 Before that scheme could be approved, in 1857 the ELR was incorporated, pre-empting the central part of the WDR route.The ELR opened on 1 February 1859, initially consisting of an isolated single-track line from to with an intermediate station at .When the truncated WDR opened on 4 April 1859 it connected end-on to the ELR at their Epsom station.