ON
TOUR

BUSY AND VIBRANT

West Croydon may not be one of our biggest stations. But, as the final stop at the southern end of our recently renamed Windrush line, it is part of a busy transport interchange that includes trams, buses, and the nearby East Croydon station – one of the busiest in London.

“We have a lot of regular customers and, with an easy link to the city, many tourists stay in Croydon, so we meet people from all walks of life,” says station assistant dispatch Sheldon Roberts.

When Exchange called in, the team was busy helping customers during a signal failure that brought services to a standstill. “It’s the end of the line but also the start, so it’s very challenging if we’re not running,” says Peter Kodua, service delivery manager. “But there are trams and buses right outside the station, and our team is very experienced in pointing customers in the right direction.”

Customers can get frustrated during disruptions, so a dedicated and knowledgeable team is key to managing the situation.

“It’s all about just making sure customers are as informed as possible and they will generally respond well to that,” says station assistant dispatch Owen Dietrich, who has worked at West Croydon station for over 25 years.

“We’ve all got our different characters and with that comes different strengths. That’s what makes us such a good team!”

WINDRUSH LINE

The Highbury & Islington line to Clapham Junction, New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon has been renamed the Windrush line to honour the Caribbean community that rebuilt and shaped the city after World War 2 and continues to do so.

“I spoke to my dad about this change, and he was really proud,” says Sheldon Roberts, station assistant dispatch. “It’s a great celebration of my ancestors and their contribution to this city. It inspires the feeling of belonging, and my three-year-old son will grow up knowing about the Windrush generation and live in a time where they are honoured.”

Read more about our Windrush descendants here.

CULTURAL ICON

Croydon was the London Borough of Culture in 2023, a year-long celebration of the borough’s unique identity, diverse communities, and heritage through music, dance, street art and food.

“Croydon is a vibrant area full of different cultures, and there are plans to keep expanding and regenerating,” says station assistant dispatch Mamadou Wane, who emigrated from Senegal over 20 years ago. “I’m proud to call it my home and to work with this wonderful team – we are all like one big family!”

DRAWING ON HIS PASSION

In his free time, Sheldon Roberts is an online content creator on TikTok, where he shares his passion for anime (a Japanese animation style)  through reviews and edits to thousands of followers.

You can follow his work here: @anime_release_studio

POET PRAISE

Across the road from the station is St Michael’s Church, a Grade-1 listed building. The parish was founded in July 1871, but the size of the congregation soon outgrew the old wooden church and acclaimed architect John Loughborough Pearson designed the present building, completed in 1895. Poet John Betjeman described it as “one of Pearson’s loveliest churches”.

GREEN THUMBS UP

Station colleagues will soon be working with the local community on a gardening project to spruce up areas in and around the station. So far 15 volunteers have registered.