COMPETITION FROM THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY

There was no real competition locally from the railway in Chelsham itself, because the two nearest railway lines were down in the valley with a station at Upper Warlingham on the London to Oxted line, and another railway line which runs from London to Caterham with a station at Whyteleafe. On the Caterham line there was also a station named Warlingham, situated between Whyteleafe and Caterham which was eventually renamed Whyteleafe South. It was not until February 21st 1934 that the London Transport Route 453 buses supplied by Chelsham Garage began running from Warlingham to connect with the steam train services operated by the Southern Railway at Upper Warlingham Station and the electric trains at Whyteleafe Station in the valley.

    THE SOUTHERN HEIGHTS LIGHT RAILWAY   

Plans were well under way in the 1920's between Colonel Holman Fred Stephens of Light Railway fame and the Southern Railway to construct a light railway from Orpington to Sanderstead with stations at :-

The proposed passenger train service would have been operated by Electric trains with steam locomotives hauling the freight trains The timetable would have shown trains running in a circular service in each direction starting from Charing Cross and running via Waterloo East, London Bridge, Orpington, Green St. Green for Farnborough, Downe & Keston, Cudham & Biggin Hill, Westerham Hill, Tatsfield, Chelsham for Warlingham, Hamsey Green, Mitchley Wood, Sanderstead, Selsdon, Coombe Road, Woodside, Elmers End, Clock House, Lewisham, London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charing Cross. It is of interest to note that the section between Coombe Road, Woodside and Elmers End is now part of Croydon Tramlink. Agreement could not be reached and the plans were finally dropped in the early 1930's.

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