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Our story, and our plans for the future
The Community Train CRP is a DFT accredited Community Rail Partnership for southwest London. We operate in the south of the Royal Borough of Kingston and the southwest of the London Borough of Merton.
We currently cover nine stations served by South Western Railway trains from London Waterloo.
Our stations
Surbiton Station
Station Adopter
Friends of Surbiton Station
Surbiton, often called the "Queen of the Suburbs," is known for its leafy streets and riverside charm. The area's iconic Art Deco railway station, featured in the classic television show "The Good Life," serves as a hub for commuters and visitors alike.
Friends of Surbiton Station have been working the London School of Mosaic, Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College, and Surbiton Art Trail to restore and exhibit mosaics, inspired by William Blake, which are now on display at Surbiton Station.
New Malden Station
Station Adopter
New Malden Residents Association
New Malden is renowned for its multicultural atmosphere, particularly its large Korean community - the biggest in Europe. This cultural diversity is reflected in the numerous authentic Korean restaurants, supermarkets, and shops along the High Street.
The area boasts several parks and open spaces, including Beverley Park with its popular playground and tennis courts. New Malden Library serves as a community hub, offering various events and activities.
Malden Manor
Station adopter
Malden Manor is a quiet, primarily residential area with a mix of housing styles. The neighbourhood is characterized by its green spaces, including Auriol Park and Nonsuch Park.
The Manor Park Community Centre serves as a focal point for local activities and events.
The Hogsmill River runs through the area, providing pleasant walking trails and connecting to the wider Hogsmill Valley Walk.
Chessington South
Station adopter
Chessington South is best known as the home of Chessington World of Adventures Resort, a major theme park and zoo attracting visitors from across the region.
Surrounded by green belt land, the area offers access to several nature reserves, including Ashtead Common National Nature Reserve and Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve. These provide excellent opportunities for walking, cycling, and wildlife spotting.
The nearby Chessington Community College plays an important role in local education and community activities.
Tolworth Station
Station Adopter
The Community Brain
Tolworth is an area undergoing significant regeneration. The skyline is dominated by the modernist Tolworth Tower, designed by Richard Seifert in the 1960s. The Broadway, Tolworth's main shopping street, is seeing new developments and improvements.
Green spaces are a key feature, with Tolworth Court Farm Fields offering a large area of open land. The Hogsmill Valley Walk provides a green corridor through the urban landscape.
The Community Brain organises community events across Tolworth.
Raynes Park Station
Station Adopter
Raynes Park has transformed from a rural hamlet to a thriving suburban centre. Its high street features a mix of chain stores and independent businesses, creating a vibrant local economy.
The area is known for its strong sense of community. Cottenham Park and Holland Gardens provide green spaces for recreation and relaxation.
The area has a rich sporting history, being the former home of Wimbledon Football Club.
Our story
The Community Brain has been in existence for over 16 years, operating in the south of the Royal Borough of Kingston, an area which sometimes gets overshadowed by a focus on Kingston in the north of the borough.
We work to engage local people and believe in giving them ‘permission’ to be brilliant because everyone can be brilliant if they are given the support and encouragement they need. This permission enables people to create the futures they want to see for themselves and that of their communities, on their own terms.
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Our experience in rail and community engagement
The Community Brain’s experience in rail started four years ago when we took on a vacant shop unit at Tolworth station, fully refurbishing it and turning it into a vibrant community hub we call “Baking Ideas”. The space includes a professionally-equipped community kitchen and meeting space and it is open to anyone who wants to use it.
Baking Ideas provides independent businesses and the wider community with new opportunities to learn and develop through workshops, skills exchanges, demonstrations, research and commercial activity. There is also a meeting space for up to 20 people.
That project brought us into closer contact with South Western Railway’s community rail manager and also Community Rail Network and led to us developing further ideas at Tolworth station in line with The Community Brain’s ethos.
We delivered the “Costa del Tol” in which we imported tonnes of sand to the station car park to create a temporary beach for local people to enjoy.
In February 2021, we commissioned artist WeAreSkyHigh to create a new mural for the station celebrating the wildlife that can be found in the nearby nature reserve. We have also developed a set of walking trail leaflets that promote exploration of the local area on foot, starting and finishing at railway stations.
In 2022 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of David Bowie performing for the first time as Ziggy Stardust at the Toby Jug pub in Tolworth with a series of events branded under the “Ziggy Returns” banner. We organised a battle of the bands in Tolworth station car park, worked with SWR and Network Rail to stage the first ever silent disco at a major London terminus station, and promoted a special history train linking Waterloo to Tolworth.
