As the modern railway marks its 200th anniversary, we took a journey into the rich and fascinating history of Christ’s Hospital station for the Autumn 2025 edition of The Old Blue Magazine. When we asked Old Blues to share their memories of the station, the response was overwhelming. Here are some of your stories..
‘I joined Christ’s Hospital in 1972 and remember the old station but it was demolished very soon after that. The old signal box remained though for quite a while and I remember visiting that with a friend and chatting to the signalman. By the 70s the Victoria “Housey Special” was just a number of reserved carriages on a scheduled service. I remember returning to school at the start of one summer term (probably 1975 but could have been 76) and the train came to a halt near Three Bridges. A MaB boy had waved a cricket bat out of a window that hit the drivers window of a train coming in the other direction. Luckily no one was injured but it was quite a big deal and the boy concerned was lucky not to get expelled. His parents had to pay for the damage to the other train and he certainly sustained some damage to his backside. There was only a handle left of his cricket bat too. The St. Matthew’s Day train was still a “special” to the old Holborn Viaduct station. There were also special trains when the whole school was transported to London for the centenary of the Royal Mathematical School in 1973. That must have been a huge logistical feat. We all had a lot of extra marching practice for that. I think the old station was still there then but that’s the last memory I have of it’.
James Bishop (LHA, MdA 72-78)
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‘I just wonder which journey was the more enjoyable – to home or to school – I had a fantastic home life but couldn’t wait to get back to school – 7 of the most fulfilled exciting rewarding special fantastic privileged years of my life – left in 1983 but remember it as if it were yesterday! Unum Concentum Tolite ! Thank you CH.
‘Not sure if this story has been already told? In 1981, Ali Cadden (Senior Grecian 1982/83) and my twin bro Paul Castledine (1976 – 1981) were travelling back from Victoria to Christ’s Hospital – in the same carriage were two girls from a local school in Horsham – they chatted and shared telephone numbers – June and Ali became boyfriend and girlfriend that year 1981 – 45 years later – Ali and June are still together with 3 strapping sons, 2.5 grandchildren – and have just returned from a life in Chile to be near the family in Maidenhead – Ali’s sister Sarah has bossed many a housey boy over the years and their Mum Dawn is still going strong at 80 plus – a true LOVE story’
Paddy Castledine (MaA, MdB 76-83)
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‘The end of the Michaelmas Term 1960. My Prep A house master put me on the wrong train at Christ’s Hospital station. My train was the stopping electric train to Barnham on the Victoria – Portsmouth line, my stop was Arundel. Instead he put me on steam Chuffer Guildford to Brighton. I insisted he was wrong, he forced me onto the train, administering a couple of hard slaps to the back of the head (Fotch) in the process. I ended up in Brighton with nothing, not even small change to use a phone. My trunk ended up in Arundel without me. My mother phoned the school and my housemaster confirmed he’d put me on the Brighton train and told her not to worry as I’d soon be found given the distinctive uniform. Meanwhile in Brighton I made my way to Pool Valley bus station. Boarded a number 9 bus and hoped I could get to Arundel via Worthing without getting caught. I was eventually reunited with my very distressed mother only thanks to kindness of a ticket inspector who it turned out knew her. My mother wrote to the then Head, C. M Seaman, who, upon my return to Housey the following term, sent me for three “school drills” for my impertinence.’
Richard Briggs (PrepA, PeA 60-67)
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‘I do have very specific memories of the old station, the first platform reserved for the Special Train to/from Victoria Station. Particularly St Matthew’s Day journeys with all our instruments. Guildford branch line was steam, Bognor Regis was electric, Brighton was diesel as I recall.’
Christopher Sholl (ThB 64-71)
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‘Two things I remember well:
- While waiting for the train at Victoria Station with Mother & elder brother, age 8+ and wearing my uniform for the first time, a man came up to me & bending down, said “aren’t you a bit young to be a priest?”
- A little bit older, I have recollection of some of us throwing those rubber things full of water out of the window, as we passed stations loaded with people going to work’
Ian Thomas
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‘Sorry to lower the tone! Late 70’s early 80’s the toilets in each carriage on the Victoria/Portsmouth line had a notice saying ‘Do not flush in the station’… And graffitied under many were the words ‘except Christ’s Hospital’!’
Mark Richardson (PeA 76 to 83)
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‘My favourite memory was travelling home on my 14th birthday; my brother took me for a celebration pint at the Shakespeare, next to Victoria station.
I keep this on my bookcase, it was “collected” by my elder brother in 1970 following the demolition of platform 5.’
Paul Toplis (PrepA, BaB, ThA 62-70)
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‘A long time ago.. but I seem to remember getting on at Sutton and my trunk finding its way into the goods compartment. When we arrived at CH, as we walked towards school, we watched all our trunks being pulled up the hill stacked on a farm trailer. The early 60s were a long time ago!’
Rogg Thornton (PrepA, PeA 63-72)
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‘When I entered Prep A in 1948 we lived in Guildford so took the Guildford line from Christ’s Hospital through all those little stops. At 10 we moved to Reading so until I was 17 and left CH it was change at Guildford for the Reading line, another stopping train serving small towns and villages along the way. Prep A Mid A 1948-56. Trains on both lines were single carriages, no toilet or corridor. Window raised and lowered by a leather strap with holes to impale on a small brass knob to adjust how high you wanted the window at. Of course they were steam engines, lots of smoke etc. Used to get a sticky bun at Guildford platform 1 cafeteria with remainder of terms pocket money burning a hole in my pocket. Travelled with other Reading and Newbury Old Blues of which there were a few.’
Andrew Fyfe (PrepA, MdA 48-56)
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‘In the early 1960s when I travelled on the ‘Housey Special’ at the beginning and end of term, my trunk travelled separately. I only had to carry a holdall bag. It was collected from home about a week before the end of holidays using what was known as British Railways ‘Luggage in Advance’ service. I can’t recall how soon before the end of term we packed our trunks but I remember it was delivered home about a week into the holidays.Here am I with my brother Louis Mullinger (PrepA, Col A 58-67) at Victoria Station in 1962 ! I think the locomotive in the background is SE&CR Wainwright ‘H’ class 0-4-4T no. 31542, built between 1904 and 1915.’ll‘I’ve just bought this Southern Railway ticket specially printed for NEW BOYS in 1936. I’ve been collecting railway tickets for many years but never seen one like this before!’
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Joss Mullinger (Prep A, Col A 60-69)
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‘Remember it well…that walk down Little Side, past the armoury and swimming pool/gym to the Station….filled with excitement and anticipation of going home. Slam shut doors, carriages with corridors, travelling up to Victoria on the ‘Special’. So sad when the Station was replaced with it’s more ‘modern’ soulless version, losing all of its unique character. One of the many wonderful memories that form part of the tapestry of my time at Housey.. for my time and many others.’
Ray Day (ColA 64-71)
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‘The place where the station comes into its own is in (i think, this is all coming from memory …maybe someone has it and can photo it??? ) the original 1965 edition of The Buildings of England (Pevsner / Nairn). They considered the school to be a painful pastiche and gave the whole thing about two sentences, no mentions of individual buildings … a deliberate downplaying … whereas the station gets massive praise heaped on it! I presumed all the attention given to the station was a clever way to flag up their disdain for the architecture of the school.’
Sebastian Scotney (BaB, ColB 66-73)
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‘Rarely used to use the train while I was at CH, but regularly go through Christ’s Hospital station on my way to London these days, and even more regularly cycle through the old station when doing the downs link over from Cranleigh. It’s so good to see the old platform sign looking so nicely painted.’
Matthew Le
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‘I too remember it well. I travelled up from Plymouth to Paddington and was met by a “Universal Aunt” who escorted me to Victoria and saw me safely on the train to Christ’s Hospital. I wonder if Universal Aunts still exist.’
Tim Stonhill (BaA 67-72)
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‘Yes I used to take the train. I remember being asked to give some guy a blessing at Victoria Station. I guess I was 12. Lord knows who he thought I was in uniform.’
Chris Grady (MaB, LaA 69-76)
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‘I remember it well. Travelling on it to Yorkshire in uniform all the way. I recall being escorted across London by someone to Kings Cross. Not many schools have their own station.’
John Waring (ThA 53-61)
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‘When my son was at CH in the early 80’s he had a friend whose father lived in Buckingham Palace as a member of the Queen’s Household. His flat was just to the right of the entrance to the Palace. At that time I had a Mini and used to go and collect him to take the boys to Victoria Station. We used to stop at those massive gates and tell the guard who we were and then drive through. Coming back out the two boys would wave regally at the crowds who must have wondered which members of the Royal Family were dressed as priests in a blue Mini! My son was notorious for once turning off the lights in CH dining hall and plunging 800 boys plus staff into darkness and was sent home! I’m afraid he was a bit of a rebel.’
Cecily Walker
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‘I remember the cheer from the whole train as it passed the Victoria site on the way in, going home. 1950’s and 60’s.’
Hilary Drake Brockman (PrepA, PeA 56-64)
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‘I remember that the railway club was established in the school in the mid-1940s to capitalise on the publication by Ian Allan of his ‘ABC’ Locomotive numbers books which encouraged the spread of train-spotting. Ian Allan, who worked for the Southern Railway was the son of G.A.T Allan, clerk, who lived in the East Lodge and sometimes entertained us there with tea and crumpets – a real wartime treat.’
Richard Arblaster (ThB 43-49)
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Your Herford Memories
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‘I used to travel into Hertford East station, travelling up from South Devon via the Underground and Liverpool Street station. It was similar to the Housey memories about, similar trains but Old Girls will probably remember the ‘nit checks’ for anyone travelling in by train too.’
Amanda Wilson
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‘British rail once lost the school train back from Hertford East to Liverpool Street. The train broke down or was cancelled en-route. After getting us off the train there was not enough space on the platform. So we were waiting outside on the pavement. The station staff then forgot to put us back on the next train. My father and some of the other parents went bonkers when they couldn’t find us! A pub landlady gave us drinks and crisps. When the station staff realised a railway worker came out and said ‘ No idea why but apparently your parents want you back !
My parents – always a bit flakey – moved (they moved a lot!) and didn’t tell me their new address. The week before the end of term our deputy house mistress was booking tickets – she needed a station name to book my ticket home. Junior me asked for ‘the end of line that goes from Brighton through Worthing and beyond. I think I live near Worthing’Turns out I was planning on sticking my head out at each station to see if my Dad was on the station. The house mistress called my grandparents – who felt that I would probably be safer at CH – but had my new address and said they would find my parents. 3 days later I got a postcard from my parents with my new address …. and complaint that my grandparents had been called.’
Cara Saul (7s 73-80)
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‘I used to travel alone from Dorset by coach, then cross London to Liverpool Street where the train with a designated carriage or 2 left for CH Hertford in the afternoon. Suitcase in tow.
Later on in the 80’s I’d travel to London Victoria and then onto Horsham. There would always be a few CH pupils on the train but from memory, no designated train/carriages although happy to be corrected on that! I do remember Matthew Le picking me up from Horsham station in his Capri and taking me to CH on one occasion.’
Yvonne Chapman (2s, BaB 81-88)
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‘I seem to recall that the back gate at CH was opened at the start and end of term to allow the train girls the ‘short cut’ rather than the crocodile parade around Hertford. I expect the cut glass on the top of the walls trembled. I also recall the Housey train’s arrival in London: before grinding to a halt, doors were flung open and a flock of Housey boys in full uniform soared down the platform, eclipsing other passengers. I do remember hearing a comment ‘Here come the Housey boys!’ Quite a spectacle!’
Fiona Kelly (1s, 8s 63-66)
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‘I was on the school train most terms. We had luggage tags in our house colours – in fact I’ve still got mine from 7s! When we arrived at Hertford East I remember the suitcases being loaded onto carts by the school maintenance team and then delivered to our houses. We were allowed one large suitcase that had to be stored in the house cellar once we had unpacked and a smaller suitcase (“hand luggage”) that was stored in the tuck room at the end of the dayroom.’
Janet Loines (7s 71-77)
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Travelling from Hertford East to Liverpool Street on an early morning commuter train – the commuters were horrified to find ‘their’ normal carriage full of school girls. Singing Auld Lang Syne as we approached Liverpool Street all standing crossed arms the sound echoing along from the other carriages. Finally the ‘Sinclair’ twins letting their pet mice loose to deter said commuters? Or was this apocryphal?’
Anne Johnson (7s 65-72)
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‘Anne Johnson I had forgotten about singing Auld Lang Syne too – thanks for the memory! The one thing I do remember about the journey into Liverpool Street was the distinctive smell from the soap factory ( Cussons?) that used to fill the carriage around the Bethnal Green area and, for me, signalled that home was very close. I can still remember that smell!’‘The small suitcase! – also known as the “attaché” case. I had no idea what on earth that was when I read it on that list of items required for going to CH. Don’t think my mother did either! Didn’t we use them to store our needlework during term time – hence being kept in the tuck room rather than the cellar?’
Julie Hope (7s 65-72)
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‘I travelled from Arundel to Hertford via train. From the age of 11! Lugging a suitcase nearly as large as me. Hailing a black cab to take me across London, clutching a £5 note to pay the cabbie. Alone and terrified! No photos that I know of. Going through the boys school station, on my way up, wanting to be at that site!’
Ali Sun (Lynn Swaffield (5s 71 -76))
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‘Yes I travelled back to school on the train that left from the station at the top of our road. Lugging a large suitcase and loathing every minute of it!’
Audrey Fraser (3s 45-49)
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‘Travelling back from Liverpool St to Hertford East on Saturday evenings in the early 80s, there were sometimes beautiful Venice-Simplon-Orient-Express carriages on the next platform. It would have been an honest mistake, wouldn’t it??’
Miriam Mckay (7s 76-83)
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‘I remember doing the journey home from Hertford East to Brighton quite regularly, in the early 1980s, with two or three others girls. Somehow, one time, we ended up on a train to Portsmouth! We had a brief moment of panic, but soon sorted ourselves out. I don’t think we even ended up being all that late.’
Alex Robinson
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Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories. It’s been a joy to read them all — from the funny and light-hearted to the deeply moving — and we’re grateful to everyone who took the time to contribute.
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