Epsom Downs railway station

Epsom Downs railway station is a railway station located on the boundary of the Reigate and Banstead and Epsom and Ewell boroughs of Surrey with the railway to the north forming a continuation of the boundary.

The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southern, although a terminus of its own branch line is grouped as part of the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines.

Services
The typical off-peak service from the station is one train per hour to London Victoria via Sutton, West Croydon and Norbury. After 7pm these services run via Crystal Palace rather than Norbury. There is no service on a Sunday.

History
With high levels of passengers travelling to Epsom for horse races, it became clear that a station near the course was needed. Attempts to build one immediately next to it were strongly opposed by the Epsom Grandstand Association and eventually land was purchased half a mile from the course. Designed by David J.Field, the original station was opened on 22 May 1865 on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway's extension from Sutton. The line had double track and a nine-platform station with a large building.

With the opening of Tattenham Corner railway station much closer to the racecourse on 4 June 1901 (Derby Day) traffic declined, helped in particular by the Royal Train changing its destination to Tattenham Corner in 1925. Services were cut back repeatedly over subsequent decades. On 1 May 1972 the number of working platforms was reduced to two, and following the destruction by fire of Epsom Downs signal box in November 1981 almost the entire branch was reduced to single track operation in October 1982.

On 13 February 1989 a new station was opened 21 chain short of the original one. The old station and platforms were demolished and the land in between given over to a major housing development.