Whitstable Harbour railway station

Whitstable Harbour railway station was the name of two disused railway stations serving Whitstable the terminus of the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway. The station opened in 1830. It was extended in the mid-1870s and resited in 1895. The Canterbury and Whitstable line closed to passengers in 1931 and freight in 1952, although it was reopened for a month following the North Sea flood of 1953.

Whitstable Harbour
Photograph of Whitstable Harbour station in the 1960s
The second station, in the 1960s. First station in background.
General information
LocationWhitstable, Kent
England
Coordinates51°21′47″N 1°1′50″E
Grid referenceTR 107 660
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyCanterbury and Whitstable Railway
Pre-groupingSouth Eastern Railway
Post-groupingSouthern Railway
Key dates
3 May 1830Opened
Mid-1870sExtended
3 June 1895Resited
1 January 1931Closed to passengers
1 December 1952Closed
5 February 1953Line temporarily reopened
28 February 1953Closed

History

The original station was opened on 2 May 1830.[1] It was located north of Harbour Street. Whitstable Harbour was built by Thomas Telford. It was opened on 19 March 1832.[2] In 1847, coke ovens were erected at Whitstsable Harbour.[3] In the mid-1870s, the station was extended. A brick-built booking office was provided and the platform was extended to take three carriages.[4] The coke ovens closed in 1880 when the South Eastern Railway switched to using Welsh steam coal to fuel its locomotives.[3] The layout of the original station meant that when passenger trains were using it, the shunting of wagons was impeded. In 1895, a new passenger station was built south of Harbour Street, opening on 3 June.[5]

The second Whitstable Harbour station in 1920

The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway closed to passengers on 1 January 1931.[6] The signal box at the station closed on 11 February 1931, with the line being worked as a siding thereafter.[7] The line remained open to freight until 1 December 1952. Following the North Sea flood of 1953, the railway was reopened on 5 February, closing on 28 February.[6]

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Terminus   South Eastern Railway
Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		   Canterbury North Lane (1830-46 (p) / 1830-91 (f) ) / Canterbury West (1846-1908, 1931-52)
Terminus   South Eastern Railway
Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		   Blean and Tyler Hill Halt (1908-11)
Terminus   South Eastern Railway
Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		   South Street Halt (1911-14)
Terminus   British Railways
Southern Region
Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		   Tankerton Halt (1914-31)

References
Citations
  1. Harding 1996, p. 6.
  2. Mitchell & Smith 1995, Whitstable Harbour.
  3. Mitchell & Smith 1995, Illustration 103.
  4. Mitchell & Smith 1995, Illustration 98.
  5. Mitchell & Smith 1995, Illustration 99.
  6. Harding 1996, p. 8.
  7. Mitchell & Smith 1995, Illustration 102.
Sources
  • Harding, Peter A. (1996). Branch Lines in Kent. Knaphill: Peter A. Harding. ISBN 0-9523458-1-1.
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (1995). Branch Lines Around Canterbury. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-873793-58-8.
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