Croydon’s tram network, a staple since 2000, might have been a reality 50 years earlier, with direct links to Central London that surpass today’s connections. Since its inception, the tram network has woven Croydon into the fabric of South London, reaching from Wimbledon to Beckenham Junction and New Addington, while also providing convenient transfers to the London Underground and Overground at West Croydon and Wimbledon stations.
However, a lesser-known fact, as detailed in Andrew Emmerson and Tony Beard’s book “London’s Secret Tubes,” is that back in 1950, the Tramway Development Council had a bold vision for a “rapid transit tramway” that would run both above and below ground from Purley through Croydon to a significant new transport hub at Kennington Oval.
This proposed line would have allowed “rail coaches” to connect seamlessly with Northern line Tube services heading towards the City and West End, with potential future expansions to Victoria, Marble Arch, and Paddington.
A 1950s blueprint for a tram network in Croydon, which was never realised, has been likened to an early version of the current system. The ambitious plan would have seen on-street tracks with tunnels and flyovers to bypass traffic hotspots, as well as stations equipped with small platforms and shelters for use in inclement weather.
Larger, more sophisticated stations were planned at points where the trams would interchange with railways, including an underground tram station in central Brixton at the intersection of Acre Lane and Coldharbour Lane with Brixton Road and Brixton Hill. An extensive underground station with a rail interchange was also proposed at Oval Tube station.
The network would have utilised twin-coach trains with lengthy single-deck carriages, or rail coaches, powered by high-performance engines. Ample space would have been provided for standing passengers, while resilient rubber wheels would have minimised noise.
Plans also included grass and flower borders around the tracks, along with tidy fencing to enclose them. A more comprehensive development of this scheme, covering a larger portion of south London, was featured in The Modern Tramway publication in July 1950.
Regrettably, due to budget constraints in the austere 1950s, this elaborate scheme never came to fruition, and Croydon had to wait until 2000 for its trams. However, it’s argued that many of the connectivity issues between south and central London that persist today could have been resolved by this earlier, highly ambitious tram plan.
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