Early years (1873–1922)

The South Eastern Railway (SER) opened a two-track railway (the North Kent Railway) through the site of St Johns (although the church that gave the station its name was not built until 1855) in 1849, and two further tracks were added in 1864; the station was opened on 1 June 1873.^[2][3] The SER was at that time engaged in a bitter feud with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), which opened a station (adjacent to the church) named Lewisham Road as part of the initial section of the Greenwich Park branch line in 1871; this, coupled with the development of the area, may have been a factor in the building of the station.^[4]

On 21 March 1898, two trains collided in thick fog, killing three people, when a signaller allowed a train to enter the station while another train was at the platform.^[5][4]

In 1899, the South Eastern Railway and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company, under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway.

In 1906, an additional two lines were added south of St Johns towards Hither Green with a new junction located immediately south of the station. In addition to the existing signal box which was located on the north end of the platform s second box was provided between the North Kent lines and main lines close to the new junction.

Southern Railway (1923–1947)

Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act), St Johns became a Southern Railway station on 1 January 1923.

The main line was electrified, with the (750 V DC third rail) system, in February 1926 for the operation of electric services to Cannon Street or Charing Cross to Orpington. In the following year the bridge carrying the Greenwich Park branch line, which had closed in 1917, was removed in anticipation of the opening of the Nunhead – Lewisham line, which saw a new bridge provided and the line opening in 1929. The two signal boxes at St Johns were closed, and a new box opened just south of the station on the east side of the line.^[4]

British Railways (1948–1994)

On 1 January 1948, following nationalisation, the station passed to British Railways Southern Region.

On 4 December 1957, two trains collided just south-east of the station on the main line bypassing Lewisham, bringing down the Lewisham-Nunhead railway bridge and killing 90 people. Further disaster was averted as a train about to cross the bridge was halted by its driver.

In the mid-1970s the station was re-modelled when the fast-line island platform was closed and demolished. This provided space to build a flydown from the Lewisham-Nunhead line to the up fast line.

The booking office at street level was destroyed by fire in the late 1970s.

Upon sectorisation in 1982, passenger sectors were created: London & South East (renamed Network SouthEast in 1986) operated commuter services in the London area, including St Johns.^[6]

The privatisation era (1994-present day)

Following privatisation of British Rail on 1 April 1994, the infrastructure at St Johns station became the responsibility of Railtrack, while a business unit operated the train services. On 13 October 1996, operation of passenger services passed to Connex South Eastern, which was originally due to run the franchise until 2011.

Following a number of accidents and financial issues, Railtrack plc was sold to Network Rail on 3 October 2002, which became responsible for the infrastructure.^[7][8]

On 27 June 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority decided to strip Connex of the franchise citing poor financial management and run the franchise itself.^[9][10] Connex South Eastern continued to operate the franchise until 8 November 2003 with the services transferring to the Strategic Rail Authority's South Eastern Trains subsidiary the following day.

On 30 November 2005 the Department for Transport awarded Govia the Integrated Kent franchise. The services operated by South Eastern Trains transferred to Southeastern on 1 April 2006.