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Denmark Hill railway station

Coordinates: 51°28′06″N 0°05′22″W / 51.4683°N 0.0894°W / 51.4683; -0.0894
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Denmark Hill London Overground National Rail
Denmark Hill is located in Greater London
Denmark Hill
Denmark Hill
Location of Denmark Hill in Greater London
LocationDenmark Hill
Local authorityLondon Borough of Southwark
Managed byThameslink
Station code(s)DMK
DfT categoryD
Number of platforms4
AccessibleYes[1]
Fare zone2
National Rail annual entry and exit
2019–20Decrease 6.817 million[2]
– interchange Increase 0.582 million[2]
2020–21Decrease 2.343 million[2]
– interchange Decrease 0.182 million[2]
2021–22Increase 4.597 million[2]
– interchange Increase 0.380 million[2]
2022–23Increase 5.554 million[2]
– interchange Increase 0.483 million[2]
2023–24Increase 5.814 million[2]
– interchange Increase 0.504 million[2]
Railway companies
Original companyLondon, Brighton & South Coast Railway
Key dates
1 December 1865Opened (LCDR)
13 August 1866Opened (LBSCR)
Listed status
Listed featureDenmark Hill Station, cutting walls and platforms, with Phoenix and Firkin public house
Listing gradeGrade II listed
Entry number1386053[3]
Added to list17 September 1998
Other information
External links
Coordinates51°28′06″N 0°05′22″W / 51.4683°N 0.0894°W / 51.4683; -0.0894
London transport portal

Denmark Hill is an interchange station between the Windrush line of the London Overground and National Rail services on the Catford loop line, located in Denmark Hill in South London. It is 4 miles 22 chains (6.9 km) down the line from London Victoria. The station is located in Travelcard Zone 2 and is managed by Thameslink. The station receives services operated by Southeastern and Thameslink in addition to the London Overground.

History

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A 1908 Railway Clearing House map of lines around Denmark Hill

The station was built between 1864 and 1866. Its design by Charles Henry Driver is in the Italianate style, with an extremely decorative frontage and French pavilion roofs.[4]

In 1920 the waiting room was used by The Mystical Church of the Comforter, founded by Elizabeth Mary Eagle Skinner, who was known as "The Messenger". The waiting room was transformed by an altar, painted white and surrounded by the seven colours of the rainbow.[5] The Nottingham Evening Post for 17 June 1926 reported that babies were baptised, funeral services were read and even a marriage was solemnised. The porters and clerks of the railway company often worked to the accompaniment of hymns sung by the congregation.[6] The church is believed to have ceased to function after the death of Skinner in November 1929.

By the late 1970s, the structure had fallen into disrepair. Arsonists burst into the booking hall in March 1980, and the ensuing fire damaged the roof. Initial work by British Rail engineers to make the building safe by demolishing parts of the remaining building triggered a protest campaign by the Camberwell Society. Following a joint initiative between them, the Southwark Environment Trust and the British Rail Director of the Environment, Bernard Kaukas, the building was restored in 1985.[7]

The project included the addition of a public house, initially called the Phoenix and Firkin to commemorate the fire, then called O'Neills and now the Phoenix. The building was given a Civic Trust award in 2009.[citation needed]

In the period 2011–2013 the station underwent a redesign with the construction of a new ticket office with access from Champion Park, new walkways and lifts to the platforms.[8]

In September 2021, a second entrance opened on the north-eastern side of the station.[9][10]

Design

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Denmark Hill Platform 1 & 2

The platforms are below road level, with the short Grove Tunnel at one end and Denmark Hill road bridge at the other.

Services

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Services at Denmark Hill are operated by London Overground (on the Windrush line), Southeastern and Thameslink using Class 375, 376, 377, 378, 465, 466 and 700 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[11][12]

During the peak hours, additional services between Orpington, Kentish Town and Luton call at the station. In addition, the service to London Blackfriars is extended to and from Welwyn Garden City via Finsbury Park and the services between London Victoria and Gillingham are increased to 2 tph.

The station is also served by a limited London Overground service of one train per day to and two trains per day from Battersea Park.

On Sundays, the services to Gillingham are extended to run to and from Dover Priory.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Thameslink
Southeastern
Peak Hours Only
Southeastern
Peak Hours Only
Preceding station London Overground Following station
Clapham High Street Windrush line
Peckham Rye
Disused railways
East Brixton   British Rail
Southern Region

  Peckham Rye

Layout

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The station is on two lines. The South London line passes through the southern pair of tracks (through platforms 1 and 2) running to London Victoria and Clapham Junction, used by Windrush line services; while the Catford loop line passes through the northern pair of tracks (through platforms 3 and 4) running to London Blackfriars and beyond to the Thameslink core and Victoria.

Connections

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London Buses routes 40, 176, 185 and 484 serve the station.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Step free Tube Guide" (PDF). Transport for London. April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  3. ^ Historic England, "Denmark Hill Station, cutting walls and platforms, with Phoenix and Firkin public house (1386053)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 16 August 2017
  4. ^ The Buildings of England London 2: South, Second Edition 1983, page 625
  5. ^ "A Station Church". Framlingham Weekly News. England. 18 August 1928. Retrieved 16 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Church in Railway Station. Rainbow Altar, Mystic Signs, and Woman Priest". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 17 June 1926. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  7. ^ "The Phoenix arises at Denmark Hill". Illustrated London News. England. 1 November 1985. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Work starts to improve access at Denmark Hill station". Global Rail News. RailStaff Publications Limited. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  9. ^ All-change at carbon positive Denkark Hill station Rail issue 940 22 September 2021 page 26
  10. ^ New Entrance at Denmark Hill Modern Railways issue 877 October 2021 page 21
  11. ^ Table 52, 178, 195, 196, 197, 200 National Rail timetable, December 2022
  12. ^ "London Overground Timetable: Highbury & Islington to New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Buses from Denmark Hill and Champion Hill Estate" (PDF). TfL. June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
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