Stations › London termini › Victoria

Victoria

Two stations side by side: the Brighton side, opened in 1860, and the Chatham side, opened in 1862. They stayed separate until 1923. Fowler’s twin arched sheds of 1862 still cover the Chatham side.

Victoria: section looking out from the buffer stops (schematic)1234Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)5678Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)910111213141516171819Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)63 ft 6 in (19.4 m)Chatham side (Fowler, 1862)Brighton side127 ft 4 in (38.8 m)127 ft 4 in (38.8 m)129 ft (39.3 m)129 ft (39.3 m)
Looking south from the buffer stops. The Chatham side’s two spans are drawn from Walmisley’s Iron Roofs (1888): 127 ft 4 in and 129 ft, 63 ft 6 in clear (Plate 70). The Brighton side’s ridged roofs are indicative. Where the platforms sit is schematic. The trains are a Southeastern Class 375 and a Southern Class 377. 5 px per metre.
19Platforms
1860Opened
53.8 millionEntries and exits (2024-25)
6thBusiest station in Britain (2024-25)

Facts

Opened
1 October 1860, the Brighton side, by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway; the Chatham side on 25 August 1862, by the London Chatham and Dover Railway
Platforms
19, numbered 1 to 19, all terminal: the Chatham side 1 to 8 and the Brighton side 9 to 19 (the split from Wikipedia only). Gatwick Express uses 13 and 14
Routes
Brighton Main Line; Chatham Main Line; the Catford loop; the Sutton and Mole Valley lines; the Oxted line. Route names from Wikipedia only
Operators
Southern, Gatwick Express, Southeastern
Underground
Victoria District Circle
Train sheds
Chatham side: Fowler’s 1862 shed, two tied wrought-iron arches of 127 ft 4 in and 129 ft on eight cast-iron columns. Brighton side: five ridged roofs of 1906–08 on Corinthian columns, cut back over the platforms in the 1990s
Architect
Brighton side: Sir Charles Morgan, 1906–08. Chatham side front: A. W. Blomfield and W. J. Ancell, 1909–10. Chatham shed: Sir John Fowler
Listed
Grade II, both sides: the former Brighton station and rear concourse (entry 1389322) and the former Chatham station with its train shed (1266689)
Interchanges
3.23 million (2024-25)
Managed by
Network Rail

unverified Some of these figures haven’t yet been checked against an official source or a published history. What’s in doubt ↓

Where trains go

Where trains from Victoria go The 13 London termini at their real positions, with each terminus's routes following the railway out of London and then splitting to the parts of the country they serve, set out by compass direction. N Clapham JunctionClapham Junction StratfordStratford Finsbury ParkFinsbury Park Willesden JunctionWillesden Junction LewishamLewisham Elephant & CastleElephant & Castle WimbledonWimbledon River Thames Victoria to Gatwick and the Sussex coast: Southern, Gatwick Express Victoria to Surrey and Portsmouth: Southern Victoria to West Kent and Hastings: Southeastern Victoria to North and East Kent: Southeastern Victoria Victoria Surrey and Portsmouth Woking, Guildford, Epsom,Dorking, Portsmouth Gatwick and the Sussex coast East Croydon, Gatwick Airport,Brighton, Worthing, Eastbourne West Kent and Hastings Sevenoaks, Tonbridge,Tunbridge Wells, Hastings North and East Kent Chatham, Ashford, Canterbury,Dover, Ramsgate PaddingtonPaddington MaryleboneMarylebone EustonEuston St PancrasSt Pancras King's CrossKing's Cross Liverpool StreetLiverpool Street Fenchurch StreetFenchurch Street Cannon StreetCannon Street BlackfriarsBlackfriars London BridgeLondon Bridge Charing CrossCharing Cross WaterlooWaterloo Victoria

Victoria’s routes follow the railway out of London, then split to the parts of the country they reach, set at their compass bearings; point at a line to see who runs it. The other termini are the small dots; select one to open its page. Distances are true at the circle’s edge, 6 miles (10 km) out, and stretched towards the middle so the termini have room. The route colour is the map’s own: not official, and not any operator’s livery. All 13 together: the map on the Maps page.

Platforms 19

Platform plan, to scale from OpenStreetMap12345678910111213141516171819Platform 1. About 950 ft (289 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 2. About 1,210 ft (370 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 3. About 680 ft (207 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 4. About 680 ft (207 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 5. About 810 ft (246 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 6. About 810 ft (246 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 7. About 660 ft (202 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 8. About 580 ft (178 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 9. About 780 ft (238 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 10. About 780 ft (238 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 11. About 780 ft (237 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 12. About 780 ft (236 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 13. About 550 ft (168 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 14. About 1,000 ft (306 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 15. About 900 ft (275 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 16. About 900 ft (274 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 17. About 900 ft (274 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 18. About 900 ft (273 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 19. About 900 ft (273 m) long, off OpenStreetMapN100 ft (30 m)Platforms, tracks and outline © OpenStreetMap contributors

Seen from above, to scale: the platforms, tracks and the station building’s outline (the grey line) from OpenStreetMap, the buffer stops on the left (north is marked top left).

Trains

None of these trains’ records names Victoria yet; they’re listed by operator.

History 7

  1. The Brighton side opens, for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway.
  2. The Chatham side opens alongside, under Fowler’s twin arched shed.
  3. The Brighton side is rebuilt by Sir Charles Morgan, formally opening on 1 July 1908.
  4. The Chatham side gets its Portland stone front, by Blomfield and Ancell.
  5. The two stations come together under the Southern Railway.
  6. The Chatham side is listed, Grade II.
  7. The Brighton side is listed, Grade II.

Sources 8

Show the 8 sources from Network Rail, Historic England, Wikipedia and 3 more

Where the sources disagree:

  • Grosvenor Hotel: 1860-61 (listing) vs opened 14 April 1862 (Wikipedia).
  • Platform split 1-8 / 9-19 is from Wikipedia only.
Top