In July 1834, the London and Southampton Railway was authorised to build a railway between London and Southampton. The first section, between the London terminus at Nine Elms and ‘Woking Common’ station was opened in 1838. The line was extended to Basingstoke in 1839 and to Southampton in 1840. Around 1845, the station was renamed ‘Woking Junction’ with the opening of the Guildford Branch Railway and from 1911 the station was simply known as ‘Woking’.
When the station was originally built, Woking didn’t exist as a town and the station buildings were built on the south side of the railway. The new town, which sprung up as a result of the railway, developed on the north side of the railway, but even when the current buildings were built in the 1930s, they remained the ‘wrong way round’. The Art Deco Signal Box on the west end of platforms 2 and 4, was operational until 1997 and is now a Grade 2 listed building.
Woking station is around 24 miles 27 chains (39.2km) from London Waterloo with fast trains taking around 26 minutes to reach Woking. If you are lucky, during the summer months you may even get to see a steam train puffing along the line.
If you are arriving at the station by train, head for the Exit on Platform 1. For car drivers, parking in Woking can be rather expensive, but there is 20 minutes free parking on the southern side of the station. There is a pedestrian subway outside the station to get across to the town centre.
The cache is close to the station and is a small white tube on the white railings above a large green box. On the way to and from the cache you will be able to admire the mural along the station wall - see if you can spot the artists 'impression' of Woking Station!
About SideTracked Caches
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breath taking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More Information can be found at the SideTracked Website
Congratulations to sheep! on being 'First to Find'