Snailham Halt railway station

Snailham Halt railway station was on the South Eastern Railway's route between Ashford and Hastings, nowadays known as the Marshlink Line. It opened in 1907 and closed in 1959.

Snailham Halt
Site of the old station
General information
LocationUpper Snailham, Rother
England
Coordinates50.9266°N 0.6432°E / 50.9266; 0.6432
Grid referenceTQ858174
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companySouth Eastern Railway
Pre-groupingSouth Eastern and Chatham Railway
Post-groupingSouthern Railway
Key dates
1 July 1907 (1907-07-01)Opened as Snailham Crossing Halt
1909Renamed Snailham Halt
2 February 1959 (1959-02-02)Closed

History

The railway line between Ashford and Hastings was opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1851.[1] The 1851 Census shows no activity, but the 1851 Census shows a "Railway Crossing" with the associated cottage shown occupied by a Platelayer in each subsequent Census. The 1911 Census shows that the crossing cottage was occupied by James Sargent and that his wife Charlotte is the Crossing Keeper.

There were no stations between Winchelsea and Hastings[2][3] until Ore opened in 1888.[4] However, at the turn of the 19th century, the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) introduced a scheme to develop traffic on lightly used branch lines by providing basic halts served by railmotor services.[5] A sufficiently successful introduction of Kitson railmotors on the Hundred of Hoo Railway in 1906 to serve six new halts between Gravesend and Port Victoria persuaded the SECR to attempt the same scheme between Rye and Hastings,[6][7][8] three halts at a cost of £295 each were opened between Winchelsea and Ore on 1 July 1907:[9][10] Snailham Crossing Halt;[11] Guestling Halt;[12] and Three Oaks Bridge Halt.[13]

Snailham Crossing Halt had two platforms;[14] its name was shortened to Snailham Halt in 1909.[11] It was situated in a remote location nearly 1⁄2-mile from the nearest dwelling and accessed via an unsurfaced country lane.[15] The railmotor services were not a great success as passengers disliked the units which also lacked operational flexibility.[16]

Snailham Halt was closed on 2 February 1959,[11][10] and is the only station between Ashford and Hastings to have been closed.[17]

References
  1. White, H.P. (1992) [1961]. Thomas, David St John; Patmore, J. Allan (eds.). Volume 2: Southern England. A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain (5th ed.). Nairn: David St John Thomas. p. 34. ISBN 0-946537-77-1.
  2. Knight, Andrew (1986). The Railways of South East England. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 57. ISBN 0-7110-1556-2.
  3. McCarthy, Colin; McCarthy, David; Cobb, Michael (October 2007). Waller, Peter (ed.). Railways of Britain: Kent and Sussex. Hersham: Ian Allan. map 34. ISBN 978-0-7110-3222-4. 0710/C1.
  4. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 178. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  5. Gray, Adrian (1998). South Eastern and Chatham Railways. Midhurst: Middleton Press. p. 31. ISBN 1-9017-0608-7.
  6. Gray 1998, p. 31
  7. Bradley, D.L. (April 1980) [1961]. The Locomotive History of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway (2nd ed.). London: RCTS. p. 30. ISBN 0-901115-49-5.
  8. Gould, David (1993). Bogie Carriages of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway. Headington: Oakwood Press. p. 191. ISBN 0-85361-455-5. X52.
  9. Gray 1998, pp. 31, 114
  10. Kidner, R.W. (1985). Southern Railway Halts. Headington: Oakwood Press. p. 55. ISBN 0-8536-1321-4.
  11. Butt 1995, p. 214
  12. Butt 1995, p. 110
  13. Butt 1995, p. 229
  14. Knight 1986, p. 58
  15. Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (1987). Hastings to Ashford and the New Romney branch. South Coast Railways. Midhurst: Middleton Press. fig. 31. ISBN 0-9065-2037-1.
  16. Gray 1998, p. 114
  17. Knight 1986, pp. 57–58
Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Doleham
Line and station open		   South Eastern and Chatham Railway
Ashford to Hastings Line		   Winchelsea
Line and station open
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