Shepperton Branch Line

The Shepperton Branch Line is a railway line in the south west of London and north Surrey. It is also known as the Shepperton Line and connects to the Kingston Loop by a triangular junction between Strawberry Hill and Teddington stations.

History
The line opened on 1 November 1864 briefly named The Thames Valley Railway with access only from the Twickenham direction, (Strawberry Hill station did not open until 1873). The line was originally intended to reach a terminus on the Middlesex bank of the River Thames just north of Chertsey but this plan was abandoned in 1862. The curve linking Fulwell and Teddington initially opened only to freight on 1 July 1894 and first carried passengers on 1 June 1901. The line was electrified by the L&SWR using 630v DC third rail on 30 January 1916.

Stations
Stations on the line are:
 * Fulwell
 * Hampton
 * Kempton Park (since 2006 nearly all trains call here; previously race days only)
 * Sunbury
 * Upper Halliford
 * Shepperton

Services
Service on the line is half hourly to Waterloo via Kingston (hourly on Sundays). Monday to Friday, four additional early morning rush-hour trains to Waterloo are routed via Twickenham and Richmond. Three additional evening rush-hour trains from Waterloo arrive via that route.

In common with the 16 hourly off-peak closer commuter services to/from London Waterloo calling at Earlsfield railway station and all intermittent London stations all managed by South West Trains, trains must stop at every intermittent station. There are no mid-track destination suburban services such as to Wimbledon or Kingston despite sidings there, which due to the long travel time gives overcapacity at the suburban terminus (Shepperton) and overcrowding during the inner city phase of journeys. This situation can be contrasted to certain other routes to destinations just outside of Greater London in certain other directions.