Railway Arms, Merstham

The Railway Arms lost its licence in March 2018 and was changed into housing. This former Charrington's pub was 200 years old and comprised one main L-shaped public bar, plus a separate saloon section panelled in dark wood. The latter was originally a butcher's shop into which the pub was later extended. The old knife sharpening stone could still be seen outside. The two bars were quite a contrast and reminded one of what the divisions were originally intended for. The origin of the pub's name is a little mysterious; the present Merstham station site dates from 1844 and replaced an earlier one of 1841, but the building was much older than that. Perhaps then this is another local reference to the Croydon, Merstham & Godstone Iron Railway (as with the also closed Iron Horse), which reached the area from Croydon in 1805?