The station was opened in 1844 by the South East Railway, and it was to become one of the more eye catching stations on the line, being as it nestled right next to the river Medway.
It started life however as just a dropping off point with a basic wooden platform and no facilities. This changed quite quickly however, as an imposing yet beautiful two story red brick station building was erected on newly brick built platforms on the Strood bound side. Mock Tudor in design, it certainly stands out proudly overlooking the river. A similar style building would later be built at Aylesford, however this would be made from Kentish ragstone. A station masters house was built next door, of similar but smaller design.
Freight facilities were excellent here, with a double tracked goods shed, which frequently was used by the local brewery for transportation. The yard lasted until 1963; however the time of writing, the building is still used today by Network Rail for storage, ensuring this grand building still stands.
The fine signal box was installed in 1892, manual gates being provided, and these remained until automatic barriers were installed in the 2010’s.
Another thing of interest is that the station didn’t get a footbridge until the 1960’s, when the foot crossing was deemed unsafe after the line was electrified. Also it was one of the last stations on the line to retain semaphore signals, these being replaced in 2005, as part of a re-signalling scheme.
At time of writing, passenger traffic is provided by class 375 electric multiple units.
Wateringbury is a superb station to visit. The old signal box and goods shed alone would make it interesting, but couple that with the elaborate Grade 2 listed station building, and of course the fabulous views across the river Medway, make time here a pleasure. Sight lines for the enthusiast are excellent, whether at platform or bridge level, so photography and videography will gain you great results.
Here is a video of the station, filmed by myself in 2022 :
Thanks for reading, come back soon and remember:
“If you can, get out there, get on the railway, and see where it takes you” (c)
The original station was opened some 800 yards away from the current site in 1865, as Chislehurst and Bickley Park.
A cut off line to Tonbridge opened in 1868, and this meant the station was re-located to its current location in the same year.
Five London bound sidings were to be found here, controlled by a signal box on the coastbound side, which also had a small single siding too. Cottages for railway workers were provided by 1869.
Originally two station buildings on either side were present, but the London bound one was demolished in the early 1900’s in order for extra tracks to be laid. It was however rebuilt sometime after this work was done.
Small changes were to be implemented at the station in the next hundred years and by 1968 the good yards were closed. By the late 1970s the London bound station was demolished, but thankfully the coastbound one was kept. In fact, many original features can still be seen as we’ll see in the pictures below.
The two photos below show the island platform as well as the elaborate canopy, shown closer in the lower photo.
Chislehurst railway station. island platformChislehurst railway station island platform canopy
The underpass is also very well looked after as you can see below.
Chislehurst railway station pedestrian underpass
Many of the finer details in the canopies can also be seen.
Canopy columns
The station is busy with many trains either stopping or passing through.
Passing trains at Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a great commuter station, and it is nice to see the grand station building, canopies and underpass are not only standing, but in very good condition.
Overall, the Chislehurst has fantastic views for the enthusiast. There is always something passing or stopping, and both ends of the platforms have amazing opportunities for photography and videography.
A view away from Chislehurst
Below is a video taken in 2021 :
Thanks for reading, I’ll leave you with my tagline :
The station was opened in 1868 by the South Eastern Railway Company, and originally had a familiar staggered platform arrangement with clapboard construction buildings and a lattice footbridge, which was installed from the start, negating the need for a passenger foot crossing.
A goods siding would not appear until 1871, this was placed behind the coast bound platform. However, by the end of the 19th century, this had increased to three more. Two of these were on the London bound side and were coal sidings. All were controlled by a two-story signal box placed at the south of the coast bound platform.
By 1935, electrification of the route required the platforms to be extended, and an electric substation was installed just behind the coast bound platform. By 1957 the staggered platform arrangement was all but lost, this was to help accommodate 12-car trains. All goods services were removed by the end of 1964.
Unfortunately, the signal box was destroyed by fire in 1971, and all operations were switched to Orpington. In 1973 the station building suffered the same fate, and after consultation a new modern glazed building was erected in its place, and still stands today. The photo below shows that the glass acts as a shell for the main ticket office inside.
Chelsfield station buildingChelsfield railway station ticket officeChelsfield railway station ticket office
The view below is from the south end of platform 2, shows an impressive sweeping curve into Chelsfield tunnel, which (like Knockholt) is said to be an inspiration for the tunnel in the book ‘The Railway Children’.
Chelsfield tunnel
Below is the view of the station as taken from the impressive road bridge. Note the electric substation on the left.
Chelsfield railway station
Passenger services at time of recording are provided by either class 466 465 or 376 electric multiple units
Chelsfield has two trains per hour in each direction off-peak, with many additional services during the peak times, and at those peak times these run to Cannon Street and not to Charing Cross.
The 2019 2020 exit and entry figures were 973 208
Chelsfield road bridge
Chelsfield was a surprisingly good station to visit, not least for the excellent sweeping views down the line towards the Chelsfield tunnel. The ticket office is a good example of 1970’s architecture, and although not to everyone’s taste, does show the style of the time. For the enthusiast, the aforementioned tunnel is a bonus, but also the variety in traffic, including freight, will give you a good deal of photographic and video opportunities.
Here is a video of the station, filmed in 2021
Thanks for reading, I’ll leave you with my tagline :
Dunton Green was opened in 1868 by the South Eastern Railway Company, and it had a familiar clapboard station building similar to that of the one at Hildenborough. It also had a single siding on the London bound side, and this was incorporated into a proper running line when a branch line to Westerham was opened in 1881.
This branch line had its own station building as well as a three-story high signal box. As this new branch line cut through access to the village, a subway was constructed to gain access, but more on this later.
Three new goods sidings were also constructed at this time on the branch line section. The signal box had a short life however, as a signal modernization scheme in the early 1900s had it demolished in favour of a two-story design. By 1934 the newly formed southern region began the electrification program and Dunton Green had its platforms lengthened, with the first electric train running through the station from 1935.
Dunton Green railway station
Unfortunately Dunton Green’s recent history is less illustrious. In 1961 the branch line closed, and over the next 35 years the station went into rapid decline, culminating in the complete removal of the station in the mid-1990s and at time of writing, a new station building has never been rebuilt at this location.
Dunton Green railway station
This picture is of the subway which still connects the station to Dunton Green village (credit for these are below as I was unable to photograph on the day of my visit)
At time of writing passenger traffic is provided by class 465 or class 376 electric multiple units.
Class 465Class 376
The statistics for Dunton Green are that it opened in 1868, it has two trains per hour in both directions off-peak and Saturdays, with additional trains at peak times (this is reduced to only one train per hour in both directions on Sundays).
The entry and exit figures for 2019-2020 were 258 682.
The absence of a station building (at time of writing) really makes a visit to this station unappealing if you are a casual enthusiast. However, the location and relatively good frequency of service makes the stations survival a must. Photography and videography are ok, but I would advise that perhaps a visit to another railway station on the line nearby could wield better and more atmospheric results.
Below is a video filmed in 2021:
Thanks for reading, I’ll leave you with my tagline :
Swale really is remote, no real housing or commercial buildings are nearby, and it is amazing it is still used. However it does have an interesting and important part to play in the history of the line.
The station was opened in 1913 as Kings ferry bridge halt, and as such had no station building, just a couple of small huts for shelter. It traversed the River Medway over a bridge, but after a ship collided with the bridge in 1922, it was deemed unfit for railway traffic.
This meant that passengers were required to exit this station and walk over a temporary bridge to another station which had been provided to continue their journey. This change meant the renaming of the station to Kings ferry bridge south halt.
It was renamed again in 1929 to Swale Halt when the railway bridge reopened after repairs, and continued with this name until a new bridge was opened in 1960, when it became known just as Swale station. The station is very remote, the nearest village being Iwade, which is a 25 min walk away.
There is one dot matrix display, positioned at the top of the ramp which from the very small car park (which is in fact where the replacement bus service would pick up and set down. At the bottom of this ramp is an electronic ticketing machine. Turning back to walk up the ramp, on your left are various poster boards.
These include timetables, service information, a board for the Kent community rail partnership and of course an onward travel information board. Like others on this list, there are no other facilities here. Trains at time of writing are class 375 electric multiple units.
Passenger entry and exits for 2019 / 2020 were 8, 044. I am using these figures as the figures for 2020 / 2021 are skewed due to the pandemic, and so are unreliable.
The video for Swale, recorded before the Class 375’s took over the line can be seen below.
Before the re-imagining of London Bridge station in the 2010’s, it was the subject of a huge re-signaling scheme in the mid 1970’s. The idea was to completely redesign the approach, especially across Borough Market Junction. This was a notorious bottleneck where trains from Charing Cross and Cannon Street, as well as approaching traffic from Kent and Sussex would almost always grind to a halt at peak times.
The solution was to create more throughput by using crossovers from Charing Cross and Cannon Street and using a new flyover at St Johns. Some terminal platforms were also connected to the Charing Cross lines in order to facilitate more throughput.
The entire area would be controlled via a massive new signal control room at London Bridge, which would mean the demise of at least 16 smaller signal boxes nearby.
Amazingly for such a large project, it was finished on time, at a cost of £21.5 million pounds in 1978. Below are some scans from a mini booklet produced by British Rail to commemorate the achievement.
I must thank Mr David Bonnett, who very kindly donated this leaflet and other materials to myself.
London Bridge is the oldest of the Termini in London, and one of the combined termini where terminating platforms are alongside through services. Often derided in the past as gloomy and difficult to navigate, a 21st Century makeover was completed in 2018. It is now a sleek modern building, its angled lines smoothed out with a curvy façade on one side. London’s tallest building, The Shard, towers above it, literally pinpointing the stations position.
A brief history
In 1831 a railway was proposed between Greenwich and Tooley Street. Because it would run through very congested streets, it was agreed that the best course of action was to build a viaduct. This would become a huge 878 arch bridge, made from 60 million bricks which were made in Sittingbourne, Kent. Initially the viaduct had a walkway which people could use for the sum of 1 pence, enabling elevated views of the city. However this was closed during the expansion of 1840.
Partly opened in 1836 as far as Spar Road, the full line to London Bridge was opened in December 1836. The station at this time was very basic, steps or ramps up to the platforms which were totally open to the elements having no sheltering roof or trainshed whatsoever.
Expansion came very quickly, with the London and Croydon Railway Company and The South Eastern Railway company taking routes North and South respectively between 1839 and 1842. The increased traffic gave the station a new building in 1844, the first of many rebuilds London Bridge would have.
The most significant of these was in 1850, where the station was divided in two, the South Eastern taking control of the North side, and the newly formed London, Brighton and South Coast railway company the South side. A huge wall was erected, with both sides having differing rules and regulations, causing services such as horse drawn taxis to pay differing charges as they traversed the station.
This remined in place until 1923, when all the southern rail companies were amalgamated into the Southern Railway Company. A footbridge was built to link the two stations in 1928.
The arches under the station were used in the Second World War as air raid shelters, although conditions were very grim. Inspections declared they were unfit for use and demanded improvements to make them both safer and hygienic. Unfortunately, before any real improvements were made, a bomb hit London Bridge in February 1941, killing 68 and injuring a further 175.
A Major rebuild of the infrastructure and station occurred in the 1970’s. This included new signalling and rerouting of the lines in and out of London Bridge. The building was given a modern design, but people would still complain that it was cramped and uninviting.
It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that another rebuild would take place. The most radical and expensive so far, this time they seem to have got it right , as I shall explain in the rest of the blog.
A quick view of the current station
Although I label this as a quick view, the station is so vast that being quick here is not something i’d recommend if you wish to appreciate this new station.
Entering from the underground station, after going up the escalators you enter a passageway which is Joiner Street. Move into Joiner Street and you should soon see on your left the entrance to the Western Arches.
The Western Arches
Moving into here, the old pillars that are holding up the railway above you, go down this corridor in a pleasant symmetrical fashion. Shops are placed at the side, and the feel of this section is fantastic.
At the end of the passageway is another intersection, this time with Stanier street. Of note here is the plaques along the wall detailing the history of the station layout, well worth a look if you have the time.
Plaque in Stanier Street
Moving back to the end of the Western arches, and head of you is the main concourse – a sleeper in on one of the walls just as you are about to enter the concourse is dedicated to the opening in 2018.
Dedication plaque
Turning right here will take you down past more shops on your right, and the main ticket office on your left. Carry on down to the exit and you will see on your left a memorial to the railway workers who died in the first world war. This exit would take you into St Thomas’ street, next to St Thomas’ hospital, should you go through it.
First World War Memorial
Turning back into the main concourse, head all the way back to the Western Arches and carry on. You will see various gateline entrances to your right, as well as a big escalator and stairs in the middle which will take you up to the upper concourse and the bus station. Lets go up and take a quick look.
Up the escalator ahead of you is the glass frontage of what used to be known as the main entrance to the station. If you were to exit there, the Shard would be immediately to your right, with the bus station immediately in from of you. It is worth going out here just to marvel not only at the Shard, but the impressive all glass frontage to the station here (see the opening picture of this blog post).
Moving around the upper concourse the sense of natural light and space is very evident. Moving to the left you will find gatelines for Platforms 10-15. If you gain access to these platforms, try to take a moment to stand at the end of the terminating platforms, and you will be greeted by a very pleasant sight as the canopy structure over the platforms snakes away from you, yet another good photo opportunity.
A view down platforms 14 and 15
Lets go back downstairs to the main concourse, and turn right towards the exit for Tooley Street. Various gatelines will be on your right, as well as an information centre. Exiting into Tooly Street will give you a look at the new sweeping façade at this entrance. This mixes well with the original arches, which can be seen meandering away towards Greenwich. The view as you enter the station again is below.
View after entering via Tooley Street, note the huge escalators towering above you.
Moving into the station, we go through a gateline into the inner concourse. Impressive concrete pillars, looking like huge egg timers, are dotted around, with seating around their circumfrence. The space here is very welcoming due to the high ceiling. Various lifts are in the centre too, and ahead of you are the huge escalators which take you to platforms 1-15.
A view across the concourse post gateline, with the lift shafts, pillars and high roof.
Departure boards are placed around the lifts and on the side walls, really the wealth of information about arriving and departing train services is comprehensive.
I visited during rush hour, and yes it was busy, but the station layout as it is now didn’t seem to have any major congestion points. The station and surrounding structure is still being worked on, but all the major components are open, and it seems that at last London Bridge is able to cope with the passenger numbers it receives.
The video below shows London Bridge platforms at evening rush hour.
The essence of a true commuter station, very quiet during the day but in the morning and evening a hive of activity. Served only by the SouthEastern Railway and serving only Kent and Sussex, this central London hub has a varied but solid history.
A Brief History
The South Eastern Railway Company started construction in 1863, from a design by Sir John Hawkshaw. The railway entered via a 706ft bridge which at this stage only carried 5 lines. This was increased to 10 during the late 1800’s. The engine shed roof was an impressive 190ft wide and more than 680ft long, with a central lantern section which ran almost the entire length.
On the bridge side, two towers sit either side of the bridge, each adorned with a square domed roof and spire. It was found during restoration in 1986, that the east tower contained a water tank, either for replenishing the locomotives or for use in powering the stations hydraulic lift systems.
A hotel was built on the front entrance of the station. At only 5 stories it was one of the smallest station hotels, but had turrets mirroring those of the main towers. Like most railway hotels however, the popularity waned in the early 1900’s and it closed to customers in 1931.
The station officially opened in September 1866, and provided additional services to and from Charing Cross via a 7 minute shuttle, considerably quicker than the 35 minute walk. However, the advent of the district railway a few years later would render these shuttles almost useless.
The trainshed roof was extensively damaged during an air raid in 1941, and engineers deemed that replacing the glass would not be possible. The structure stood in skeleton form until 1958, when it was demolished in the first re-model of the station.
The new office complex which replaced the hotel was derided by critics, and certainly wasn’t as grand as the original Hotel. It was followed in the 1980’s by a ‘floating’ office block above the station platforms, held up by a 6000 ton metal frame. The block nearest the river has a roof garden, and slightly protrudes the two towers.
A quick view of the station today
Going in via the right hand steps on Cannon Street itself, you are greeted by a British Rail Sign hanging from the roof and a blue “Welcome to Cannon Street Station” sign. Immediately at the top of the two flights of stairs to your right is the entrance to the Underground station.
The low ceiling, clad in silver stripes with bright lighting makes you feel penned in. The floor, a cream tile with grey borders almost makes it feel like a department store. This aside, you remember that this is just a “people mover” station, so modern clean almost clinical lines wont be noticed by the thousands using it each day.
View to the station entrance from platform 7
To the right is a coffee shop, then the ticketing office and finally the toilets. Straight ahead are the gatelines to platforms 4-7. Look to your left here and a statue called “The Plumbers Apprentice”, which commemorates 400 years of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers. Their hall was once on the ground of the station.
The Plumbers Apprentice
Carry on past the statue and on your right will be ticketing machines and the gatelines to platforms 1-3. Directly ahead is a retail outlet and a pub/restaurant. Turning back towards the street and by the steps on your right is the lift down to the Underground Station.
Moving onto the platforms, ex Network South East overhead clocks continue to click away, and the pillars in the centre of the platform still contain the Network South East colour banding at the base.
As you move outside, to the left is a view over the River Thames to Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast and The Shard. To the Right you will see both Southwark and Blackfriars bridges, as well as the Tate Modern.
But look back towards the station and the full glory of the two original towers rise before you. A very impressive site, and totally at odds with the office block in the middle, yet somehow it does fit together. In my view it only goes to enhance the old structure.
The two towers of Cannon Street
Cannon Street with all its stark modern looks deceives you, and the small things like the Statue, Network South East reminders and of course the towers are reasons to just spend a little more time looking around you, rather than rushing to get that train home.
A gateway to Europe, the finest of stations, but nearly demolished in the 1960’s. An amazing station, with plenty of history, a huge trainshed and a 5 star Hotel attached. The story of St Pancras is long and full of near disaster moments, but now it stands proud as the main Termini of Eurostar, and with it the first station many overseas travellers will see.
A Brief History
The Midland Railway was desperate to get away from sharing Kings Cross with the Great Northern Railway. So when a bill was passed in 1863 for a railway between London and Bedford, they jumped at the chance to construct a new station between Kings Cross and Euston. It would be known as St Pancras, after the local Parish.
William Barlow designed a radical trainshed for the station, 245ft wide, 689ft long and 100ft high, it was the biggest single span roof in the world for a time.
The void left by excavation works was used to store beer and other goods, and was known as ‘the vaults’. This is now a superb shopping arcade linking the station down its spine underneath the trainshed.
The hotel was built to rival the one next door at Kings Cross, and was a highly flamboyant affair, the architecture lending itself to Italian and Belgian influences. It is often seen as the face of St Pancras. However it never seemed to make a profit and was closed in 1935, only to later be used as crew sleeping quarters and offices for British Rail Catering Division.
A concerted effort by many historians and railway enthusiasts (including Sir John Betjeman) stopped the bulldozers destroying the station in the late 1960’s. This however didn’t stop the station from falling into dis-repair.
Amazingly though, a major lifeline was given when in 1994 the government approved St Pancras as the Terminus for the new Eurostar service. A major renovation project started in 2001, and by 2007 after restoration and modernisation (including a modern extension to the trainshed, if not in keeping with the original), St Pancras re opened fully.
A quick view of the current station
As you enter via Pancras Road, through a huge glass façade, the concourse opens out in front of you. To the left, escalators take you down to the underground station, while a lift to your right either takes you down also, but will take you up to the SouthEastern High Speed platforms.
Moving forward slightly, turning right past a coffee shop, ahead is a new pub restaurant and also 3 sets of escalators. Two sets take you up to the HighSpeed platforms, the middle set taking you down to the Underground.
Turning past the pub, moving forward past a retail outlet on your right and food to your left, another retail unit is in front of you. Turning right here will take you to lost property, toilets and the station office. Turning left and carrying down the corridor you will come back to the main concourse, where a departure and arrival board sits above other retail outlets.
Now turn right and go down towards another exit, this is the Midland Road entrance. To your right as you walk down is a ticketing centre, and at the end on your right, access to the Thameslink platforms, seen below.
Thameslink underground platforms, labelled platform A and B
Back up from Thameslink, go straight on into the old Vaults, which is now a great arcade full of mainly high end retailers, with a few pianos in the centre aisles for the public to use! This area also gives you the first real glimpse of the original trainshed, a glance upwards reveals its vast nature. A quarter of the way down on the left is the entrance to the Eurostar terminal.
A view down into the arcade from the Grand Terrace
Going up a set of stairs brings you to the Grand Terrace, and a statue of Sir John Betjeman. He is looking up, almost encouraging you to do so. The massive trainshed extends out from here and is a superb sight. Looking towards the back, the Hotel can be seen, as well as a clock and an art installation by Tracey Emin. This is part of a series of artworks commissioned by The Royal Academy.
Moving toward the Hotel, another statue is very prominent. This is called “The Meeting Place” and stands at 30ft high. Along its base are castings of various railway events.
Turn 180 degrees and the Eurostar platforms and trainshed are before you.
If you go to the other end of the trainshed on this level, you will come to the platforms for East Midland Trains. Going back downstairs, head back to the back of the arcade and through into the Underground station. Here you will find information, ticketing and entrance to the Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines.
Carry on down this corridor and on your right, you will see a dedication to the Kings Cross fire in 1987.
Following this corridor to the left will take you down to the entrances for the Victoria, Northern and Piccadilly lines. There is also a piano here, if you feel so inclined!
Carry on down the corridor and you will have come full circle if you take the escalators up to the main concourse.
A great station, made better by design, yet old charm can be found if you look for it. Speaking of which, as a little challenge to those who don’t know, try to find this gem in the Underground Stations network of entrances and exits!
The advent of High Speed 1 to link London with the Channel Tunnel would not only mean faster services for the Eurostar, but also could enable the population of Kent to enjoy a new faster way of travel. As early as 2003, formal approval was given to allow domestic High Speed services on High Speed 1. The award in 2006 of the 2012 Olympics to London further enhanced the need for such a service to exist.
Hitachi won the right to supply the new High Speed stock to SouthEastern Railway, their first rail contract in Britain. In total 29 were built. The service to be provided meant that the trains had to be “duel electric”, to accommodate both 750 DC third rail and 25 kV AC overhead lines. The third rail extends from Ashford to Folkestone, then onwards through the Medway Towns and finally Ebbsfleet International, where the 3rd Rail shoe is retracted and the Pantograph raised (or visa-versa).
The train is based on the 400 series “Mini Shinkansen”, and comprises of 6 carriages, which can be driven from either end. The front nose of the train can be retracted to allow automatic coupling to another 6 car unit. Power is through the middle four cars, powered by pantographs/shoes on the outer two cars. Each 6 car train has 340 seats and two toilets, one of which is disabled accessible.
Additional training had to be given to train crews, to enable them to understand the TVM 430 signalling display system which was in use on the High Speed portion of the line. This is a lot different from the UK rail signalling, mostly as it is “In Cab”.
Services started fully in December 2009. During the 2012 Olympic Games, many services were run in 12 car formations, and a regular shuttle service was established from Ebbsfleet International to Stratford International, the home of the Olympic Park. In 2015, a circular route from St Pancras to St Pancras was introduced.
The trains are designed to travel at 140 mph on the High Speed section, but are limited to 70-90 mph on the old mainline from Ashford through Margate, Medway then to Ebbsfleet. They are exceptionally comfortable, and have benefitted from being fitted with dampers to reduce the effect of excessive wobble in the High Speed tunnel sections.
The train was given the designation of class 395, but due to the Olympics quickly gathered the nickname of Javelin, which was then established across the fleet. Initially, 11 of the Javelins were named after British Olympic medalists by public vote. This increased to 23 after the 2012 Olympics, with some named after Paralympians. Other noted named Javelins were 395014 “The Victoria Cross” (later 015) and 395016 “Somme 100”.
In 2018 to commemorate the 100 anniversary of the end of World War One, 395018 had special vinyl’s applied. These can be seen below on 11/11/18, a day after a special railtour had taken place through the south and east of the UK.
As of 2018, they continue to be the flagship of the SouthEastern railway network, and are very heavily used, even if they have a small premium applied to the ticket price.
Rainham Rail Enthusiast 