Arriving at the station felt like the end of the line. It felt a little lonely with only one passenger platform and a redundant overgrown platform. Few passengers got off the train with me, and the ticket office lady and guardsman only appeared when trains arrived and departed.
Nevertheless, there’s some history here, even though the station only opened in 1939. South Western Rail services operate a half-hourly shuttle service from London Waterloo. The train driver of the Class 455 service explained that drivers don’t make repeated trips up and down the line as too much time is lost. Instead, he explained that on his return to Waterloo, and after a short break, he heads down to Weybridge.
There had been plans to extend the line to Leatherhead. But this never materialised due to the onset of World War II. As a result, the tracks visible beyond the station now only serve the aggregates depot adjacent to the station.
At road level, the small station forecourt serves local minicabs with space to drop off and pick up. Every station has its paper shop, and here’s no different, with one flanking the station entrance on the right. To the left is the local Oregano Pizza delivery company.
Inside the station’s entrance is a delightful mural painted in 2009. Despite being over 13 years old, it retains its colour and childhood charms from the children of Chessington Community College, who helped create it. It was designed to encourage public transport as a healthier way of travelling and was part of Kingston’s eco-promotion with local schools.
Chessington South
What’s there to do in Chessington South? Well, unless you’re visiting the World of Adventure nearby, not a lot, as it’s a residential area with a large industrial space with close links to the A3 and M25. However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to explore.
Chessington World of Adventure Resort – is a mere one kilometre away, so a 15-minute walk or so. But, of course, if you’ve just travelled by train and missed the bus and have several excited children (and adults) in tow, it may take you significantly longer.
I arrived at a deserted resort closed for its winter overhaul. But when you read this, the scenes from the images below will be quite different. However, I was glad it was closed as it allowed me to enjoy the moment peacefully.
I first tried visiting the World of Adventure over 30 years ago. I had travelled up from Eastbourne with my wife, two young children and mother-in-law in the car. We got as far as seeing the signs at Junction 9 on the M25, and our car broke down. We had to freewheel to the hard shoulder and wait for our recovery – an experience I never want to repeat. Oh yes, it turns out the clutch had disintegrated. So not only didn’t we make it to Chessington Zoo (as it was then called), but it was a costly day out too.
Barwell Business Park is a vast light industrial area that promotes itself as home to 60 recognised brands. End to end, it’s about 500 metres long, with units on both sides of the park. I didn’t count the units, but most were occupied and busy. For example, Callaway, the golf specialists, had a prominent location right by the entrance, and here’s a geometric view of two of their loading bays.
I followed my nose back to the station and for a mile along Garrison Lane and Church Lane to Chessington North, where I picked up the train and travelled one stop to Tolworth. But en route, there are a couple of images to share.
The first is along Garrison Lane. The area symbolised an ex-local authority property area built in the 1960s/1970s and sold off under the 1980 Housing Act introduced by the Thatcher Government. There’s a small ‘green’ in front of these houses, creating an open space, and I can imagine the large tree will offer much-needed shade in the summer months.
The second is of the Royal British Legion along Church Lane, which proudly remembers those from the area who gave their lives during the two World Wars. It’s easy to lose sight of their sacrifice, so this memorial is a welcome reminder.
I had Tolworth in mind as my eventual destination, as I’d been alerted to the imminent loss of a local landmark. More on that a little later.
But my thanks go to Bob Phillips and Pat Ward, residents and historians, who compiled the newsletter in the above link, which gives a view of Tolworth in 2017. It’s well worth a read.
I’d skirted around Tolworth after my visit to Ewell West last summer, when I walked along the Hogsmill River. But now I have a little more time to explore more fully. It’s a suburban area south of Surbiton. I get confused in trying to give areas of London the accolade of being a town, a description with a somewhat unclear definition. Anyway, it’s a rambling area with a long parade of shops along the Broadway leading onto Ewell Road.
Standing over the intersection is Tolworth Tower, built in the 1960s by Richard Seifert. He was an architect responsible for changing London’s landscape with high-rise concrete structures such as Centre Point and Tower 42 (formally the NatWest Tower), and Tolworth Tower was once outer London’s tallest building.
Murals in the Underpass
Not an obvious or natural place to visit, yet the landscaped centre and two underpass tunnels are a haven for muralists. The area has been transformed by the work of The Community Brain, an Arts Council and Lottery Funded project that sets out (in their own words) to help build a future that is more local, more mutual, more equitable and more sustainable. It’s a wonderful community-based organisation.
Triassic Aquarium – fossilised dinosaur bones were discovered nearby in the 1940s. And later in the 1980s, a fossilised claw was also discovered: this became known locally as ‘Claws’. This later discovery was eventually given the official name Baryonyx Walkeri in honour of the person who found it. The story goes that fish scales were discovered in the stomach of the fossilised dinosaur, indicating the area was partly underwater. And as a tribute to this, The Community Brain was commissioned to paint murals along the east underpass. These two images give an excellent view of what you’ll see. But don’t take my word for it. If you are nearby, go and take a look.
Ziggy is Born – on the 10th of February 1972, David Bowie, in the guise of Ziggy Stardust, first appeared at the Toby Jug pub, just outside Tolworth, in what was the start of an 18-month tour. This article from Surrey Live describes the iconic event that would change pop history and culture forever.
The Toby Jug is no more, but as a tribute to this moment and to other musicians who performed there during the 1970s, The Community Brain again commissioned a string of murals to adorn the southern underpass. But alas, Transport for London will close the tunnel to implement some road improvements, so here are a few more of the murals that will soon be lost forever.
Me and my Mate – I couldn’t resist including this selfie with my musical hero. I’ve been a lifelong fan since 1972.
Picture of the Day – Ziggy Stardust
Given what I’ve written above, it’ll be no surprise that one of the Bowie murals makes it my picture of the day. I’ve picked this one as the image portrays the anticipation of what you’ll see as you walk through the underpass. The floodlit tunnel invites you through the dark and dingy tunnel towards the ‘Ziggy Stardust’ mural teasing you in the daylight, enough for you to want to see more.
Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars was my first-ever album, and Bowie’s music has stayed with me forever. So I quite often tune in to this album. I even have it on as I write now.
- Location: Tolworth A3 Underpass
- Date/Time: Thursday 2nd March 2023, 1.07 pm
- Settings: Camera – Camera – Canon EOS 200D; Aperture -f/4.5; Shutter Speed – 1/80; Focal Length – 24mm; Film Speed – ISO250
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Photos By RJT 
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