page_title: Merton Park railway station
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Merton Park railway station / History
caption_attribution_description: Pre Grouping railway junction around Aldershot, Ash, Shalford, Basingstoke, Guildford &amp; Peasmarsh , Wimbledon
context_page_description: Merton Park railway station was a railway station in Merton, Surrey, serving both the West Croydon to Wimbledon Line and the Tooting, Merton and Wimbledon Railway. Closed in 1997, part of the site now serves as a tram stop on the New Addington to Wimbledon line of the Tramlink network.
context_section_description: The station opened as part of the newly constructed Tooting, Merton and Wimbledon Railway on 1 October 1868 at the junction with the existing West Croydon to Wimbledon Line. Initially named Lower Merton, it was renamed Merton Park on 1 September 1887.
  Two platforms served the new line via Merton Abbey to Tooting Junction station with a third entering service on 1 November 1870 to serve the single track West Croydon to Wimbledon Line.
  The Tooting platforms were suspended from use between 1 January 1917 and 27 August 1923 as a wartime cost-saving measure, eventually closing permanently on 3 March 1929 when the line was closed to passengers. Continuing in use for freight services through to 1975 after which the track was eventually lifted and most of the platforms fenced off. Limited passenger access was maintained, however, as it was necessary to cross both platforms and the intervening trackbed to reach platform 3 and the West Croydon to Wimbledon Line. Initially, a wooden walkway was laid across the trackbed, eventually replaced with a raised earth walkway.
  Access to the station buildings was via the single entrance on Rutlish Road, a public footpath running alongside the line from (now demolished) signal box at the Kingston Road level crossing providing an alternative route for pedestrians.
caption: A 1912 Railway Clearing House map of lines around Merton Park station, including the Merton Branch
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