From opening the line was worked by the South Eastern Railway (SER) and served new stations at Ladywell, Catford Bridge, Lower Sydenham and Beckenham (Junction).

[6] Seven years later the MK&NKJR built an extension from a new junction station at New Beckenham to Croydon (Addiscombe Road) which again was operated by the SER.

The original Lower Sydenham station was closed and moved half a mile south in 1906 in an attempt to develop a new area for housing.

On 14 June 1913 members of the Suffragettes movement planted a bomb which was discovered in the ladies waiting room at Eden Park railway station.

This event followed the death of Emily Wilding Davison six days earlier after her attempt to stop the King's horse at The Derby.

[10] After World War II and following nationalisation on 1 January 1948, the line became part of British Railways Southern Region.

[12] The line was fully converted to colour light operation in September 1975 under the control of London Bridge Signalling Centre.

Since the late 2000s, Transport for London (TfL) has been planning an extension of the Bakerloo line from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham via Old Kent Road.