge Junction North Kent Line toGravesend Ladywell Bexleyheath line toDartfordviaBexleyheath Hayes line toHayesviaCatford Bridge Hither Green Hither Green TMD Lee Dartford Loop Line toDartfordviaSidcup South Eastern Main Line toKentnon-stop viaOrpington South Eastern Main Line toOrpington(stopping services)

National Railservices at Lewisham are operated bySoutheasternusingClass 376,465,466and707EMUs.

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

• 6 tph toLondon Charing Cross(non-stop toLondon Bridge)
• 4 tph toLondon Cannon Street(all stations)
• 2 tph toLondon Victoria
• 2 tph toSevenoaksviaGrove Park
• 2 tph toHayesviaCatford Bridge
• 2 tph toDartfordviaSidcup
• 2 tph toSlade GreenviaBexleyheath,continuing to London Cannon Street viaWoolwich ArsenalandGreenwich
• 2 tph to Dartford via Bexleyheath
• 2 tph toGravesendvia Woolwich Arsenal

Additional trains serve the station during the peak hours.

Docklands Light Railway

The typical off-peak DLR service from Lewisham is 12 trains per hour to and fromBank.Additional services run to and from the station during the peak hours, increasing the service to up to 22 trains per hour, with up to 8 trains per hour running to and fromStratfordinstead of Bank.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
London Bridge		Southeastern Dartford Loop Line		Hither Green
		Southeastern Grove Park Line
		Southeastern Hayes Line		Ladywell
St Johns		Southeastern North Kent Line		Blackheath
		Southeastern Bexleyheath Line
Nunhead		Southeastern Greenwich Park Branch Line
DLR
Elverson Road towardsBankorStratford		Docklands Light Railway		Terminus
	Future Development
Preceding station		London Underground		Following station
New Cross Gate towardsHarrow & Wealdstone		Bakerloo line Bakerloo line extension		Terminus
	Abandoned Plans
Preceding station		London Underground		Following station
New Cross towardsStanmore		Jubilee line Phase 3 (never constructed)		Terminus

Connections

Former bus station

London Busesroutes21,47,75,89,129,136,178,181,185,199,208,225,261,273,284,321,380,436,484,P4,school route621and night routesN21,N89,N136andN199serve the station.

Lewisham previously had an adjoining bus station for terminating routes. The station closed on 28 February 2014 for the major Lewisham Gateway redevelopment project.

External links

• Train timesandstation informationfor Lewisham station fromNational Rail
• Docklands Light Railway website - Lewisham station page