Place    From 1844  To 1847

Croydon atmospheric railway

Categories: Transport

An experiment by the London and Croydon Railway. Pumping stations were built which created a vacuum in a pipe laid between the rails. Each carriage had a piston that entered a slot in the tube, sealed by a leather seal. As air was sucked from the tube the carriages were drawn along the track.

As part of the construction works, the world's first railway viaduct was built, carrying the railway over the conventional steam line below. After the experiment was abandoned, the stationary engine-house at Forest Hill railway station was largely demolished and an electricity sub-station built on the site. This image shows the viaduct above the conventional steam railway.

Wikipedia for further reading.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Croydon atmospheric railway

Commemorated ati

Forest Hill mural

{Panel 1:} A Brief Local History In medieval times this area was known as The...

Read More

Other Subjects

West Brompton Station

West Brompton Station

A station was first opened here as part of the West London Extension Joint Railway (WLER). In 1869 the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) opened its own station (pictured, still in use and now Lis...

Building, Transport

1 memorial
Chelsea Bridge

Chelsea Bridge

At the same time that Battersea Park was created the first bridge at its eastern corner was built (shown in the image). This was opened in 1858, as Victoria Bridge, by Queen Victoria on her way to ...

Building, Transport

1 memorial
Victoria Coach Station

Victoria Coach Station

Art Deco style purpose-built coach station, the largest in Britain.  Opened  by London Coastal Coaches, an association of coach operators. Architects were Wallis, Gilbert and Partners. Ian Visits g...

Building, Transport

1 memorial
men of Great Northern Railway who gave their lives in WW1

men of Great Northern Railway who gave their lives in WW1

Forgive us, we've used this page as somewhere to hold the picture of the memorial in its original 1920 location.

Group, Transport

3 memorials
Nina Bawden

Nina Bawden

Writer of novels for adults and children, and late in life, campaigner for railway safety. Born Nina Mary Mabey in Ilford, Essex. As a child she was evacuated during the blitz, giving her memories...

Person, Literature, Transport

1 memorial