01
 "01")
Merton Abbey station.
Looking east from track level between the platforms.
Was the distant building on the right 'Frys Metals' works?
Looking east from track level between the platforms.
Was the distant building on the right 'Frys Metals' works?
02
 "02")
Shunter's/Platelayer's hut standing on Merton Abbey station platform.
The distant pylon's position would suggest this to be the eastbound platform.
The distant pylon's position would suggest this to be the eastbound platform.
03
 "03")
An access crossing at the far western end of Merton Abbey station.
On the northern side this crossing connected with Station Road, and immediately beyond the crossing is the bridge over the River Wandle.
It wasn't particularly clean here, but in the next mile the Wandle was 'used' by the Merton Board Mills, the Connolly Leather works, and at Haydons Road became the discharge point for a sewage works.
On the northern side this crossing connected with Station Road, and immediately beyond the crossing is the bridge over the River Wandle.
It wasn't particularly clean here, but in the next mile the Wandle was 'used' by the Merton Board Mills, the Connolly Leather works, and at Haydons Road became the discharge point for a sewage works.
04
 "04")
Looking towards Merton Abbey station from the western end.
The track appears to have been singled west of this crossover.
The track appears to have been singled west of this crossover.
05
 "05")
Precise location not known, but apparently further west of picture 04.
The disconnected track has not been lifted.
The disconnected track has not been lifted.
06
 "06")
Coal trucks at Merton Board Mills.
The Merton Board Mills factory chimneys are directly behind.
The Merton Board Mills factory chimneys are directly behind.
07
 "07")
Coal trucks at Merton Board Mills.
08
 "08")
Shiny wheels!
That means these trucks did actually move at some time.
That means these trucks did actually move at some time.
09
 "09")
Not just an 'arty' shot!
There is a parallel track barely visible in this undergrowth.
There is a parallel track barely visible in this undergrowth.
10
 "10")
Precise location not known, but apparently further west of picture 04.
The disconnected track has not been lifted.
The disconnected track has not been lifted.
11
 "11")
Merton Abbey station.
Looking west from track level between the platforms.
Looking west from track level between the platforms.
12
 "12")
Merton Abbey station.
Looking east from platform level.
Looking east from platform level.
13
 "13")
The impressive towers of the Merton Board Mills.
The factory stood directly adjacent to the Merton Abbey station site.
The factory stood directly adjacent to the Merton Abbey station site.
14
 "14")
Memorial stone on the site of Merton Priory. The c.1680 name of 'Abbey' is incorrect since the Augustinian house was always just a priory.
The (punctuation-free) inscription reads:
"Here stood once the High Altar and part of the Church of Merton Priory
A house of Austin Canons 1117-1538"
The (punctuation-free) inscription reads:
"Here stood once the High Altar and part of the Church of Merton Priory
A house of Austin Canons 1117-1538"
S01
 "S01")
Pictured in 1959, a pre-war 3SUB (augmented to 4SUB with a trailer coach from a former trailer set) passes through the former Tooting Junction station at the eastern end of the Merton Abbey branch.
The (disconnected) branch tracks are just visible to the left.
This picture is © Copyright David Bradley and used with his permission. Please see the links section for full access to David's web pages.
The (disconnected) branch tracks are just visible to the left.
This picture is © Copyright David Bradley and used with his permission. Please see the links section for full access to David's web pages.
S02
 "S02")
Tooting Junction goods yard pictured in the early 1970's.
Originally double track with three sidings, the goods yard is pictured
from the footbridge over the abandoned Robinson Road level crossing.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
Originally double track with three sidings, the goods yard is pictured
from the footbridge over the abandoned Robinson Road level crossing.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
S03
 "S03")
Merton Abbey Station pictured in 1968.
This picture is © Copyright Nick Catford and used with his permission.
Please see the links section for full access to the source web pages.
This picture is © Copyright Nick Catford and used with his permission.
Please see the links section for full access to the source web pages.
S04
 "S04")
Merton Park station pictured on 5th October 1972. Passenger access to the island platform was by crossing this singled track to Merton Abbey.
This picture is © Copyright John Bradshaw / transport-of-delight.com and used with permission.
Please see the links section for full access to the source web pages.
This picture is © Copyright John Bradshaw / transport-of-delight.com and used with permission.
Please see the links section for full access to the source web pages.
S05
 "S05")
Merton Park station pictured in the early 1970's.
Our photographer is standing on the Merton Abbey branch platform. The signal box and Kingston Road level crossing are visible in the distance.
The black-painted ring signifies that this is a Siding signal, although that type of signal became obsolete with the introduction of the British Railways Rule Book in 1950.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
Our photographer is standing on the Merton Abbey branch platform. The signal box and Kingston Road level crossing are visible in the distance.
The black-painted ring signifies that this is a Siding signal, although that type of signal became obsolete with the introduction of the British Railways Rule Book in 1950.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
S06
 "S06")
Merton Park station, again pictured in the early 1970's.
Pictured from Melbourne Road footbridge, the branch line platforms
were twice the length of those on the adjacent West Croydon line.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
Pictured from Melbourne Road footbridge, the branch line platforms
were twice the length of those on the adjacent West Croydon line.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
S07
 "S07")
A fine pair of cast iron signs guard the abandoned level crossing where the Merton Abbey branch crosses Robinson Road, near Tooting station.
The lower sign gives instructions where to get permission from the company's servants, to open the gate and pass traction or other road engines across the railway. It is signed Godfrey Knight (Secretary).
This picture is © Copyright John Mills and used with his permission.
The lower sign gives instructions where to get permission from the company's servants, to open the gate and pass traction or other road engines across the railway. It is signed Godfrey Knight (Secretary).
This picture is © Copyright John Mills and used with his permission.
S08
 "S08")
LBSCR luggage label - "Partridge Green to Merton Abbey".
Partridge Green station (Sussex) opened in July 1861 and was closed
to passenger traffic in December 1965. That line too is long gone.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
Partridge Green station (Sussex) opened in July 1861 and was closed
to passenger traffic in December 1965. That line too is long gone.
This picture is © Copyright Roger Tiller and used with his permission.
M01
 "M01")
1970 Ordnance Survey map of Merton Abbey.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey.
© Crown copyright.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey.
© Crown copyright.
M02
 "M02")
2003 Ordnance Survey map of Merton Abbey.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey.
© Crown copyright.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey.
© Crown copyright.
Links to Related Material
The source page of picture 'S01' above
The definitive website for Croydon area Trolleybuses
The source page of picture 'S03' above
Home of the above Subterranea Britannica site
The source page of picture 'S04' above
A site full of views you'll never see again
An informative piece from the Wimbledon Guardian
The history of the Merton 'Abbey' site
The Northern Heights - from 1970
Brentford Dock - again from 1970
Click this link for the OVERGROUND web site Home Page
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Note : I accept no responsibility for the content of linked sites, or the opinions expressed therein.
Note : I accept no responsibility for the content of linked sites, or the opinions expressed therein.
Background Information
Built by the ´Tooting, Merton & Wimbledon Railway´ and opening in October 1868, the
Merton Abbey branch line ran from Merton Park station in the west to Tooting ´Junction´ station
in the east (a distance of less than two miles) with a single intermediate station at Merton Abbey.
Tooting station was relocated in 1894, standing on the Wimbledon-Streatham line which was electrified
in 1929. The branch line was not electrified, and passenger services ceased at that time, although
Merton Abbey station had temporarily closed between 1st January 1917 and 27th August 1923.
The connection at Tooting was severed in 1934 but the station retained the title ´Junction´ until 1938.
The branch then being only accessible from Merton Park, it survived to serve the Lines Brothers
´Tri-ang´ factory which was rail connected from around the 1950's until that factory closed, and had
a private connection to the Merton Board Mills site adjacent to Merton Abbey station.
There was a scheduled morning freight from Wimbledon yard and pathways existed for
a second (afternoon) and (most exceptionally) third movement if required.
Finally closing around 1979, the line of the track at Merton Abbey became the Merton relief road
(Merantun Way) in 1989.
The Merton Park line closed in 1997 and subsequently became part of Croydon Tramlink.
The track-bed nearer Tooting has been given over to housing, and the old Tooting ´Junction´
station building survived for 108 years as a private residence but was demolished at the end of 2002.
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