Geograph - photograph every grid square

The London & Southampton Railway opened its line from Nine Elms to Southampton in 1838. This soon became the London & South Western Railway. In 1859 the London & South Western Railway opened a branch to Epsom. This left the main line west of Wimbledon. Richard Garth of Morden bought the adjacent West Barnes farmlands from the Rayne family for development and persuaded the LSWR to build a station at the junction. It opened in 1871 and was named Raynes Park, which in turn gave its name to the surrounding district.

This is the view from the approach to the London-bound platforms. It gives an unusual birds eye view of the rather impressive Raynes Park Tavern on the corner of Coombe Lane and Lambton Road. The pub was built in 1904 as the date on the right hand corner proclaims. Although the sky looked rather threatening it did not rain.