The Cranleigh Railway line was officially closed in 1965 following ‘The Reshaping of British Railways’ report of 1963. Cranleigh station was later knocked down and replaced by the “Stocklund Square” housing and shopping development. In 2004 part of this development was itself demolished and a Sainsbury supermarket was built on the behind the shops where car parking is available.
Previously known as Cranley
Opening in 1865 as “Cranley”, its name was changed in 1867 to “Cranleigh” at the request of the Postmaster General as imperfectly addressed letters to “Cranley” were often mistaken for “Crawley” and vice versa.
A passing loop and second platform were installed at the station in 1880. Cranleigh was the busiest station on via Guildford. It also handled regular custom for nearby Cranleigh School, and Southern Railway Class V 4-4-0 “Schools Class” express passenger locomotive no. 936 was named after the school in 1935.
Cranleigh had a substantial goods yard equipped with a large loading gantry. Inward freight consisted mainly of coal which was required, in particular, by the local gasworks, whilst goods outward was mainly timber.
