Chessington South railway station
{{Short description|National Rail station in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox London station
| name = Chessington South
| symbol = rail
| image_name = Chessington South stn building.jpg
| manager = South Western Railway
| fare_zone = 6
| locale = Chessington
| borough = Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
| original = Southern Railway
| events1 = Opened
| years1 = 28 May 1939
| platforms = 2 (1 in use)
| railexits1920 = {{decrease}} 0.353
| raillowexits2021 = {{decrease}} 85,936
| railexits2122 = {{increase}} 0.236
| railexits2223 = {{increase}} 0.275
| railexits2324 = {{increase}} 0.315
| railcode = CSS
| coordinates = {{coord|51.3569|-0.308|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| dft_category = E
| access = yes
}}
Chessington South railway station is in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London, England, and is the terminus of the Chessington Branch Line. It is served by South Western Railway, and is {{convert|13|mi|73|chain|km}} down the line from {{stn|London Waterloo}}, in Travelcard Zone 6. It is the nearest railway station to Chessington World of Adventures and Chessington School.
History
The station was built to a design of Southern Railway architect James Robb Scott and opened on 28 May 1939. It was intended as a through station on the line being built to {{rws|Leatherhead}}. However, construction of the line stopped, never to be resumed, upon the outbreak of World War II and the up platform was never used for passenger trains, although the track was used for stabling out of service trains during off-peak times. There was a goods yard beyond the passenger station. After the continuation to Leatherhead was abandoned, part of line south of the station was used from the mid-1960s to the end of the 1980s for a coal concentration depot. The line and the sidings to the coal depot were unused and hidden by trees for many years, but in 2021 the land was cleared and tracks relaid for an aggregates depot.
The ticket office is at track level. There are two automated ticket machine at street level.
In 2019 a ramp was added to the station, providing step-free access to the single platform from street level.{{cite web|url=https://www.southwesternrailway.com/other/news-and-media/news/2019/june/chessington-south-station-becomes-fully-accessible|title=Chessington South station becomes fully accessible|publisher=South Western Railway|date=13 June 2019|accessdate=24 September 2020}}
The disused platform is inaccessible, given there is no footbridge connecting the platforms. It remains abandoned as surplus to requirements, as only two trains depart each hour.
Services
All services at Chessington South are operated by South Western Railway.
The typical service on all days of the week is two trains per hour to and from {{stn|London Waterloo}} via {{stn|Wimbledon}} which start and terminate at Chessington South.{{NRtimes|December 2023|152}}
{{rail start}}
{{rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Chessington North}}|route=South Western Railway
{{smalldiv|Chessington Branch Line}}|col={{SWR colour}} }}
{{end}}
Connections
London Buses routes 71 and 467 serve the station during the day, and route N65 at night.
Gallery
{{Commons category|Chessington South railway station}}
Image:Unit (45)5734 at Chessington South.JPG|Looking north, with unit 5734 awaiting return to London. The up (London-bound) platform on the left has never seen passenger use.
Image:Chessington South stn look south.JPG|Looking south, with unit 5734 awaiting return to London
Image:Chessington South stn abandoned south.JPG|Looking towards the abandoned extension to Leatherhead
Image:Chessington South stn signage.JPG|Platform signage in South West Trains colours
Image:Chessington_South_Station_-_geograph.org.uk_-_45374.jpg|Looking north from the road bridge
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{stn art lnk|CSS|KT92JR}}
{{Transport in London}}
{{SWT Stations|Chessington=y|IL None=y|Main line None=y}}
Category:Railway stations in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Category:Former Southern Railway (UK) stations
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1939