Passengers travelling through Clapham Junction station on Monday (4th March) were presented with vintage Oyster card holders and copies of The Times newspaper from 2nd March 1863 to celebrate the station’s 150th anniversary.
South West Trains and Wandsworth Council marked the milestone by unveiling an exhibition of images exploring the historical significance of trains and train travel at Clapham Junction.
Originally sited adjacent to lavender fields in an originally rural area, the station is today the busiest interchange station in Europe and serves 40 million people a year.
Two years ago the Department for Transport, South West Trains, Wandsworth council, Transport for London, Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust funded a major renovation of the disused Brighton Yard entrance.
The project created a new step-free entrance and added a much needed third entrance and exit, relieving over crowding in the station’s cramped subway access.
The renovation also added extra staffed ticket offices, cycle parking and a taxi rank.
Jake Kelly, Customer Service Director for South West Trains – Network Rail Alliance, said: “It’s not easy to last 150 years; Clapham Junction has had to constantly reinvent itself to meet the needs of modern passengers.
“In recent years, we have focused on key improvements to make the station accessible to all, and have opened a new entrance to ease the flow of passengers and make it easier for passengers to move around the station.”
Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia added: “As the railway network has grown over the last 150 years Clapham Junction has benefitted from more and more connections, with new routes fanning out across London and the south of England.
“At Wandsworth Council we believe the station has even greater potential and we are working with the rail authorities to see that it’s achieved.”
