Southfleet railway station
Encyclopedia
Southfleet was a railway station on the Gravesend West Line
which served the small village of Southfleet
in Kent
, England
.
and Gravesend
, was the first stop on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
's Gravesend branch line. The line skirted the western boundary of the village, passing under two overbridges before reaching the station site just to the north of the present day B262 Station Road. The station was actually sited some distance from the village from which it took its name, being at a midway point between Southfleet village and the hamlet of Springhead
. It was equipped with an island platform
and provided with both passenger and freight facilities - a goods shed and goods yard with 5-ton crane - together with a signal box
. The station accounted for the majority of the line's freight which comprised fruit and agricultural products, particularly blackberries picked in the area.
Architecturally, the station's buildings were similar in style to those at Gravesend West
, solidly-built of yellow London stock
in a slightly Gothic
style. A house was provided for the stationmaster - a Victorian
villa - near to which were four semi-detached railway cottages. All the main station buildings were on the island platform, meaning that no platform tickets were issued as it was necessary to enter the platform in order to purchase a ticket.
. Following the withdrawal of freight services at Gravesend West station in March 1968, the line was cut back to a point approximately 1100 yards to the north of Southfleet (as far as a bridge over the A2
), the track beyond that point being lifted to sever the physical connection with Gravesend. It has been suggested that the line was truncated simply to deprive the various paper mills and cement plants (which, until that point, had their own sidings
at Gravesend West) of their rail connection based on British Rail
's "hatred" of private sidings.
A coal railhead was subsequently established at Southfleet by APCM, a long-term user of the line, to which coal would be delivered by rail from the Midlands
and then transported by road to Gravesend. The depot closed in 1970 following the opening of a centralised APCM plant at Northfleet
. A brief revival took place in 1974 when the APCM took a lease of the former goods yard at Southfleet, constructed a small prefabricated engine shed
and laid out sidings. The 1100 yards of track remaining beyond Southfleet was used to store wagons; the depot saw relatively frequent services - 4 up and down per day during the winter of 1974/5. APCM's use of the depot ceased in 1976, yet the track remained extant even as late as 1985.
(CTRL) which runs from London
through Kent
to the British side of the Channel Tunnel
. From Fawkham Junction, the CTRL reuses the Gravesend West trackbed as far as the Dale Road overbridge near the site of Southfleet station, where it heads east on a new course. Works on the CTRL commenced in 1998 with the lifting of the remaining track on the Gravesend Branch and the excavation of a new trackbed.
The remainder of the cutting between Dale Road and the B262 Station Road was infilled as part of the works on the CTRL, with the overbridge surviving with rebuilt parapets. A tennis court
now occupies the site of the station and new housing has been constructed in the former station yard. The stationmaster's house survives intact nearby as a private residence.
Gravesend West Line
The Gravesend West Line was a short railway line in Kent that branched off the Swanley to Chatham line at Fawkham Junction and continued for a distance of 5 miles to Gravesend where the railway company constructed a pier to connect trains with steamers...
which served the small village of Southfleet
Southfleet
Southfleet is a small compact village five miles SW of Gravesend in Kent; it is a civil parish within the borough of Dartford, and includes within its boundaries the hamlet of Betsham, and the even smaller settlement of Northfleet Green. The main village is grouped around a crossroads and many of...
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...
.
Opening
Southfleet, the only village of any size between LongfieldLongfield
Longfield is a village in the Dartford borough of Kent. It is located four miles south east of Dartford and near Gravesend. It contains several shops, a pub, and a 14th century church...
and Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, was the first stop on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
's Gravesend branch line. The line skirted the western boundary of the village, passing under two overbridges before reaching the station site just to the north of the present day B262 Station Road. The station was actually sited some distance from the village from which it took its name, being at a midway point between Southfleet village and the hamlet of Springhead
Springhead
Springhead lies at the source of the River Ebbsfleet, just southwest of the Gravesend suburban conurbations. Springhead forms one of the major quarters of the Ebbsfleet Valley development, with housing and the associated facilities now under construction...
. It was equipped with an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
and provided with both passenger and freight facilities - a goods shed and goods yard with 5-ton crane - together with a signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
. The station accounted for the majority of the line's freight which comprised fruit and agricultural products, particularly blackberries picked in the area.
Architecturally, the station's buildings were similar in style to those at Gravesend West
Gravesend West railway station
Gravesend West was a railway station on the Gravesend West Line which served Gravesend in Kent. It opened in 1886 and was, for some time, a regular destination for boat trains from London which linked with steamers on the station's pier to ferry passengers to a variety of coastal towns and resorts....
, solidly-built of yellow London stock
London stock brick
London stock brick is the type of hand-made brick which was used for the majority of building work in London and South East England until the growth in the use of Flettons and other machine-made bricks in the early 20th century. Its distinctive yellow colour and soft appearance come from the...
in a slightly Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style. A house was provided for the stationmaster - a Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
villa - near to which were four semi-detached railway cottages. All the main station buildings were on the island platform, meaning that no platform tickets were issued as it was necessary to enter the platform in order to purchase a ticket.
Decline and closure
Although ultimately never successful, the Gravesend branch began to suffer in the face of competition from local bus services following the Second World War, and freight dropped off. As an economy measure, Southfleet lost its status as a station and became an unstaffed halt in Spring 1953. Worse was to follow a few months later when the decision was made to close all stations on the line to passenger traffic as from 3 August 1953. In 1959, the branch was singled and the platform buildings at Southfleet were demolished along with those at neighbouring LongfieldLongfield Halt railway station
Longfield Halt was a railway station on the Gravesend West Line which served the settlement of Grubb Street in Kent, England.- History :...
. Following the withdrawal of freight services at Gravesend West station in March 1968, the line was cut back to a point approximately 1100 yards to the north of Southfleet (as far as a bridge over the A2
A2 road (Great Britain)
The A2 is a major road in southern England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. This route has always been of importance as a connection between the British capital of London and sea trade routes to Continental Europe...
), the track beyond that point being lifted to sever the physical connection with Gravesend. It has been suggested that the line was truncated simply to deprive the various paper mills and cement plants (which, until that point, had their own sidings
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
at Gravesend West) of their rail connection based on British Rail
BRB (Residuary) Ltd.
BRB Limited is the successor to the British Railways Board. It is a private company limited by shares, with 100% of the issued share capital owned by the Secretary of State for Transport.-Background:...
's "hatred" of private sidings.
A coal railhead was subsequently established at Southfleet by APCM, a long-term user of the line, to which coal would be delivered by rail from the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and then transported by road to Gravesend. The depot closed in 1970 following the opening of a centralised APCM plant at Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
. A brief revival took place in 1974 when the APCM took a lease of the former goods yard at Southfleet, constructed a small prefabricated engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
and laid out sidings. The 1100 yards of track remaining beyond Southfleet was used to store wagons; the depot saw relatively frequent services - 4 up and down per day during the winter of 1974/5. APCM's use of the depot ceased in 1976, yet the track remained extant even as late as 1985.
Present day
Part of the trackbed to the south of Southfleet has been incorporated into the Channel Tunnel Rail LinkChannel Tunnel Rail Link
High Speed 1 , officially known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and originally as the Continental Main Line , is a high-speed railway line running from London through Kent to the British end of the Channel Tunnel.The line was built to carry international passenger traffic from the United Kingdom...
(CTRL) which runs from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
through 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...
to the British side of the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
. From Fawkham Junction, the CTRL reuses the Gravesend West trackbed as far as the Dale Road overbridge near the site of Southfleet station, where it heads east on a new course. Works on the CTRL commenced in 1998 with the lifting of the remaining track on the Gravesend Branch and the excavation of a new trackbed.
The remainder of the cutting between Dale Road and the B262 Station Road was infilled as part of the works on the CTRL, with the overbridge surviving with rebuilt parapets. A tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
now occupies the site of the station and new housing has been constructed in the former station yard. The stationmaster's house survives intact nearby as a private residence.