LC&DR City branch to Catford loop link?

[BobSmith833]

I've been looking at an old map of London from 1864, at this address: https://london1864.com/stanford61.htm

Evidently this is an era when many of the railways we see today were built, while some others weren't. It looks like this map has some dashed lines included for those planned or under construction. One interesting thing I noted though, was a link between the LC&DR's city branch (from Herne Hill to Holborn Viaduct), setting off south east from a point just north of Walworth Road station, and then running down to join the Catford Loop just east of Peckham Rye.

I'm assuming no link of this sort was ever built, instead we just have the equivalent (if slightly longer) link between the lines by Loughborough Junction. But does anyone know the history of it, whether it was a serious proposal etc?

 

[Sad Sprinter]

I've seen that map and that link before. There appears to be a number of odd planned lines like that through South London. I have one Victorian Rail map with a planned line from the Brighton Main up through Clapham Park to Brixton which I would like to know more about.

 

[John Webb]

Lots of lines were planned, and Acts of Parliament may have been applied for, but after the earlier 'Railway Mania' the granting of acts to build new lines was, perhaps, taken rather more seriously than previous applications!

 

[Gloster]

Overend, Gurney & Co. collapsed in 1866. The resulting banking panic put a stopper on many proposed new lines.

 

[30907]

Note, too, how much property would have to have been demolished, even then.