London's Lost Railways Ep.4 - Tooting, Merton and Wimbledon

It's Episode 4 of London's Lost Railways and we follow the path of the abandoned line from Merton Park, through Merton Abbey station to Tooting - which was originally called Tooting Junction.
Download the London's Lost Railways map here: www.geofftech.co.uk/downloads...
More station info:
Merton Abbey - disused-stations.org.uk/m/mert...
Tooting Junction - www.disused-stations.org.uk/t/...
Many thanks to illustrations by David Kirwin.

[@paulflatt3803]

"Always flat" is good! Thx, Paul Flatt

[@Rogar0]

I used to live down that neck of the woods; many many moons ago! Thanks for that it brings back many memories!!

[@MrSleuth89]

Great watch The route from Merton Park to Station Rd was my daily walk to work from 83-98. As you said old railway used to run along Merantum Way until the road was built to access the Savacentre in 1989. The old railway walk was essentially a dumping ground and the uneven terrain at the time made it a place for kids to ride motobikes. The area around the kfc and pizza hut was littered with car breakers and small industrial places. The old abbey mills site was an array of derelict buildings until the late 80s development.

[@althejazzman]

I think I discovered the old line when it was still used for freight, whilst cycling around the area visiting my Dad as a teenager in the 90's. Some of those landmarks are very familiar. I love how you manage to find the tiniest clues of evidence to the past.

[@capturedlondon]

I used to live in Tooting! (Amen Corner) so I had the choice of walking to Tooting Junction or the tube... one morning it was snowing heavily and I walked to Tooting Junction to find it all closed, I started to walk back down a slight hill to the tube and saw a lady in high heels having trouble walking in the snow... I offered to help her down the road and we ended up walking all the way to the tube station... good times

[@EDITELEVEN]

I live in amen corner

[@andrewrobinson7641]

I moved to Merton in 1987 and have lived in Merton Park since 1992. There were up-and-over road bridges at the Morden Road and Colliers Wood ends of Merantun Way that were demolished when the link road along the former railway alignment was built - it was part of the Savacentre development at Colliers Wood and paid for under their planning agreement. They knew about the Merton Abbey site, and built a bridge over the site to protect it, but then failed to filfil their obligation to fund the future opening of the site, which is now generally only available on OpenLondon weekends in September each year.

[@myoldreteacher]

I remember going to the fields for school sports and watching the train to Merton Abbey go by. Also, there used to be a bridge here 2:00

[@blueskiesabove3950]

My favourite of all London’s Lost Railways. Appreciate the effort you’re putting into redoing this series Geoff. Thanks.

[@geofftech2]

Many thanks! ... and appreciated. it's a lot of work!

[@metamango500]

@@geofftech2 It is so clear that so many hours of work go into what you and your team do. But at times I do think to myself "his hours of hard work include green walkways around london, and fun train rides around the UK" ... which seems a bit more refreshing than my cubicle.

[@geofftech2]

@@metamango500 Thanks Eric, very kind! I wish I had a Team though! It’s 95% me as I research it, walk it, shoot it, edit and produce it. I got someone to do some illustrations on the opening titles and I run them by a friend for feedback before i publish them .. but mostly it’s just me and a lot of work !! 🤪

[@metamango500]

@@geofftech2 wow!! I always imagined you had a gang to hand stuff off to. (not that it would matter either way. well if you did it might cause fewer enraged tea mug fatalities) man, your videos definitely don't look like a one-person effort

[@MikeGMcDermott]

My part of London as I live in Morden, just down the road from this former line. Merantun Way was opened as a relief road in 1989 as when I was young I remember walking on the former bridges over the course of the Merton Abbey branch at Morden Road and at Christchurch Road, with both these bridges being gone with the roadway flattened to make way for the road junction with Merantun Way in 1989. The original plan was to continue Merantun Way west via the railway alignment to meet up with Kingston Road north of Merton Park station but due to fierce opposition from local residents this section of roadway was never built. If you look on Google Maps you can see at the Morden Road end of Merantun Way the roadway separates with a blank patch of grass in the middle - that was originally for a proposed flyover linking Merantun Way with the proposed western end of the relief road which as mentioned before was never built due to opposition from the local residents in Merton Park.

[@tardismole]

I was almost reciting, word for word, everything said in thie video. Great that I remembered so much of it. A bit sad that the abbey was destroyed, though.

[@gerrywaters2995]

Used to love getting the train from Wimbledon to Croydon via Mitcham Junction. All Victorian tech with tokens fed through the machine to set the points and signals. Like going back in time.

[@johnstilljohn3181]

Brilliant...! I used to work in Station Road in 1980. In the factory yard, there were rails set in the cobbles where they used to have their own sidings between Merton Abbey and Tooting...

[@mikeiles4483]

Lived on Hartfield Road that formed the junction with the level crossing at Merton Park. Moved away in 1975 but always remember the signalman was busy opening and closing the crossing gates with a huge handwheel. My grandparents lived on High Path estate next to the old goods line and used to walk the intact line with my brother during the late 1960s/early 70s to Merton Abbey station which was derelict apart from the remaining platforms. I can recall a few goods trains running down the line to Fry’s Tandem Works where my grandad used to work.

[@roboftherock]

Another competent production from the Marshall stable.

[@anilpatel3775]

I am very delighted this has been made. Tooting Junction was my birthplace and very fond memories visiting this station.

[@watersareblue5473]

You have just walked through where I grew up. We used to call the ally in Colliers Wood The Old Railway and spent many hours there, So there you go... Good work sir.

[@rockwat]

I lived at 38 Station Rd as a young child and can remember the goods trains passing behind the high wall opposite. The Triang toy factory was behind the line. Brings back memories.

[@johndillys]

I lived at 30 Dane Road and remember goods trains running to 1972.

[@highpath4776]

Was it your house that had the fire in the roof one evening ?

[@johndillys]

@@highpath4776 No the only fire i remember was a large fire at the factory at the end of the road.

[@highpath4776]

@@johndillys Yep, remember that one too. the house might have been 34.

[@MrSleuth89]

@@johndillys I remember a fire at the old factory, it was a warehouse for Asics Tiger trainers. Went up in flames in about 1981?

[@mickgall4219]

Thanks for this. I was the last signalman at Merton Park signal box in 1982

[@gigteevee6118]

Loving the 4K, plus Geoff in Tooting is always a bonus!

[@MrHSouthLondon]

I love that you were just walking around my area filming all day 😂 I was looking for myself in the background too much, had to watch it twice

[@laurencelowne8454]

see you have been in my neck of the woods again, Geoff. Another excellent video.

[@carinamurillo2150]

I didn't even know about this and I've lived in Mitcham for more than 10 years (grew up here). Thanks I might explore this area now!

[@TheLondonguy]

Oh my god Geoff, luv your videos, you came to my area, thats literally where I walk to work. Awesome.

[@mikedyble3648]

I used to work on High Path during the late 70's, and at that time the railway tracks had been lifted and there was an unofficial footpath which would take you through to Merton Park, we had a satellite office near Merton Park and would use it to walk to and fro. Looks very different now from what I remember I haven't been back since 1980. Its interesting to see the area now as I live in Yorkshire

[@PaulMDove2]

Fascinating. I walked along the River Wandle many times, past Merton Abbey Mills, without knowing that when I crossed the A24 this was a disused railway. Looking forward to all of the videos in this series, and all the places I know without realising what they are. I'll have to go back again and explore myself.

[@riddypr]

I've lived in Tooting (or Furzedown to be more precise; it's a subsidiary of Tooting so I'm counting it) for many years, and I never knew about this lost railway until this video. Makes me want to walk the path for myself.

[@jackramsay2267]

I used to live near there I used to live on lucien road

[@stephenholt4670]

Ah, was looking forward to this one. I used to work near here, and I walked the old railway line many times during my lunch hour. Thanks for bringing it to life for us, Geoff

[@IanRutson]

Was waiting for this one! Used to live only a few hundred metres from Tooting Junction and went to Boys' Brigade at TJ Baptist Church. Thanks Geoff

[@anilpatel3775]

IAN...WHERE abouts did you live. I was on London Road, right next to Links Road.

[@ricarsouljah]

Me too, still live here

[@IanRutson]

@@anilpatel3775 I was on Links Road, backing on to the railway.

[@johnmurrell3175]

I can remember walking across the 'disused' track at Merton Abbey. There was no bridge just a sleepered crossing from the end of one platform to the other platform. Can't remember if it was single or double track in the station - it was probably in the early 1970's !

[@Sophie-vanTg4u]

Love the video, it brought back memories of me growing up, I could hear the trains passing as they approached the station from Stretham. Crossing over that foot bridge in my youth as a paper girl delivering the papers before school. I can remember the coal yard there, with the coal train bringing coal for the coal merchants to fill there sacks

[@rlproductionsyt]

Again, you can see how much effort goes into these videos, it must take a lot of time but it's worth it in the end!

[@bobk4404]

I recall that, when working as a booking clerk at Wimbledon Chase station for a few months, a fairly young woman would sometimes come to the ticket window and ask for a ticket to "Tooting Junction". This same lady would also occasionally request a ticket to "illiers" which I took to mean St. Helier. I remember seeing the Merton Abbey line extant when travelling on the top deck of a 93 bus on Red Rovers in the very early 70's. I believe that the Triang (toy and model factory) was in this vicinity and possibly used the line for goods in its dying days?

[@Davehearne43]

Welldone guys keep up the good work stay safe 👍🙏

[@JohnsTransportMedia]

If you want to walk a disused railway with steep gradients then the Cromford and High Peak is for you. 😄

[@kumatoni5245]

Lovely cherry blossoms in the final shot.

[@MrGreatplum]

Geoff, that was top notch quality editing and videography- thank you!

[@geofftech2]

Many thanks!

[@kevinblakeman8858]

I remember merton park station in 1976 when I took the train from Wimbledon to west Croydon and the branch to tooting jn still had it's platform with the track not long lifted

[@highpath4776]

The present now demolised "abbey wall works" have revealed some timber sleepers under the (very light !) foundations of the light industrial units constructed in Station Road at Merton Abbey. This suggests either use for sleepers in building the works, or some line running into them when first / originally built. - Over the years Station Road has been known as Church Path , and Abbey Lane before the coming of the station and its final naming, the exention of Station Road to Christchurch Road was gated at both ends and was on land acquired by the LSWR for the railway, with a number of sidings - see maps - serving works including the paper mills and metal works and coal trading yards

[@fraggit]

The part that goes from Merton Park, where I was born, to South Wimbledon used to be a rough track in the 80s. When I was a naughty 12 year old, we used to ride dumped mopeds along there. Mopeds that had no tyres left and just the rims, what fun that was.

[@angr3819]

Thank you. Appreciated.

[@rubinaakther9188]

Your the best railway KZbinr as all your videos are entertaining and educational keep up the work

[@geofftech2]

Rubina, that's very kind of you .. thank you! always trying to find the balance that is edutaining!

[@mickeydodds1]

That abandoned railway used to serve a very industrialised area - basically it backed on to a whole series of factories. All of them closed down in the 1970s and 80s. There is hardly any industry left in that area now.

[@hypz_786]

Hey Geoff, the new Thameslink map is out on paper! I found it at Gants Hill

[@bencoder]

My flat backs onto that nature reserve. Always a nice walk and it's very clear looking on a map the path the train took

[@anniesoernym]

Lovely video again, Geoff! Makes me want to take a stroll and explore the history of my area.

[@charlieattwater1886]

So many views of old railways in history thanks for the information Geoff Marshall.

[@oswynfaux]

Love how bits of this are on my 464 station Portsmouth to London map for Transport Fever 2, you can find it on Steam by searching "Portsmouth-London 464"

[@Madonsteamrailways]

That’s a wonderful walk, I’m told!! There are interesting historical facts and things that have somehow been preserved. I would take that walk, but would be scared of giving myself an Asthma attack because of the pollution.

[@kenlundsten2870]

Great series really enjoying it, .. had missed it somehow yet I was a sponsor of your 'all the stations Ireland', this London gig is very nostalgic having spent my formative years in Edgware and Stanmore. I live on the IOW now, you should visit sometime, we have new 'old' trains now, and old steam trains AND about 50 miles of disused track ... it all lies in wait for you just of the south coast of England :)

[@TonyNaggs]

Love this area, though it feels strange to see Merton Park station building as a house now.

[@Hammondfreak]

Very interesting videos so far Geoff, excellent presentation and professionally produced.

[@AndreaZzzXXX]

another nice video Geoff ! thank you for the english captions, very useful. ciao from Italy :-)

[@TraineePilotJess]

Geoff, I think your the best transport KZbinr ever, I will never be better than you. Also when will you be back in Brighton or near Brighton

[@TheDaf95xf]

Fantastic as always Geoff 👍🏻

[@digitalshackonthelane]

Loving this series Geoff.!

[@sarafan3]

Loving this series Geoff, so well made! Thanks so much for making them, looking forward to the parts in my neck of the woods

[@andyg9872]

Loving the abandoned series Geoff 😊

[@TheMan377-vr2mx]

I live near this Railway /Tram line and used to remember this! Now i live in Richmond Upon Thames but still use the trams

[@davidconnell1959]

Thanks ever so for the hints of spring here and there. Well done as ever.

[@davidrauger]

I remember catching trains between Wimbledon and Croydon and being fascinated you could see the wide platform between the divergence and the station house. I never got off to explore further which I regret. I seem to recall Mitcham Junction (?) looked unusual.

[@Birchingtonuk]

In the 1980s I used to travel quite frequently between Mitcham and Wimbledon. I don't honestly think there was anything particularly unusual about Mitcham Junction. It is still used by trains going towards Sutton and looks much the same now as it did then except that there is now a tram stop at the side. Could you possibly be thinking of Mitcham station? There had been a landslip just outside the station in 1972. Concrete stanchions had been built to hold back the land and the double track on that section reduced to a single track. Consequently, although there were two platforms in the station, only one was used. The other was overgrown with weeds and a space where the old track used to be.

[@highpath4776]

@@Birchingtonuk Merton Park you had to climb down onto the Merton Abbey line , cross , then climb back up to the wimbledon croydon platform, Mitcham Junction was a set of flat turnout crossings, some trains did run wimbledon sutton via merton park .

[@davidrauger]

@@Birchingtonuk That might have been it. The station looked a little unusual.

[@ColonelBandit]

Thanks Geoff - another excellent video

[@mettfrachter]

Just love this series!! Thank you very much for your effort

[@13soxs]

Nice one Geoff, I used to live in Colliers Wood in1951, it's changed a bit........

[@louisemitch1]

I can’t wait to walk paths and trails round London again - thank you for inspiring another adventure to plan for when lockdown ends 👍🏻

[@Feldiman2u]

I used to live in Mitcham. And have walked the bit from Tooting Junction station behind the Baptist Church up to Colliers Wood.....and walked on the main road to Wimbledon (so have missed the nature reserve walk way from from Merton Park Tram Stop)

[@GEdgemaster]

There were still some remains of the branch platforms in the scrub at Merton Park when I last poked around there, not sure if the new houses have completely obliterated them.

[@CalgarySalsaCongress]

Geoff was on my lane and so close to where I live! Having a total fangirl moment here : D

[@mohatchett8001]

I used to live in Merton and used go down to the coal yard and used to walk along the line at the back of the paper mill great times shame its all gone.

[@gh1851]

Geoff having fun with the Tram, Tram, Trams I see. Like that 💙💛

[@guillaumemaurice3503]

Brilliant video thank you for sharing this.

[@cleanethan7114]

Hi Geoff happy Easter monday

[@gillchatfield3231]

Love the sound effects in the subtitles (which were inadvertently turned on).

[@MostlyLoveOfMusic]

That's nice really - I suppose those of us with good hearing take these sound effects for granted (birds chirping)

[@patrickasselin2326]

Geoff Marshall is a KZbinr with a particular set of skills.

[@okeeffemj]

Your best series so far Geoff! Keep up the good work. Watching from down under! 🇦🇺

[@IxiaClover]

its so interesting seeing these videos of areas you know... ive walked through that nature reserve and visited the shops at colliers wood 1000s of times and never knew about the old railway!!!

[@IxiaClover]

im also pretty sure that a friend of my mum's used to live in that old station house right at the start, i know that was right by the tram line, its something ive known my whole life and found cool but never made the connection to the old railway

[@Poodz_]

Really good street skating bank/ramp outside the Merton Priory as well, going into the tunnel under the road.

[@blainecountysherrif4542]

Im loving these videos!!

[@daniellewis9006]

Great video Geoff. Walked the route of part of the route but not as far as Merton Abbey. A couple of things I found out was that the old station house has a replica platform shelter similar to the one seen in old pictures and as you walk down the route going into the nature reserve go to your right and you will find the remains of the 'UP' platform which went from the Tooting Junction to Wimbledon. Probably the station building and and the platform is all that's left

[@Sim0nTrains]

I would give video a toot but since I cannot give a toot (honk) I did press the like button, another brilliant London lost railways

[@Jimyjames73]

Hello Geoff @ 1:52 - not always so - Here in Derbyshire we have the Monsal Trail (A Midland Railway line that closed in 1968) there is a very slight gradient - you will notice it more if your cycling along it rather than walking along it!!! 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@scythal]

Love this series!!

[@TheRand0mG4m3r]

Happy easter. Amazing video.

[@kingcal53]

Ahh, my old neck of the woods. Great to see it again.

[@paulmark63]

Another great video

[@hoofie2002]

Thanks Geoff - enjoying these videos. I'm sure a lot of research goes into them.

[@Sarge084]

Some years ago I commissioned the HVAC control system on a hotel in Shepherds Bush that was built on an old railway, it branched off a line that was still very active. There was even a hump in the road which was obviously a bridge over the railway at one time. I'd love to know the origins of the railway and where it went.

[@skritchesdeath5752]

Really liking these Geoff. Happy Easter to you and wife.

[@NylonAdidas]

I just love your videos and facts about the city I live in 👍

[@gazetc]

nice video of my area! I live near the nature reserve part of your video. I often do that walk in lockdown for exercise. I never really thought about the wide flat paths by the recreation ground being ex-rail tracks - very informative 👍

[@neilbain8736]

It's nice how this video has brought out residents' past memories and it's nice to see the sun and- I think- early cherry blossom. There's a lot of research goes into these histories and the editing is so smooth, it would be quite wrong to make any silly tooting comments.

[@geofftech2]

it's OK Neil, go ahead and make one! thank you for your kind comment, they've all taken a lot of work - yes!

[@neilbain8736]

@@geofftech2 Bec to the Tooting puns then...

[@imstuman]

I'm often looking out for old railway buildings or platforms.

[@colinlittlewood9613]

"Always flat", the 371m of elevation I did on my run along the Kenilworth Greenway on Friday begs to differ! I did run for 5 hours, though it rises from about 70m to around 130m within 4km so it's a fair uphill drag even if you only do it once.

[@SteveInskip]

Nice one Geoff! I’ll do that one sometime! 👍

[@RichardWells1]

As a young child I used to look over the Morden Road bridge that crossed the old line, to wonder whether trains would go into the huge Tri-ang factory next to it, and come out in miniature.

[@petermc7098]

Hello There, this is an interesting walk and video series, thank you for sharing this, this is much appreciated. Cheers Peter :)

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Happy Easter!

[@HenrysAdventures]

Interesting video as always!

[@TheSurreyTransportHub]

That’s literally so close to me. Keep the good work Geoff!

[@allanfoster6965]

Really enjoying these Geoff!😊

[@geofftech2]

very kind, thank you ... more to come!

[@johncourtneidge]

Thank-you!

[@DavidJCane]

Could have mentioned that Merton Abbey Mills is where Liberty's fabric printing works was until the 1970s.

[@highpath4776]

Its a train video, Geoff was also slightly out , where he was stading was the station building site, The pizza hut location was a bit of anti clockwise platform at best , though was covered in assorted sidings poss serving liberty''s / littlers too.