The Abandoned Crystal Palace High Level Railway -

This week we are joined by The Famous "All The Stations" team, Geoff Marshall and Vicki Pipe, who take us on a Tour of the Crystal Palace High Level Branch Line. You Can subscribe to Geoff's main channel here: / @geofftech2 .
You can look up the entire London's Lost Railways playlist from Geoff here: • London's Lost Railways...
Geoff's Video of the day is here: • London's Lost Railways...
Welcome to a new instalment of #EveryDisusedStation Episode Number 36, a series in which we attempt to visit Every Disused Station in the UK. Yup that's all 6812 of them.
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[@Andrewjg_89]

Just came from watching Geoff's Episode 11. 😀

[@robhines4537]

More great new viewing, we love riding ncn routes which frequently use disused railway lines lines. Great stuff!!!

[@matthewjburt6482]

Same here! Think I've found disused railway heaven!!! Thank you Geoff and Vicki for introducing me to Paul and Rebecca.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Indeed 😄

[@dlittlester]

Me too!

[@dashcamexplorationuk1692]

@Andrew JG Same

[@4623620]

So delighted to see Vicky jumping from behind Geoff and waving. 🚂H🚃E🚃L🚃L🚃O🚃🙌🚃V🚃I🚃C🚃K🚃Y🚃💨

[@lillywho]

0:49 Officially arrived at the KZbinr life: You're vlogging Geoff vlogging himself there essentially. :D Nice to see him, by the way.

[@SamSitar]

nice double blog video too.

[@bellyruffian]

Makes me very happy to see my two favorite You Tube teams working together.

[@craigedgar8647]

Great video as always! I lived just off Lordship Lane in the 90's and we regularly used to walk our dog in the woods near the first tunnel. One night we had friends staying and after a few beers decided to take the dog up to the woods, we crossed the wooden footbridge about 200 yards from the Northern portal and walked for a while before heading home. On the way back there was a guy standing on the footbridge wearing a snorkel parka with the hood zipped right up. We all said good evening or whatever to him as we went through the turnstile and he just nodded back. Not one of us thought there was anything strange about a bloke in the middle of the night standing on the bridge and it wasn't until the next day someone mentioned it and we all started questioning why we just casually walked by and said hello to him and none of us were freaked out or even discussed him straight afterwards. Went to the pub that night and was chatting to two old boys that we used to sometimes drink with, I remembered about the bloke in the woods and told them, one of them immediately said, 'Oh yes, that will be the ghost, there was a man killed in those woods in the seventies.'

[@jonathanwhitehead2250]

Amused that Rebecca had to take evasive action several times due to enthusiastic arm waving by Paul :-)

[@pwhitewick]

Definitely not the first time and surely won't be the last.... 🤪

[@kgs42]

@@pwhitewick Cycling helmet just in case ??

[@dickdastardly5534]

Can’t beat a bit of wild gesticulating adds to the entertainment of Paul and Rebecca’s excellent videos 👍🏻

[@Gez-C]

My day has just got better vlogs by both my favourite channels 😀

[@paulhowells6172]

Wow that was a dream come true having all 4 of yourselves on a video together, if you had a dog , you should be called “The famous railway five” .

[@pauloconnor2980]

Yeah. Now all you need is Timmy the dog!!!!!!

[@paulinacyganek7440]

Hello Paul and Rebecca, I've just got there straight from Geoff's channel and I subscribed immediately. I love your video about Crystal Palace High Level

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Paulina, welcome to the channel.

[@sagitreshef2142]

Me too

[@TheEulerID]

Vaulted roof was surely the phrase on the tip of your tongue. The route of that old railway is one that I took with a friend a few years ago. I seem to recall wheeling a bike down a very steep path at one point. Paxton Tunnel was, of course, named after Joseph Paxton, who was designer of the revolutionary pre-fabricated modular system used for the building of Crystal Palace (and based on work he'd done designing the greenhouses at Chatsworth House where he was head gardener). It allowed the 563 metre long building to be put up in just 8 months. Paxton was also a director of the Midland Railway, so quite appropriate I guess. He went on to become an MP and proposed to a Parliamentary Committee the "The Great Victorian Way" which was to be a 10 mile long arcade, complete with houses, shops, a road and an atmospheric railway which would run in a loop round much of central London. The design started off with just 4 tracks, but Paxton amended it to have 4 in each direction, including an express service. These were to be elevated of course, on either side of the great, roofed arcade. It would have been quite an alternative to the Circle Line. You do have to admire the industriousness and imagination of these Victorians.

[@roderickmain9697]

Excellent. Nice to see Geoff and Vicki from a different Angle :-))

[@AndrewMartinIsHere]

With this ultimate cast, this episode deserves a movie poster thumbnail 🤣. Pleased to have finally actually been to one of your video locations.

[@ReubenAshwell]

Amazing to see Geoff and Vicki in this video. :)

[@andrewdalton1089]

Omg I've finally found out what those arches and brickwork are on the site of the old Crystal Palace! Yay thanks so much Geoff.

[@stevegray5263]

The park side of the vaulted subway led directly upstairs into the Crystal Palace

[@gary3561]

I think I've found another railway fave. Don't worry Geoff and Vicki youre still my No.1

[@TheErador]

Love that Geoff looked like the naughty kid at the back :)

[@timsully8958]

So glad you people know each other! Thank you for filling in my moments of grey boredom with interesting snippets of colour 😎👍🍀

[@kickbiker7920]

What a nicely put together clip. This is broadcast quality! "The Abandoned Crystal Palace High Level Railway" is something I didn't know I didn't know. Nice choice in background music ...

[@stevegray5263]

You should google it. It was a Beautiful Victorian Gothic structure, demolished by some proper idiots in the early 1960's. Grrr.

[@paulinehedges5088]

More fascinating places . Thank you for taking us there. I enjoy Geoff's videos too.

[@gaugeonesteam]

"The real golden age of railways was not the 1920s/1930s but the years before WW1" I heard this on a railway documentary. Very apt for this one. You can just imagine Victorian Londoners travelling on this line. Super video as always.

[@pwhitewick]

I couldn't agree more Robin. The coming of the buses and freedom given from the slow but inevitable use of the car was the nail in the coffin. I would suggest that the highest use of railway per head of population was probably between 1890 and 1920

[@acleray]

Nice to see Geoff Marshall helping out with Honor Oak. As an aside I used to go motorcycle racing in Crystal Palace.

[@pwhitewick]

He knows his beans

[@DanLoudShirts]

Great video. Interesting subject matter. I like that Geoff bloke too, he's not like that Jago bloke though who never shows his face!

[@stephensaines7100]

A real complement to Geoff's video. Love this stuff!

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you

[@Gary0557]

Was recommended to you by Geoff Marshall. Excellent, will be watching these.

[@Jimyjames73]

I also just watch Geoff Version of Crystal Palace line - It was nice that both couple were able to do a 'link up' of the same Railway Route!!! 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@jontownsend8090]

This area is very interesting, i had a walk about here a few years ago. Shame you couldn't get into the tunnels. Thanks for sharing.

[@timl1481]

I was born in East Dulwich and lived in Forest Hill from 1975 to around 1989ish. I've lived in Kent ever since. It's good to see my old stamping ground again. Great video guys.

[@vicmansfield4873]

Keep the beard, definitely. Great to see you all and Geoff !

[@GiacomodellaSvezia]

There are so much subtle details in these videos that make them worth watching with great attention, or simply more often, as I intend to do.

[@jonnotshared7590]

Crystal Palace and the surrounding area does seem to have a very unique architecture

[@HenrysAdventures]

Great video! Enjoyed seeing your guides to! For an urban disused railway its still looks nearly as green as your rural disused railways!

[@rain15bow]

Great video! I lived in Sydenham in the 1970s before the tunnels were blocked by gates - enjoyed walking through the Paxton tunnel!.

[@Tyley61]

Two of my favourite channels brought together!

[@pmfx65]

Big surprise! Watching two of my favorite You Tubers. Who comes along? Another of my favorites! And than comes Vicki! How lucky I am ...

[@davie941]

hi paul and rebecca , another cool interesting video , your video's always brightens my day , thank you so much and well done :)

[@aaronmread]

Hi there, First, came here through Geoff's London's Lost Railways video. And Second: Thanks to you and Geoff for giving me the correct pronounciation of Sydenham. As I thought it started with Side and not Syd. Regards, Aaron.

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

Wow some beautiful architecture

[@mywayno9922]

Great video guys nice to see Geoff & Vicki in with you as well.

[@malcolmsmith6615]

More tunnels, yummy! I knew about these tunnels and I intend to visit them someday, but it’s good to see them in advance, so thank you. It all looked quite accessible. Thanks for another great video.

[@tardismole]

Chrystal Palace Station is being restored? Or the subway, at least. Good to hear. It's utterly gorgeous. What a gem.

[@shirleylynch7529]

So interesting. Thank you. Will also check out Geoff.

[@garycross228]

Watched both versions and thoroughly enjoyed them both! I was lucky to go inside Paxton Tunnel many years ago! The northern portal in the playground had the steel doors slightly ajar, so I went inside. I took a few photos. I didn't venture in too far in case some one locked me inside. This was the time before digital cameras. Needless to say, they didn't come out very well!

[@buckieloon]

Really interesting video P&R, the renovated Crystal Palace subway is on my list of places to see once it opens - fascinating. Nice haircut Paul. 😂

[@jwillisbarrie]

Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf. Found your channel via Geoff

[@martinjames9250]

At 9;57 Rebecca, you should've sunk your teeth into that! It would've made great video! Love your stuff guys. Not sure how I stumbled on it all but I'm enjoying it immensely.

[@pt9101]

Very interesting video on a fantastic subject.

[@petertrevena804]

Another great vlog from a lovely couple😊😘

[@donsharpe5786]

I used to walk along part of the country over 50 years ago, when I lived in that area to visit friends. I noted that there was a green area of a defunct railway particularly what was Brenchley Gardens. I would walk from the end of Peckham Rye (Cheltenham Road) along Brenchley Gardens to Honour Oak to Forest Hill and back.

[@phillunn4691]

Great video Paul and Rebecca! Really interesting too. Glad to see you both out and about a bit more now. Looking forward to next weekend’s video.

[@simonballard6413]

I remember this line well. I took a picture of the south portal of Paxton tunnel in 1988 and there was a little model of a railway engine on the right of it! It looks from your video as if it is now obscured by greenery! Loved your video - thanks!

[@tallbaldpaul]

Hi, just jumped over after watching Geoffs videos, love lost history, we have an old line running through our village which I hope to capture fully one day.

[@lapiswake6583]

Excellent video, as always. I was actually in London when this video was released, with my girlfriend in Staines, seeing her for the first time (for our 6 month anniversary). So good to have been out of my local area for a while. I also did 33 new tube stations (getting the labyrinths at all but 2 (Ickenham is missing, West Brompton has a covid one way no entry sign stuck over it), bringing my tube station total to 85/270) and 17 new mainline stations (all SWR, bringing my mainline total to 281/2570?) while on my trip, as well as seeing the remaining 24 class 707s with SWR (6 have transferred to SE so far, 003-008). On my next trip in about 5-6 weeks, I'll be doing more tube/overground/SWR stations, maybe even going to do some stuff with Southern and SouthEastern, since I've literally just done Charing Cross to London Bridge on SE. I didn't watch any youtube while I was away, so this weekend is just me catching up with the 100+ videos I've missed... Next up, Geoff's video.

[@chriswebb141]

Hi all , my late Mum used the branch towards the end before closure . She said that sometimes glass would fall from the high level roof and the station was very run down . She would then get the tram outside to travel home . Great video , well done everyone

[@pwhitewick]

Wow... thats very run down indeed!. Cheers Chris

[@chriswebb141]

@@pwhitewick Mum also used to say that birds would be up on the roof and they probably caused the glass and other bits to fall . No Pigeon netting then !!

[@robertbutlin3708]

Trams down Anerley Hill from Crystal Palace were replaced by trolleybuses in the mid-late 1930s. So she could have been catching them, but not just before closure. Nice to near exactly how run-down it was before closure.

[@capncol]

Another brilliant video. Glad to see you out and about again

[@dtvfan24]

OH My! Just saw Geoff before clicking this on . Double Geoff

[@williamwelbourn7932]

Watched Geoff's first. Excellent to see you collabing again. Ad time. Stunning views and beautiful day.

[@timbartellselsdon]

That was our playground as children, the station was still there and there was a turntable at the end of the platform, I think that there was a 60's film that used it as a set. by Ken Russell. We had a swing ontop of the Northern portal of the Crescent wood tunnel tied to a branch of a tree when you swung out you were 100 ft up. The tunnels were open we regularly walked through. We knew the station atop the tunnel as Sydenham wells station, which was near the Dulwich woodhouse pub which was at one time an early radio station.

[@timdaugherty5921]

Geoff Marshall brought me to this video haha

[@pwhitewick]

Welcome to.... this video. We have more.... go subscribe!

[@timdaugherty5921]

@@pwhitewick I have for many years))

[@christinaburton9297]

Thank you for solving the puzzle of where Crystal Palace station was. Such magnificent style, those tunnels. Shame they are not open as a through walk.

[@MrGreatplum]

Fantastic stuff - really interesting to see the different perspective of the same line from both yours and Geoff’s perspectives... always like it when youtubers do “a collab” (as my 9 year old calls it!)

[@marcomiedema4303]

Nice to see most of my favorite railway people in one video. Different styles, and all lovely people. Keep up the great work! (“Most”? Yes, throw in Jago Hazard and the kid from “Another Station, Another Mile”, sadly the man from “Shropshire Railways” is no longer with us...)

[@pwhitewick]

Oh no. I had heard he was unwell. We used to enjoy his videos a lot.

[@marcomiedema4303]

@Paul and Rebecca Whitewick Me too. He died about two years ago. He had posted that there would be no new videos for a while, but unfortunately he didn’t recover...

[@icewizzard666]

How cool - I like Geoff and Vicky and am subbed to his channel too, need to catch up on his vids too - very knowledgeable on the trains in London! Great vid too!

[@steves009]

Hi Rebecca, Paul and Geoff from New Zealand. Enjoy your videos heaps

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Thanks for the video would have been beautiful in its day. Some great parts of the line still left. Take care both of you!!😎🚂🚃🚃🇬🇧

[@Dunstire]

There's a funny little film called 'Amelia and the Angel' that was filmed in the station shortly after the track was lifted in the 50's

[@C2K777]

This link is to part 1 ( of 5) which, when I watched at least) had part 2 as next and as you went on they appeared in order. Definitely a movie from a different time i'd agree. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6aVZYWMmraWe5I

[@Dunstire]

@@C2K777 Oh yeah,don't get me wrong,i live within an hours drive of Crystal Palace and have always been interested in the history of the place.This film was the first i'd seen of it in moving pictures after it's closure and most definitely a film of it's day

[@TheCelts01]

Great Video guys please do more of them. Are Sunday evening is saved by u guys. All the best your Nr1 Fans in Hamburg Germany.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Dean. One a week my friend.

[@mickspencer4171]

Interesting video, I lived in one of those houses just to right at 3.04 back in the early 70's and me and my mates used to walk up to the back of the estate and through the wire fence and onto the old track bed along to the tunnel when there were just railings to block the tunnel off, we were able to squeeze through and walk to the other end, it was pitch black but none of us used to think of any danger lol.

[@saltleywsc]

Love that you were followed by a random fella shouting facts at you !!! great video ...again !

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Merv

[@JohnSmall314]

I remember exploring that tunnel as a kid (1970). It was easy to get into then.

[@robinjones6999]

Truly excellent, not an area Ive been too for decades

[@catmando7262]

Love these cross over episodes.

[@eddyadley157]

Hi. Loved the item on Crystal Palace tunnels, brought back memories of messing about in them back in the late 6os when we were kids. I think the Sydenham Hill woods area was nicknamed "The Grange".

[@spruggins]

Yes I remember it being called The Grange, we used to walk through both of those tunnels when we were kids in the 60s, the underpass from the High Level station site, we thought that was a Roman temple. We also used to play in the big signal box and climb the ladder to the roof.

[@stevegray5263]

This used to be my Sunday afternoon hangover walk when I lived in Sydenham! The vaulted ceilings of the underpass underneath CP Parade are amazing, had a couple of halloween parties in those tunnels too, before they were sealed

[@ThatCoalSoul]

You did it! You brilliant cheekies you did it!!!!!! #Collab

[@barryroberts2196]

Very enjoyable, thanks guys.

[@frankphillips5297]

Greetings from Canada. Love Geoff’s posts , and he referred me to your site. Looking forward to your videos.

[@christinecrockford1654]

Great video I'm subscribed to Geoff's channel for as long as yours

[@pwhitewick]

Great stuff Christine

[@stevedarcy9542]

Awesome video as always. Brilliantly narrated, keeps me hooked and wanting more. Thanks both for sharing.

[@johnstilljohn3181]

Smart...! Right in my neck of the woods...

[@geoffbarry9540]

I saw down into the turntable end of the High Level station some time during the 1950s, after the line had closed in 1954. It was dusk and really spooky for a small boy, but fascinating nonetheless. The Middleton Press book on the line has some fantastic shots of the routs and CPHL station as well as a great track plan.

[@petercurtis3984]

I grew up near Crystal Palace High Level railway and in the 1960s my friends and I used to explore the station site shortly after it had been demolished and we were fortunate enough to explore both tunnels on several occasions, but for me, the jewel in the crown has to be the subway beneath the road linking the station to the Crystal Palace exhibition ( now a Grade 1 listed building ). The link below contains the story of the railway and many pictures of the line and its stations, well worth checking out, it also had a turntable on the other side of the bridge at Farquhar Road, picture available within the link. www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/crystal_palace_high_level/

[@stationsixtyseven67]

I'm subbed to Geoff too and both your videos dropped almost at the same time. Cunning plan, or something more sinister? LOL! :)

[@SamSitar]

maybe they planned it that way.

[@johnarkell4493]

The original plans for the LCDR Metropolitan Extension showed a different line to Crystal Palace than that which was built. There is also yet another scheme shown on a Dulwich Estate map of 1860. both of these routes started from a point north of Penge Tunnel and involved severe gradients to get up to the palace

[@davidthorne7712]

Based on the commentary of both videos, it makes sense that the Southern Portals of the tunnels were decorated. The platforms of the next station close enough to see the tunnel entrances so the LC&D would want to create a good impression on the travelling public

[@dgattenb]

awsome Merge !!!! fab vids all of you !! LOL

[@ajhnubia]

I grew up in crystal Palace and in those days you could walk or cycle trough theses tunnel and I did

[@christophernoble6810]

Yes, that is the original house at Upper Sydenham. The site of the High Level station at Crystal Palace is quite extensive because of the large number of sidings to stable stock. The line was electrified at time of closure. One of very few electrified lines to be closed.

[@daviddredge1178]

I was literally there 3 weeks ago! Great video.

[@adrianbromfild8624]

Thanks to the video Geoff did on this I have now subscribed to your channel

[@steamybrian]

I believe the platforms at Upper Sydenham were buried when the area was landscaped. When I visited the site many years ago the platform ends by Crescent Wood Tunnel were still visible.

[@rexgeorg7324]

Great stuff guys

[@paulharper4162]

The subway that runs under the road is magnificent. Shame you couldn't access

[@davidsheriff8989]

Great to see you branching out and not getting off the rails......

[@shaunbc9279]

been there, absolutely fabulous

[@barriedeburgh4375]

HI Geoff. We here in NZ have just watched your vblog on the crystal palace railway. I went to school in south norwood and was told of the Crystal Palace pneumatic railway. can you trace that today at all. A mystery line. All the best. keep up the good work.

[@iainpaton7129]

Cool interesting video 📹

[@Sim0nTrains]

Goeff looks different in this one, Vickie looks different in this one, Rebecca looks different in this one, Paul looks different in this one and I'm now 100% confused! lol Just kidding but a very brilliant Collab indeed! would press subscribe but I can't since I pressed it years ago. I do agree that I love the southern end of Crescent Hill Tunnel, reminds me of the tunnel near Tulse Hill Station.

[@martinclitheroe]

I always think the brickwork at Crystal Palace HL that survives is very reminiscent of Denmark Hill, another LCDR station

[@bobsrailrelics]

Great to see a good tunnel

[@odorikakeru]

Ah! The crossover episode. Now all we need is the great ensemble movie where everyone teams up to take on the true puppet-master supervillain: the reincarnation of Dr. Beeching!