Brookland Halt railway station
Encyclopedia
Brookland Halt was a railway station which served the village of Brookland
in Kent
, England
. The station opened in 1881 and closed in 1967.
branch line which opened to traffic on 7 December 1881. The station was ½ mile from Brookland village, one of the larger settlements on Romney Marsh
, and an area well-known for games and wrestling
as well as smuggling
. It was located on the north side of the A259 Straight Lane
which links the villages of Brenzett
and Brookland; a small ground frame shed controlled the level crossing
manned by a resident signal-porter who also sold tickets. Brookland was once an impressive station boasting two platforms, with the main station building on the down side and a small wooden waiting shelter on the up side. A passing loop
was also provided, but this was removed in 1921.
As passenger traffic dwindled and freight became insignificant in the post-war period, the New Romney branch fell into decline and subsequently figured in the Beeching Report along with the Ashford to Hastings line
. In 1966 the Minister of Transport
Barbara Castle
announced her intention of closing the Appledore to New Romney Branch and passenger services ceased on 6 March 1967, with the section between Romney Junction and New Romney
closing entirely.
Brookland, Kent
Brookland is a village and civil parish in the Shepway district of Kent, England, about west of New Romney. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 453. It is located on the A259 road in Romney Marsh....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station opened in 1881 and closed in 1967.
History
Brookland was the first station on the Lydd Railway Company's New RomneyNew Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea railway station
New Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea was a railway station which lay in between the villages of New Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea in Kent, England. The station opened in 1884 and closed in 1967.- Early years :...
branch line which opened to traffic on 7 December 1881. The station was ½ mile from Brookland village, one of the larger settlements on Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 mi ² .-Quotations:*“As Egypt was the gift of the Nile, this level tract .....
, and an area well-known for games and wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
as well as smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
. It was located on the north side of the A259 Straight Lane
A259 road
The A259 is a busy road on the south coast of England passing through Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and part of Kent. Part of the road was named "the most dangerous road in South East England" in 2008.-Description:...
which links the villages of Brenzett
Brenzett
Brenzett is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The village lies on the Romney Marsh, three miles west of New Romney....
and Brookland; a small ground frame shed controlled the level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
manned by a resident signal-porter who also sold tickets. Brookland was once an impressive station boasting two platforms, with the main station building on the down side and a small wooden waiting shelter on the up side. A passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
was also provided, but this was removed in 1921.
As passenger traffic dwindled and freight became insignificant in the post-war period, the New Romney branch fell into decline and subsequently figured in the Beeching Report along with the Ashford to Hastings line
Marshlink Line
The Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway to extend its coast route to Hastings...
. In 1966 the Minister of Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
Barbara Castle
Barbara Castle
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
announced her intention of closing the Appledore to New Romney Branch and passenger services ceased on 6 March 1967, with the section between Romney Junction and New Romney
New Romney railway station
New Romney railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in New Romney, Kent, England. It has always been the headquarters location of the railway.-Temporary terminus:...
closing entirely.