Denmark Hill Station (DMK)

Address: Denmark Hill, London SE5 8BB
Opened: 1st December 1865
Station Code: DMK
Fare Zone: 2

London Overground Line(s) Served:

East London Line

Service Pattern(s):

4 trains per hour to Dalston Junction
4 trains per hour to Clapham Junction

Interchange(s)

National Rail: Southern & Thameslink

Station History

The London, Chatham and Dover Railway began construction of Denmark Hill Station in 1864 as part of their line from Victoria to Herne Hill, with the station opening to traffic on 1st December 1865.

As part of constructing their new South London Line, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway constructed another pair of lines and platforms at the station, opening for traffic on 13th August 1866.

In 1899 the London, Chatham & Dover was amalgamated with other companies to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, with services being run by the new entity.

The LB&SCR had received Royal Assent for the electrification of its entire network in 1903, with the South London Line being the first recipient of overhead wires and the system was installed here in 1909, however, the SE&CR Lines remained steam operated.

1920 saw the station’s waiting room commence use by The Mystical Church of the Comforter, founded by Elizabeth Mary Eagle Skinner who was affectionately known as ‘The Messenger’. This arrangement lasted until Skinner’s death in November 1929.

With the passing of The Railways Act 1921, LB&SCR and SE&CR were amalgamated with other railways to form the Southern Railway on 1st January 1923.

Under the new company, electrification works were carried out on the former SE&CR lines, going live in 1925. This was followed on 9th August 1926 with the announcement that the overhead electrification of the South London Line would be converted to third rail. The conversion works were carried out and the first train ran on 30th September 1929.

Nationalisation of the railways due to the Transport Act 1947 saw Southern Railway services become British Railways Southern Region on 1st January 1948.

At the end of the 1970s, the station building had fallen into serious disrepair. This was followed by an arson attack in March 1980 that saw the building and its roof severely damaged. The building was restored by a joint initiative by the Camberwell Society, The Southwark Environmental Trust and British Rail with work being completed in 1985.

As a result of the project, a public house called ‘The Phoenix & Firkin’ was opened in the building. The pub, now called The Phoenix was given a Civic Trust award in 2009.

As a result of sectorisation, the former Southern Region services were assumed by the London & Southeast business sector in 1982, becoming Network Southeast in 1986. Three years later the station became Clapham High Street to avoid confusion with Clapham Junction.

Privatisation of the Railways following the Railways Act 1993 saw the station and its lines franchised to Connex, who operated them under their South Central subsidiary.

The station building, cuttings, platforms and the Phoenix Public House were all awarded Grade II Listed Status on 17th September 1998

A further management change occurred on 26th August 2001, when the new franchisee of the line Govia bought out the remaining two years of the Connex agreement to assume services early.

The new entity began refurbishing the station in 2011 with the construction of a new ticket office, walkways and lifts to the platforms.

The final Southern-operated service on the South London Line ran on the 8th December 2012. The following day, services were commenced by London Overground between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction via Surrey Quays.

Further works were undertaken by London Overground and a second station entrance on the northeast side of the station was opened in September 2021.