30th December 1956

G.R. Lockie
Mid Kent Railway & West End & Crystal Palace Centenarian

Route :

Notes :
(1) From tour advertising: 'To commemorate the opening on New Years Day, 1857, of the Mid-Kent Railway from Lewisham to Beckenham (the first railway to serve Catford & Beckenham) and the opening in December, 1856, of the West End and Crystal Palace Railway (the genesis of all later rail access to Victoria station) from Crystal Palace to New Wandsworth (the original temporary terminus), a special centenary steam train, hauled by old South Eastern Railway and L.B.S.C. Railway engines, and comprising part modern and part old-fashioned carriages, formerly in use in the Crystal Palace-Beckenham area'.
(2) From tour advertising: 'Passengers from Beckenham Junction and Catford Bridge, not wishing to make the complete tour, may alight at Crystal Palace on the outward journey and return to Beckenham Junction (see Note A) by 3:15pm ordinary train (at a reduced fare)'. Note A: 'Passengers wishing to return to Catford Bridge should make their own way from Beckenham Junction to New Beckenham, from where they may use the ordinary 15 minute interval service to Catford Bridge, for which the special Centenary train tickets will be valid'.
(3) 32472 photographed at Wandswoth Common - but was this heading to or from New Wandsworth (Goods)?
(4) 31048 photographed at Beckenham carrying headcode SPL6 - was this used throughout?

From The John Debens Ticket Collection.

Sources : John Clifford, Ian Clark (SLS), Steve Armitage & John Debens

Timings (Advertised Only)
(from John Debens)

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