East & West Molesey

A Dictionary of Local History

Rowland G. M. Baker, 1972

RAILWAY

The London and South Western Railway Company obtained an Act of parliament in 1844 enabling it to build a branch from its main line to Hampton Court. The line was opened on 2nd February 1849 and begun the process which eventually changed East Molesey from a quiet rural area into a London dormitory suburb. At first horses were used to draw the coaches to the junction at Surbiton station (then called Kingston station) where they were hitched onto the rear of the Southampton trains and thence hauled to London by steam.

In 1881 a scheme was put forward to build a railway connecting the London and South Western line at Esher to the Great Western at Southall. This would have started near Esher station, passed behind Imber Court and crossed the Mole at the end of Green Lane. Thence it would have gone via where the Secondary school and Faraday Road now stand and crossed over the Walton Road by The Grove, where would probably have been a station. It would then proceed over Church Farm to the river and out of the district. Services could thus have been provided to both Waterloo and Paddington. The plan, however, failed to receive Parliamentary sanction. Undoubtedly it would have accelerated the development of West Molesey and changed its face considerably.

ADDENDA 1972

In 1859 Parliamentary sanction was granted to build a railway from Richmond to Kingston via Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton Wick, with a branch from this line passing through Fulwell and Hampton, crossing over the Thames near Hampton church, traversing the Hurst and other fields, and joining up to the Hampton Court branch at the station. Although the line between Richmond and Kingston was built as planned, the branch to Hampton Court was eventually turned at Hampton and ran instead to terminate at Shepperton.

ADDENDA 1975

The secondary school mentioned is now Rivermede Middle school.