The London & Croydon Railway was authorized by Parliament in 1835. The nine mile line ran from the Corbetts Lane Junction on the London & Greenwich Railway to Croydon was opened in 1839. The total cost of building the line was £615,160 (£70,240 per mile).

From September, 1841, the London & Brighton Railway began using the London & Croydon track. Five years later the London & Brighton amalgamated with the London & Croydon to form the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.