London and Croydon Railway

{{Details|Atmospheric railway#London and Croydon Railway}}

{{Details|Atmospheric railway#London and Croydon Railway}}

[[File:JollySailor.jpg|thumb|right|Jolly-sailor station in 1845, the atmospheric pumping station, with its [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic]] chimney/exhaust vent, in the foreground.{{Cite journal | title = Jolly-sailor Station | journal = The Pictorial Times | year = 1845 }}]]

[[File:JollySailor.jpg|thumb|right|Jolly-sailor station in 1845, the atmospheric pumping station, with its [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic]] chimney/exhaust vent, in the foreground.{{Cite journal | title = Jolly-sailor Station | journal = The Pictorial Times | year = 1845 }}]]

In 1844, the L&CR was given parliamentary authority to lay an additional line next to the existing track and test an [[atmospheric railway]] system. Pumping stations were built at [[A215 road#Jolly-sailor station and the London & Croydon Railway|Portland Road]], [[Croydon]] and [[Forest Hill railway station|Dartmouth Arms]], which created a [[vacuum]] in a pipe laid between the running rails. A free-running piston in the pipe was attached to the train through a slit sealed by a leather valve. The piston, and hence the train, was propelled towards the pumping station by atmospheric pressure. The pumping stations were built in a [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic]] style, with a very tall ornate tower, which served both as a [[chimney]] and as an exhaust vent for air pumped from the propulsion pipe.

The L&CR was given parliamentary authority in the '''{{visible anchor|London and Croydon Railway Act 1844}}''' ([[7 & 8 Vict.]] c. xcvii) to lay an additional line next to the existing track and test an [[atmospheric railway]] system. Pumping stations were built at [[A215 road#Jolly-sailor station and the London & Croydon Railway|Portland Road]], [[Croydon]] and [[Forest Hill railway station|Dartmouth Arms]], which created a [[vacuum]] in a pipe laid between the running rails. A free-running piston in the pipe was attached to the train through a slit sealed by a leather valve. The piston, and hence the train, was propelled towards the pumping station by atmospheric pressure. The pumping stations were built in a [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic]] style, with a very tall ornate tower, which served both as a [[chimney]] and as an exhaust vent for air pumped from the propulsion pipe.

As part of the construction works for the atmospheric system, the world's first railway [[overpass|flyover]] (overpass) was constructed south of Jolly Sailor, to carry the atmospheric line over the conventional steam line.{{cite book | last = Connor | first = J.E. | title = London's Disused Stations: The London Brighton & South Coast Railway | publisher = Connor & Butler | year = 2006 | location = Colchester | isbn = 0-947699-39-2 | page = 70}} The railway experienced many problems with the [[stationary engine|pumping engines]] and the valves during 1846, creating dissatisfaction among the shareholders with the directors. The added directors from the L&BR, after the amalgamation in August, were even less interested in continuing the experiment.{{cite book | last = Howard Turner | first = J.T. | title = London Brighton and South Coast Railway | publisher = Batsford | year = 1977 | location = London | isbn = 0-7134-0275-X | pages = 272–4}} In 1847, the atmospheric experiment was abandoned. The engine house at [[Forest Hill railway station|Dartmouth Arms]] was largely demolished in 1851 and an electricity sub-station was built on the site in 1928. Stone from the Croydon pumping station was reused in construction of the Surrey Street waterworks building, which still exists. According to one historian the use of the atmospheric system cost the railway £500,000 and was 'a sad fiasco'.{{cite book | last = Hamilton Ellis| first = C. | title = The London Brighton and South Coast Railway | publisher = Ian Allan | year = 1971 | location = London | isbn = 0-7110-0269-X | page = 31}}

As part of the construction works for the atmospheric system, the world's first railway [[overpass|flyover]] (overpass) was constructed south of Jolly Sailor, to carry the atmospheric line over the conventional steam line.{{cite book | last = Connor | first = J.E. | title = London's Disused Stations: The London Brighton & South Coast Railway | publisher = Connor & Butler | year = 2006 | location = Colchester | isbn = 0-947699-39-2 | page = 70}} The railway experienced many problems with the [[stationary engine|pumping engines]] and the valves during 1846, creating dissatisfaction among the shareholders with the directors. The added directors from the L&BR, after the amalgamation in August, were even less interested in continuing the experiment.{{cite book | last = Howard Turner | first = J.T. | title = London Brighton and South Coast Railway | publisher = Batsford | year = 1977 | location = London | isbn = 0-7134-0275-X | pages = 272–4}} In 1847, the atmospheric experiment was abandoned. The engine house at [[Forest Hill railway station|Dartmouth Arms]] was largely demolished in 1851 and an electricity sub-station was built on the site in 1928. Stone from the Croydon pumping station was reused in construction of the Surrey Street waterworks building, which still exists. According to one historian the use of the atmospheric system cost the railway £500,000 and was 'a sad fiasco'.{{cite book | last = Hamilton Ellis| first = C. | title = The London Brighton and South Coast Railway | publisher = Ian Allan | year = 1971 | location = London | isbn = 0-7110-0269-X | page = 31}}