Penge West Station (PNW)

Address: Anerley Park, Penge, London SE20 8NU
Opened: 1st June 1859
Station Code: PNW
Fare Zone: 4

London Overground Line(s) Served:

East London Line

Service Pattern(s):

4 trains per hour to Highbury & Islington
4 Trains per hour to West Croydon

Interchange(s)

None

Station History

Penge Station was originally opened by the London & Croydon Railway on their route from London Bridge to West Croydon in 1839. However, low patronage and financial difficulties led to the station closing in 1841 although services still passed through.

On 27th February 1846, the London and Croydon along with the London and Brighton Railways were amalgamated to form the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.

Due to a large increase in the local population, alongside the desire to increase rail traffic to the Crystal Palace, the London Brighton and South Coast reopened the station as Penge Bridges on 1st July 1863.

With the passing of the Railways Act 1921 the London Brighton and South Coast became part of the new Southern Railway on 1st January 1923. The station was renamed by the new entity to Penge West on 9th July of that year.

Following the end of World War II, the passing of the Trasnport Act 1947 saw the ‘Big Four’ railways nationalised, with the Southern Railway becoming part of British Railways Southern Region on 1st January 1948.

Nothing further of note occurred at the station until 1980, when the station buildings on the down side of the station were demolished, and the disused goods yard were removed to facilitate the construction of a retail warehouse. At this time all access to the station was moved to the buildings on the Up platform with the down platform being accessed via a footbridge.

Sectorisation of the railways saw the Southern Region of British Railways become the London & South Eastern sector in 1982, later renamed Network Southeast on 10 June 1986.

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.

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.

April 2005 saw the station building severely damaged following an arson attack. This led to a period where the station was served by temporary facilities until reconstruction works commenced in June 2006 with the rebuilt station reopening in December of that year.

The final management change thus far happened on 27th April 2010 when London Overground assumed operation of the new East London Line, although services did not commence until the 23rd May.