Opened in 1842 by the South Eastern Railway Company, Marden soon grew into quite an important station on the line. Eventually there would be many sidings carrying such items such as hops and apples, plus various other agricultural items including cattle.
Eight cottages were constructed for the railway workers needed to staff the station through the day and of course the station master had one of his own.
The diagram below shows Marden as it was around the 1950s, and it gives you an idea of how many sidings were available at the station the majority of freight stopped at modern in 1963 mainly due to the spread of the UK motorway network but also due to the line being electrified.
The new station building was erected in 1987 and is of a contemporary brick design, not dissimilar to that at Headcorn (albeit smaller). The interior is functional and clean with a small refreshment kiosk, however the whole of it is only staffed on a part-time basis mainly in the mornings.
At time of Writing (2022), passenger traffic is provided by class 375 electric multiple units.
The entry and exit figures for 2019-2020 were 565 472.
To look at Marden station today you would not believe how large it once was, however a charming new station building makes this station a pleasant visit, albeit not blessed with many facilities.
Below is a video I produced in 2021 as part of my “Along the railway line” series:
Rainham Rail Enthusiast 