Forest Hill railway station facts for kids
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| Location | Forest Hill |
|---|---|
| Local authority | London Borough of Lewisham |
| Managed by | London Overground |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Station code | FOH |
| DfT category | C2 |
| Number of platforms | 2 (facing 4 tracks) |
| Accessible | Yes |
| Fare zone | 3 |
| Key dates | |
| 5 June 1839 | Opened as Dartmouth Arms |
| 1845 | Renamed Forest Hill |
| Other information | |
| Lists of stations | |
| Other websites |
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Forest Hill railway station is in Forest Hill, South London. It's an important train station in the London Borough of Lewisham. The station is right next to a main road called the A205 South Circular Road.
London Overground manages this station. Both London Overground and Southern trains stop here. You might also see Thameslink trains passing through. Forest Hill station is about 5.5 miles (9 km) from London Bridge. It's located between Honor Oak Park and Sydenham. The station is in Travelcard Zone 3.
There are four train tracks that go through the station. However, only the two outer tracks have platforms for passengers. These are called the "slow lines." The station has two entrances. The main one is on Platform 1, near the South Circular Road. The other entrance is on Platform 2, on Perry Vale. You can buy tickets at the main entrance's ticket office. There are also ticket machines outside both entrances.
Contents
Station History: How Forest Hill Station Began
Early Days: Opening and First Names
Forest Hill station first opened on 5 June 1839. It was built by the London & Croydon Railway (L&CR). Back then, it was called Dartmouth Arms. This name came from a local inn nearby.
Other railway companies also used the line. The London and Brighton Railway started using it in 1841. The South Eastern Railway (SER) joined in 1842.
Testing New Technology: The Atmospheric Railway
In 1844, the L&CR chose Forest Hill for an exciting experiment. They wanted to test an "atmospheric railway." This was a new way to power trains using air pressure. A special pumping station was built right at Forest Hill station for this project.
The L&CR and the London and Brighton Railway merged in 1846. They formed the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). The atmospheric railway experiment ended the next year. In 1845, the station's name changed to Forest Hill for Lordship Lane.
Changes Over Time: Platforms and Buildings
The LB&SCR made changes to the station in the 1850s. They moved one of the platforms when they added more tracks. Around 1864, they made the island platform longer.
During World War II, the station buildings were badly damaged by bombs. They were repaired, but later, in 1972, British Rail replaced them. They built a smaller, prefabricated building. This building is still used today. A short, narrow platform that served the fast lines was removed in the early 1960s.
Train Services at Forest Hill Station
Trains at Forest Hill are run by Southern and London Overground. They use modern electric trains called EMUs (Electric Multiple Units). These are the Class 377 and 378 models.
Typical Train Schedule (Off-Peak)
Here's how often trains usually run during quieter times of the day:
- 2 trains per hour (tph) go to London Bridge.
- 8 trains per hour go to Highbury & Islington. These trains travel via Surrey Quays.
- 2 trains per hour go to London Victoria. These trains travel via Streatham Hill.
- 4 trains per hour go to Crystal Palace.
- 4 trains per hour go to West Croydon.
There are also a few special trains. One early morning and one late evening train go to East Croydon via Norwood Junction. The early morning train continues even further, to Tattenham Corner and Caterham.
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Honor Oak Park
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Southern
Brighton Main Line
Stopping Services
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Sydenham
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| Preceding station |   London Overground |
Following station | ||
| Honor Oak Park
towards Highbury & Islington
|
East London line | Sydenham
towards Crystal Palace or West Croydon
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Connecting to Other Transport
Forest Hill station is a great place to start or end your journey. You can easily connect to local buses from here.
London Buses routes that serve the station include:
- Route 122
- Route 176
- Route 185
- Route 197
- Route 356
These buses can take you to many different parts of London.
