Salfords station was originally built in 1915 for workers at the Monotype Corporation, which had constructed a factory next to the railway line in 1899. From its opening on 8 October 1915 the train service was not advertised and sparse to meet the needs of Monotype Corporation staff. On 17 July 1932 the line was electrified on 750dc third rail and concurrently the station was served by a regular advertised train service. The station name, originally Salfords Halt, was simplified to Salfords on 1 January 1935. Day Aggregates made use of the open land beside the station to store and transport their loose stones for construction in the area for some time. The sidings used still exist, including a bay platform at the station and most of the machinery used to expel and fill the wagons that transported the stone at the site. Network Rail have a site at the back of platform 1, using it as a base for the continuing improvements to the Brighton main line, in between Selhurst traincare depot and the Three Bridges engineering depot. On 14 January 2008, the station received a minor upgrade. This involved the replacing of the wooden huts with modern glass waiting areas and the installation of dynamic digital displays with information about the next train. Southeastern ceased to serve the station from December 2008. A second PERTIS machine was installed at the entrance to the Horley-bound platform by 2008. Help points were installed in February 2011 to both platforms. The PERTIS machine on platform one has been replaced in August 2011 by the installation of quick ticket machine on this platform to facilitate buying of tickets out of hours. Since 20 May 2018 Salfords is served by the Thameslink service between Bedford and Gatwick Airport.
Services
The typical service from the station during the day is two trains per hour to Bedford which stops at local stations to East Croydon, Norwood Junction, London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras, St Albans and all stations to Bedford, and two trains per hour to Gatwick Airport. There are services to London Victoria at peak times stopping at local stations to East Croydon then Clapham Junction before arriving at Victoria. There are also services to and from Littlehampton and Eastbourne in the morning and evening rush hours. The Sunday service is one train an hour in each direction, to London Bridge and to Horsham. Although the station is outside Greater London, Oyster cards can be used.
