Draft:Sutton tube station (proposed)

Sutton was a proposed London Underground station in Sutton in the London Borough of Sutton. The station was meant to be the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network, despite being on the Northern Line. This historical narrative delves into the various proposals, negotiations, and challenges encountered in the endeavour to establish a Tube station serving Sutton and its surrounding areas.

Background
Sutton, was served by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) on a line to Portsmouth, experienced rapid growth in population during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Amidst this growth, local landowners and transportation planners sought to enhance connectivity by proposing the construction of a Tube station to integrate Sutton into the London Underground network.

District Line extension
The proposed extension of the District line to Sutton was part of an ambitious plan to integrate Sutton into the London Underground network. Initiated by local landowners and transportation planners, the project aimed to enhance connectivity between Sutton and central London.

Background
A meeting to consider a new scheme to connect Wimbledon and Sutton was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel on October 7, 1908, presided over by various stakeholders and a committee was formed. The Railway Gazette thought the promoters “peculiarly optimistic”’ and observed that there had been no negotiations with either the District or the L.S.W.R., whose line it was proposed to join at Wimbledon.

Sutton, served by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) on a line to Portsmouth, experienced rapid population growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In response to this growth, stakeholders proposed the construction of a railway line connecting Sutton to Wimbledon, where the District Railway operated.

Proposal and parliamentary proceedings
The proposed railway project, known as the Wimbledon and Sutton Railway (W&SR), faced opposition from existing railway companies, including the LBSCR and the London and South Western Railway (LSWR). Despite challenges during parliamentary proceedings, the bill was passed in 1911, paving the way for the construction of the railway line.

Implementation challenges
Construction of the railway line encountered various challenges, including engineering obstacles and political opposition. However, work began in the 1920s, with the aim of integrating the new line with the existing District line infrastructure at Wimbledon.

Northern Line extension from Morden
In November 1922, the Underground Group unveiled an ambitious plan to extend the Northern line beyond its Morden terminus, all the way to Sutton. This extension was to include tunnels up to Morden and then proceed overground, utilising the reserved land initially intended for the unconstructed segment of the Wimbledon and Sutton railway. This initiative was in conjunction with the extension of the District line, reflecting a comprehensive strategy to broaden the reach of the London Underground network and improve transportation links within the area.

Integration
The Northern line extension plan involved upgrading and extending the City and South London Railway (CSLR), which would connect with the District line at Camden Town. The proposed extension would then run through Balham, Tooting, and Morden, ultimately reaching Sutton.

Opposition and compromise
The proposed Northern line extension faced opposition from the Southern Railway, which viewed it as a threat to its commuter lines. To address concerns and reach a compromise, negotiations resulted in the decision for the Southern Railway to own and operate the Sutton line, while allowing the District line to run trains over it.

Legacy and impact
Although the Northern line extension to Sutton did not materialise as initially planned, the construction of the railway line and integration with existing infrastructure contributed to the region's transportation network. The compromise reached between stakeholders reflected the complex dynamics of railway development in South London.

WW1: cancelled extension
Due to the outbreak of World War I, both ambitious projects to extend the District line & Northern line to Sutton were cancelled. The war demanded immense resources and attention, leading to the reallocation of funds and labour that were initially intended for civil projects like the underground extensions. The economic impact of the conflict, coupled with the subsequent post-war financial constraints, meant that the plans for the District line & Northern line could not be resumed, leaving the proposed extension to remain on paper and never come to fruition despite being approved.

Recent years
In recent years plans to try to extend the Underground to Sutton from the Northern Line and the District line have been refused multiple times. In recent times leaders of Sutton tried a different method and instead asked for a tram line called the SuttonLink to connect Sutton to the Underground network which residents pay for. In 2019 the plan was approved and by 2020 it was paused due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.