A south London station has closed for more than four months for major reconstruction works, so here’s everything we know.
Berrylands railway station shut to passengers today (May 11) and is expected to remain closed until September 19 while £6 million upgrade works are carried out by Network Rail and South Western Railway.
The station, on the South West Main Line between New Malden and Surbiton, is undergoing a complete rebuild of its ageing platforms and supporting structures.
Network Rail said the station’s timber platforms, some dating back to 1933, have reached the end of their operational life.
Berrylands is one of the last stations in the London area still constructed with wooden platform structures.
The station sits on top of a five-metre-high embankment, with engineers saying the infrastructure now requires full replacement rather than further maintenance works.
Preparatory works, including vegetation clearance, ecological mitigation and utility diversions, began in late 2025 ahead of the main construction phase this year.
The closure officially began today, with passengers now unable to access the station until the autumn.
The works will include demolition of the original platforms and installation of new glass-reinforced plastic modular platforms designed to last for decades.
Engineers will also widen narrow platform sections to improve safety and accessibility.
New lighting, CCTV systems, customer information screens and passenger help points are also being installed as part of the upgrade.
Provision is also being made for new waiting shelters on both platforms.
The project includes major piling works to create new foundations within the embankment structure.
Network Rail said piling is scheduled between May 25 and May 31, and again on June 6 and June 7.
The organisation warned that noise from piling machinery, metal-on-metal impacts and construction activity may be audible inside nearby homes.
Residents have also been warned to expect temporary road closures, parking suspensions in Chiltern Drive and intermittent footway restrictions in Lower Marsh Lane during the works.
For passengers, rail replacement buses are now operating every 30 minutes between New Malden and Surbiton.
Buses towards London are departing from Stop B in Surbiton Hill Park, while buses towards Woking are leaving from Stop A.
The station ticket office, toilets and car park have also closed for the duration of the project.
Passengers have been advised to allow extra time for journeys during the closure period.
Network Rail previously confirmed in 2025 that the station would need to shut for several months because of deteriorating platform conditions.
Initial plans suggested the closure would run from May until August, but the reopening date was later pushed back to late September as the scope of works became clearer.
Berrylands station originally opened on October 16, 1933, to serve growing suburban housing developments in the area.
Around 90 per cent of the station’s original construction costs were funded by local developers building homes nearby.
Before the closure, the station handled hundreds of train services every week and around 288,000 passenger journeys annually.
George Murrell, Wessex Route renewals director for Network Rail, said passengers would benefit from a “brighter, more welcoming station” when it reopens later this year.
He said: “We know closing the station for several months will be inconvenient, but this £6 million investment will provide our passengers with a much better experience when travelling with us.”
