South London Line: the "Atlantic Lines"

[BRX]

On the South London Line between Wandsworth Road and Peckham there are two sets of running lines.

I gather the southernmost pair (ie, the pair on the right if you are heading from Wandsworth Rd to Peckham, and the pair which pass through the platforms at Clapham High Street and go over the high level bridge at Brixton) are known as the "Atlantic Lines".

Does anyone know why this is? I've wondered whether it's because they cross over Atlantic Road in Brixton, although this seems a bit tenuous.

 

[Oracle]

I think it's because of the old Atlantic pub, on the corner of Atlantic Road and Coldharbour Lane.

 

[A-driver]

The viaduct across Brixton is called the Atlantic viaduct (crosses atlsntic road) and only the Atlantic lines cross this. The Chatham lines dive underneath it and through Brixton station with a spur running off to the left towards the holburn and Catford loop lines which go a slightly different route from the Atlantic towards Denmark hill before re-aligning.

The Atlantic line is just the 2 tracks from Peckham rye junction to Battersea park junction.

 

[BRX]

Thanks - kind of as I guessed, then.

I take it the "up" Atlantic line is the one heading towards Victoria?

 

[A-driver]

Thanks - kind of as I guessed, then.

I take it the "up" Atlantic line is the one heading towards Victoria?

Correct. A south London service from London bridge to vic runs on the down south London from the bridge (section A/B are on the South London, C&D are the main) to peckham rye junction. If you take a main aspect on the end of peckham you will be routed across to the down Portsmouth (dulwich etc) and if you get a #4 feather you are going onto the up Atlantic as far as Battersea park where you join the up Brighton (normally slow but can take fast aswell).

 

[34D]

I think it's because of the old Atlantic pub, on the corner of Atlantic Road and Coldharbour Lane.

I'd always assumed it was the route taken by boat trains to Dover etc.

 

[A-driver]

I'd always assumed it was the route taken by boat trains to Dover etc.

Makes sense except that the Dover bound trains would run on the Chatham lines, not the Atlantic. I would Imagen the 2 were originally separate companies but not 100% sure.

 

[andchafri]

Makes sense except that the Dover bound trains would run on the Chatham lines, not the Atlantic. I would Imagen the 2 were originally separate companies but not 100% sure.

Atlantic lines were LBSCR and the Chatham Lines were LCDR

 

[BRX]

So the Chatham lines are the ones that head off to the right at Brixton towards Herne Hill etc.

What about the pair of lines that bear left instead, past the disused platform at Brixton, then rise up to join the Atlantic lines just before passing Loughborough Junction (and then continue to Peckham) - do they have a name?

(Incidentally, another question - there are two links between these lines and the Wimbledon/Sutton loop lines. As you approach Loughborough station from the Elephant and Castle direction, one of these links bears off to the left and carries the services that stop at Denmark Hill and on towards Sevenoaks etc. The other one bears off to the left and would take you towards Brixton but as far as I know no passenger services use this and I don't think I've ever noticed anything using them... what are they used for?)

 

[cle]

Why is it tenuous? You correctly assumed and there's no other explanation - it's hardly becuase they head to the Atlantic Ocean or anything. Which Dover is not on either...

 

[pendolino]

What about the pair of lines that bear left instead, past the disused platform at Brixton, then rise up to join the Atlantic lines just before passing Loughborough Junction (and then continue to Peckham) - do they have a name?

Catford Loop

 

[BRX]

Why is it tenuous? You correctly assumed and there's no other explanation - it's hardly becuase they head to the Atlantic Ocean or anything. Which Dover is not on either...

Actually, partly because it seemed to me that if any lines were to be named after Atlantic road, it would be the ones that run along parallel to it, which I now learn are the Chatham lines.

 

[Oracle]

I wrote on this Forum back in 2008 that it was named after the Atlantic Road and that in turn was I think named after the pub.