 In December 1920 the British government put up for sale the gauge railway at the Deptford Meat Depot.The depot had been established by the Corporation of London shortly before 1900 and had a standard gauge connection to the LB&SCR as well as an internal gauge tramway system.Around 1916 the army took over the running of the depot as a strategic supply for the war effort and introduced steam locomotives to work the narrow gauge tramway.