Addiscombe Railway Park is Croydon’s newest park and was opened in May 2007 on the site of the abandoned line from Woodside Junction to Addiscombe station. The site also includes the railsides of Tramlink from Woodside to Sandilands, from Sandilands to Coombe Road, and the disused line beyond to South Croydon. Access to the Addiscombe Park is from Dalmally Passage halfway along, or from East India Way to the south.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Addiscombe Railway Park, and Selsdon and Addiscombe railsides
Borough: Croydon
Grade: Borough Grade II
Access: Free public access (part of site)
Area: 8.92 ha
Description
Wildlife
The Addiscombe line is on the level with a slight embankment. It has mainly bramble scrub, grassland, tall herbs and some small areas of young woodland dominated by sycamore and ash. The other linesides have woodland predominantly of sycamore throughout. Ash, oak, birch, white poplar, elm, holly, elder, grey and goat willows and bramble all also grow here and ivy grows in abundance. At ground-level plant life is sparse but includes cow parsley, wood millet and sweet violet. Chalk grassland plants include restharrow, common knapweed and marjoram. The lines hold many woodland insects and birds, such as great spotted woodpeckers, long-tailed tits, blackcaps and bullfinches. They also act as valuable green corridors, bringing wildlife into suburban Addiscombe.Facilities
Cycle paths
Brimstone butterfly © Mike Waite
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