South Eastern and Chatham Railway [SEP] founder
South Eastern and Chatham Railway


The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee (SE&CRCJMC), known as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR), was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway (SER) and London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LC&DR), which operated between London and south-east England. Between 1899 and 1923, the SE&CR had a monopoly of railway services in Kent and to the main Channel ports for ferries to France and Belgium. The companies had competed extensively, with some
11496899
LCDR R1 class


The LCDR R1 class was a class of 0-4-4T locomotives on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, which were based on an existing London, Chatham and Dover Railway design. For many years the two constituents of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) - the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) and the South Eastern Railway (SER) - had both favoured the 0-4-4T wheel arrangement for suburban and stopping passenger trains. The SER's most recent design was James
1828573
Chatham Central railway station


Chatham Central was the terminus of the Chatham Extension from Strood serving the towns of Chatham and Rochester. The station was opened by the South Eastern Railway which merged with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899. After the merger the SE & CR deemed that the Chatham Extension was an unnecessary duplication of the line and stations that it inherited from the LC & DR, and therefore the Extension and its stations, including Chatham Central, was closed in 1911. Apart from the present
12319291
Ashford West railway station


Ashford West railway station was the terminus of the Maidstone Line from 1884 to 1898. It was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway. On the formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, passenger services were transferred to the former South Eastern Railway's Ashford station. The London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) extended their line from to Ashford, Kent in 1884. From 1 January 1899, passenger services were transferred to the former South Eastern Railway (SER) station. A connection between the LCDR and
21690248
South Eastern Railway (England)


two boards of governors to see sense and from 1 January 1899 the "South Eastern and Chatham Railways Joint Management Committee" was formed to oversee joint working, with Bonsor as its chairman. On 5 August 1899 the South Eastern and London, Chatham and Dover Railway Companies Act was passed, which resulted in the formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR). This was not a true merger since each company kept its individual board of directors within the organisation. The quality of service of the SE&CR and the level
11908864
SECR L class


The SECR L class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotive built for express passenger service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Although designed by Harry Wainwright, they were built during the Maunsell era. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) was an amalgamation of two competing companies, the South Eastern Railway (SER) and the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) which took place in 1899. One of the first tasks of Harry Wainwright, the new Chief Mechanical Engineer was to introduce
14416408
South Eastern main line


The South Eastern main line is a major long-distance railway route in South East England, UK, one of the two main routes crossing the county of Kent, going via Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Ashford and Folkestone to Dover. The other route is the Chatham main line which runs along the north Kent coast to Ramsgate and Dover via Chatham. The line was built by the South Eastern Railway (SER), which was in competition with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), hence the duplication of routes
11435274
Rochester Common railway station


Rochester Common was a station on the Chatham Extension from Strood serving the town of Rochester. The station was opened by the South Eastern Railway which merged with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899. After the merger the SE & CR deemed that the Chatham Extension was an unnecessary duplication of the line and stations that it inherited from the LC & DR, and therefore the Extension and its stations, including Rochester Central (as it was then named), was closed in 1911
12974392
Clock House railway station


south end of the station. The Elmers End – Hayes section was built by the West Wickham & Hayes Railway, but was sold to the South Eastern Railway on opening day, 29 May 1882. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and its bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and Clock House became an SECR station. Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act), Clock House became a Southern Railway station
3770028
London, Chatham and Dover Railway


and South Western Railway (LSWR) were joined to form the Southern Railway. Both the South Eastern and London, Chatham and Dover Railway companies' locomotives were painted black each with their own style of lining but, when taken over by the South Eastern and Chatham Railways Managing Committee (SE&CR), dark green was adopted with an elaborate lining scheme. After some trials with a hybrid colour scheme (SER maroon on the upper parts and LC&DR teak on the lower), the SE&CR adopted the dark maroon/lake livery for
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Southern Railway (UK)


in 1948, becoming the Southern Region of British Railways. Four important railway companies operated along the south coast of England prior to 1923 – the London & South Western Railway (LSWR), the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR), and the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway. (The last two had formed a working union known as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) in 1899.) These companies were amalgamated, together with several small independently operated lines and non-
2056650
Maidstone line


The Maidstone line is a railway line in Kent, England. It diverges from the Chatham main line at Swanley Junction and proceeds down the Darenth valley to Otford junction (where the Bat & Ball line divides towards ). It continues via Borough Green & Wrotham and Maidstone East to Ashford, where it joins the South Eastern Main Line. The line was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway from their first line (the Chatham main line). Upon the creation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway the original Ashford
15196602
Elmers End station


just south of the station on a tight 13 chain curve. It was sold to the South Eastern Railway in 1881 and opened on 29 May 1882. Initially 13 services each way were operated between Elmers End and Hayes with central London passengers having to change trains. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and its bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and Elmers End became an SECR station. Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as
4064405
SER O class


The South Eastern Railway (SER) O Class (some of which were later rebuilt, becoming the O1 Class) was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) for a number of years. However, they were displaced by the more powerful C class locomotives following the amalgamation of the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) in 1899. This relegated
16940325
South Eastern Railway (England)


country route from in Surrey to Reading, Berkshire. Much of the company's early history saw attempts at expansion and feuding with its neighbours; the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) in the west and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) to the north-east. However, in 1899 the SER agreed with the LCDR to share operation of the two railways, work them as a single system (marketed as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway) and pool receipts: but it was not a
11908806
Chatham main line


2018. The line was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, who were in competition with the South Eastern Railway (hence the duplication of stations in Kent). They subsequently built lines to Sevenoaks and Ashford (via Maidstone) from the Chatham main line. The line was electrified (750 V DC third rail) in a series of stages. Initially the new Southern Railway electrified the urban (within London) workings of the SECR in the 1920s. In July 1925 "South Eastern Electrification (Stage 1)
16428445
Bexhill West branch line


town had been served by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway since the opening of on 27 June 1846. In 1896, a line was promoted by the Crowhurst, Sidley and Bexhill Railway, which was nominally independent. The scheme was supported by the South Eastern Railway, which entered into an operating arrangement with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway which came into effect on 1 January 1899, forming the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The Crowhurst, Sidley & Bexhill Railway Company was incorporated in 1897, and permission was
8144601
London, Chatham and Dover Railway


August 1899 the "South Eastern and London, Chatham and Dover Railway Companies" Act was passed, which resulted in the formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR). This was not a true merger since each company kept its individual board of directors within the organisation. The rolling stock and steamboats of the two companies were thereafter worked as one concern. Some rationalisation of competing stations occurred but it was not fully resolved. Between 1902 and 1904, connections were built to allow LCDR trains through running on ex-
9383376
Birchington-on-Sea railway station


The station was opened on 5 October 1863 by the Kent Coast Railway (KCR). The KCR was operated by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), which absorbed the KCR on 1 July 1871, and the station was renamed "Birchington-on-Sea" by the LCDR in October 1878. From the start of 1899, the LCDR's services were operated by the newly formed South Eastern and Chatham Railway, which the LCDR co-owned with the South Eastern Railway (SER). At the
18820643
Hayes railway station


London trains. The initial layout at Hayes consisted of a single platform with a locomotive turntable at the far end. A goods yard was provided on the south side of the station and a 33-lever signal box was provided. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and Hayes became a SE&CR station. By 1912 services had increased to 15 each way but only two of these actually operated through to London the rest
18561803
Mid-Kent line


opened in June 1890. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and its bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and thus the stations became an SECR stations. The original Lower Sydenham station was closed and moved half a mile south in 1906 in an attempt to develop a new area for housing. On 14 June 1913 members of the Suffragettes movement planted a bomb which was discovered in the ladies waiting room at Eden Park railway station. The
9319059
Cavell Van


The Cavell Van is the prototype Parcels and Miscellaneous Van (US: boxcar) built by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1919. It is so named because it was the van which carried the body of Edith Cavell when it was repatriated to the United Kingdom following the end of the First World War. The van also carried the bodies of Charles Fryatt and The Unknown Warrior. It served with the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, the Southern Railway and British Railways before entering into preservation at the Kent and East Sussex Railway
8875699
Lewisham station


in the Lewisham rail crash (1857) when a train ran into the back of a stationary train. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act), Lewisham became a Southern Railway station on 1 January 1923. The Mid-Kent line was electrified with services commencing on 28 February 1926. The North Kent Line was electrified with the (
8207926
List of railway stations in Dover


Dover, Kent has had numerous railway stations due to the legacy of competition between the South Eastern Railway (SER) and London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) and the subsequent rationalisation attempts by their successors; South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), Southern Railway and British Rail Southern Region. Opened on 22 July 1861 as "Dover Town (Priory)" by the LCDR, Dover Priory railway station became a through station on 1 November the same year, upon completion of a tunnel though the Western Heights connecting
13080264
Dumpton Park railway station


main line and the nearby Tunnel Railway. Following the railway grouping of 1923, both the South Eastern Railway and the London, Chatham & Dover Railway became a part of the newly-formed Southern Railway, which looked at the duplication of lines and stations at Ramsgate and Margate. The company decided to link the two lines at Ramsgate to allow through running between them. That scheme had been proposed by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway before World War I, but work did not commence until 1925. That resulted in the closure
18877649
London, Chatham and Dover Railway


in a difficult financial situation and went bankrupt in 1867, but was able to continue to operate. Many of the difficulties were caused by the severe competition and duplication of services with the South Eastern Railway (SER). However, in 1898 the LCDR agreed with the SER to share the operation of the two railways, work them as a single system (as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway) and pool receipts: but it was not a full amalgamation. The SER and LCDR remained separate companies with separate shareholders until both
9383355
Aylesford railway station


Aylesford railway station is on the Medway Valley Line in Kent, England, serving the village of Aylesford. It is down the line from London Charing Cross via and is situated between and . The station opened on 18 June 1856. The station and all trains that call are operated by Southeastern. Aylesford was opened by the South Eastern Railway, which merged with local rival London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) on 1 January 1899 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). The station became part of
19554465
New Beckenham railway station


terminating at Liverpool Street. The South Eastern Railway and its bitter rival the London, Chatham and Dover Railway agreed in 1898 to work as one railway company, under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, and New Beckenham became an SECR station. The station was rebuilt in 1904. At this time a middle road was laid, level crossings were replaced by road bridges, and a tiled subway and a new 50-lever signal box were provided. At this time there were, as well as through workings, services that
2270988
Eden Park railway station


his land. A signal box was provided at the Hayes end of the station . Initially the line was of questionable commercial value as the area was largely rural although it was an attractive location for Londoners wishing to escape to the countryside. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and thus Eden Park became a SE&CR station. The signal box was closed in 1899. By 1912 services had increased to 15 each
3770069
Catford Bridge railway station


Street station. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and its bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and Catford Bridge became an SECR station. Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act), Catford Bridge became a Southern Railway station on 1 January 1923. The Mid-Kent line was electrified with the (750 V DC) third rail system and electric services commenced on 28 February 1926. Early electric services were
7073019
Fawkham Junction


Fawkham Junction is a railway junction that currently connects High Speed 1 with the Kent Rail Network. Originally, the Junction was part of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway's line to Gravesend West (Gravesend which was already served by the South Eastern Railway's North Kent Line). The intermediate stations were: Longfield Halt, Southfleet, Rosherville Halt and Gravesend West. With the amalgamation of the two competing rail companies into the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899, the future of the line was at risk. Passenger services
21688948
Reading Southern railway station


day to (then known as Reigate Junction), two of which continued to ; a through service to London Bridge began in 1852, and in 1853, two more were added. In 1899 the South Eastern Railway handed over its operations to a new organisation co-owned with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), which traded as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR); the line and station continued to be owned and maintained by the SER. In 1923, the LSWR and SER amalgamated,
3302514
Ladywell railway station


. Almost all services from the station have terminated at Charing Cross or Cannon Street stations but between 1880 and 1884 a service worked between Croydon (Addiscombe Road) calling all stations to New Cross and then via a connection to the East London Line and terminating at Liverpool Street station. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and its bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and Ladywell became an SECR station. Following the Railways Act 1921 (also
2032542
Kent and East Sussex Railway


on the first train from Rolvenden to Tenterden, along with Sir Myles Fenton, Holman F Stephens, and other dignitaries. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway, seeking to relieve themselves from building the Tenterden Railway, entered into an agreement with the Rother Valley Railway for the latter to build and operate the line from Tenterden to Headcorn. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway agreed to make up any operating losses in exchange for an option to purchase the line at any time within the next 21 years from the date of opening. The
4223172
Appledore railway station (Kent)


in the very early 1990s leaving no ticketing facilities. In 2016 Southern installed a new self-service ticket machine. The office buildings on the Ashford-bound platform are unused. Trains serving the station are Southern diesel Class 171 Turbostars, used on the non-electrified Ashford-Rye-Hastings (Marshlink) route. A rail track engineering company occupies the yard just south of the station. Opened by the South Eastern Railway, which then merged with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway to form the South Eastern and Chatham
20092592
Spa Road railway station


Spa Road Station"). When the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was formed in 1899 from the South Eastern Railway and its bitter competitor, the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, the station was given another makeover. The current appearance of the station frontage dates from 1900. On 15 March 1915, the station was closed, along with Southwark Park and Deptford stations, as a wartime economy measure. Only Deptford was subsequently reopened. Spa Road continued to be used by railwaymen until September 1925, when it ceased to be
10933731
West Wickham railway station


Hotel was opened in 1882. In 1898 the South Eastern Railway and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway and thus West Wickham became a SE&CR station. By 1912 services had increased to 15 each way but only two of these actually operated through to London the rest terminating at Elmers End. In 1909 however the 8:37 a.m. Hayes - Charing Cross service was formed of Continental boat train stock where on arrival it was used to work the 10:00 a.m.
3770082
Harry Wainwright


period. Wainwright was born at Worcester on 16 November 1864, the third son of William Wainwright. In 1896, he was appointed Carriage & Wagon Superintendent of the South Eastern Railway (SER), in succession to his father. On 1 January 1899, the SER entered into a working union with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR); their respective Locomotive Superintendents, James Stirling and William Kirtley, both retired, and the newly formed South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) decided to combine the locomotive,
10762167
London, Chatham and Dover Railway


The London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) was a railway company in south-eastern England created on 1 August 1859, when the East Kent Railway was given Parliamentary approval to change its name. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London commuter network. The company existed until 31 December 1922 when its assets were merged with those of other companies to form the Southern Railway as a result of the grouping determined by the Railways Act 1921. The railway was always
9383354
Bickley railway station


), on the Chatham Main Line, firstly from the west (London-bound) from Bromley on 5 July 1858; and then, on 3 December 1860, the line from the east, completing the link between Victoria and , and later, in 1861, to Dover and . In 1860 the station was renamed Bickley. To the east of the station are what are known as the Bickley Loops which connect the Chatham Main Line with the South Eastern Main Line (formerly of the South Eastern Railway, constructed in 1902
3831569
St Johns railway station


and the London Chatham and Dover Railway agreed to work as one railway company under the name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. In 1906 an additional two lines were added south of St Johns towards Hither Green with a new junction located immediately south of the station. In addition to the existing signal box which was located on the north end of the platform s second box was provided between the North Kent lines and main lines close to the new junction. Following the Railways Act 1921 (also known as the Grouping Act)
19492200
Strood


to run a line from Faversham to Chatham, and intended to connect with the South Eastern Railway at Strood. When negotiations failed, the East Kent, now called the London Chatham and Dover (LCDR), linked with the Mid Kent Co. at Bromley (see Chatham Main Line). The East Kent Railway built a bridge over the Medway (1853) and taking their line to the North of the Angel, over Gun Lane, and Watling Street then south to Cuxton where it followed the Bush Valley and hence to Sole
11970785
East London line


in April 2010. Phase 2, which links the line to the South London line with a terminus at , opened on 9 December 2012, creating an orbital railway around inner London. The East London Railway was created by the East London Railway Company, a consortium of six railway companies: the Great Eastern Railway (GER), the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR), the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), the South Eastern Railway (SER), the Metropolitan Railway, and the
9108329
Hither Green marshalling yard


Hither Green marshalling yard, is a large railway marshalling yard designed for the concentration of freight traffic to and from South East London, and for transfer to other yards in London. It is situated on the north side of the South Eastern Main Line between Hither Green and Grove Park stations. The facility was conceived and built by the South Eastern Railway after 1895, but by the time it opened in 1899 this railway had become part of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Freight traffic was considered to be of minor importance for
3260643
SECR J class


The SECR J class was a class of 0-6-4T steam tank locomotive built for heavy freight service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, by Harry Wainwright. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) had a need for versatile mixed traffic locomotives which could accelerate quickly so as not to impede the heavy passenger traffic on the densely used lines around London. Following the success of his C class 0-6-0 and his H class 0-4-4T Harry Wainwright sought to combine their
4721320
Canterbury East railway station


Canterbury East railway station is on the Dover branch of the Chatham Main Line in England, and is one of two stations serving the city of Canterbury, Kent. The station is down the line from (measured via Herne Hill) and is situated between and . All serving trains are operated by Southeastern. The station and its line were built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, while Canterbury West station was built by the South Eastern Railway. Although called Canterbury East, the station is about due south of Canterbury West
17068719
Westerham railway station


) the "pull" of London which meant that the emphasis was on radial routes from the capital. However, in 1881 the Westerham Valley Railway Company built the Westerham Valley Branch Line from the South Eastern Main Line at Dunton Green to Westerham with one intermediate station at Brasted. The branch was built as single track with provision for double track as an ambitious extension to Oxted was envisaged. The South Eastern Railway took over the company soon after construction, itself becoming part of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899. The
19676599
South Eastern Railway (England)


opportunity to build an improved route to Dartford from Hither Green via Sidcup. This opened 1 September 1866. In 1865 the SER joined a consortium of six railways to form the East London Railway, which used the existing Thames Tunnel to connect Wapping on the north bank of the Thames with Rotherhithe on the south. The other partners were: the Great Eastern Railway (GER), the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR), the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), the Metropolitan Railway, and
11908846
Wandsworth Road railway station


between Victoria and London Bridge via Denmark Hill). On 3 April 1916, the three 1866 platforms were closed, as the South Eastern & Chatham railway withdrew its service, leaving only the original two 1863 platforms, which were still served by the LBSCR. These platforms closed on 19 May 1926. The LBSCR platforms reopened on 20 September 1926. The former South Eastern & Chatham platforms which closed in 1916 were demolished in the late 1920s. Therefore, the current two platforms served by London Overground are the original platforms of 1863
1797983
Medway


to Gravesend, the A226 joins. In Strood the High Street is bypassed by the one-way system to the north and south encircling the High Street. The A2 crosses the Medway via two bridges in a dual carriageway (see Rochester Bridge). One bridge is Victorian and in the position of the original Roman bridge. The second bridge is more recent and build upon the piers of the original London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) main line railway bridge (the Chatham Main Line uses the South Eastern Railways (
4057321
Peto and Betts


on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, Peto and Betts joined in partnership with Thomas Crampton, the LCDR engineer. Between 1846 and 1855 the partnership carried out many large railway contracts both at home and abroad, including the South Eastern Line. Either on their own account, or in partnership with Thomas Crampton, they carried out most of the construction of the London, Chatham and Dover lines. Other railways were built by the Partnership in Denmark, Russia, Algeria, South America and Australia. In the late 1850s the
7029620
Hither Green marshalling yard


yard nearby. This location gave excellent access to the South Eastern Main Line and also had a connection with the Dartford Loop Line. It provided easy links to the neighbouring London Brighton and South Coast Railway, and the Great Eastern, Great Northern, and Midland Railways via East London Line. The new facility opened in 1899 after the formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The yard passed in to Southern Railway (SR) ownership in 1923 and fulfilled an important part in its plans for the re-organisation of freight
3260645
Maze Hill railway station


, completing a through line from the original London and Greenwich Railway to the North Kent Line. In 1899 the SER handed over its operations to a new organisation co-owned with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), which traded as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR); the line and station continued to be owned and maintained by the SER. In the 1923 Grouping, the SER and LCDR amalgamated with other railways to form the Southern Railway (SR). Three years later in 1926 the
18764921
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway


On its eastern side the LB&SCR was bounded by the South Eastern Railway (SER)—later one component of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR)—which provided an alternative route to Bexhill, St Leonards-on-Sea, and Hastings. The LB&SCR had the most direct routes from London to the south coast seaside resorts of Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, and to the ports of Newhaven and Shoreham-by-Sea. It served the inland towns/cities of Chichester, Horsham, East Grinstead and Lewes,
21046510
Lydd Town railway station


be worked and maintained by the South Eastern Railway, whose chairman, Edward Watkin, was the father of Alfred Mellor Watkin, chairman of the LRC. On 24 July, the company was authorised to extend the line by building a branch from Lydd to New Romney which opened on 19 June 1884. The LRC was taken into the South Eastern in January 1895, itself becoming part of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway four years later. Lydd, situated from Appledore, was the principal station on the line, with a considerable
10799686
Brasted railway station


Brasted is a disused intermediate railway station in Brasted, Kent on the closed Westerham Valley branch line. The station closed in 1961 and the site is covered by the carriageway of the M25 motorway that was constructed along the route of the disused railway. The station was built by the Westerham Valley Railway (WVR) opened on 3 July 1881. The WVR was taken over by the South Eastern Railway in August 1881 which became the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899. Operations passed to the Southern Railway upon the railway grouping in
16646480
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway


Parliament on the proposed merger. The LB&SCR continued as an independent railway but the SER and LCDR eventually formed a working relationship in 1899 with the formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. One new line to which the LB&SCR was committed was the East London Railway, a consortium of six railway companies: the Great Eastern Railway (GER); the LB&SCR; the LC&DR; the SER; the Metropolitan Railway; and the District Railway. It sought to re-use the Thames Tunnel, built by Marc and Isambard Kingdom
21046547
William Kirtley


William Kirtley (1840 – 7 October 1919) was an English railway engineer, and was the Locomotive Superintendent of the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) in England from 1874 until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway at the end of 1898. William was born in Warrington in 1840, the son of the locomotive engineer Thomas Kirtley (1810–1847). He was educated by his uncle Matthew Kirtley, Locomotive Superintendent of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and later of the Midland Railway, following his father's
20257739
Rochester Bridge


the LCDR's local rival, built a branch line from its nearby railway line at across the Medway to its own Rochester station, , opened on 20 July 1891, and its own Chatham station, , opened 1 March 1892, for which it built the massive second railway bridge over the Medway. The two rivals merged under a Joint Managing Committee in 1899 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, and subsequent rationalisation saw the SER's Chatham Central branch closed on 1 October 1911, three years before World War I. In
4381549
Southern Railway (UK)


The Southern Railway (SR), sometimes shortened to 'Southern', was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent. The railway was formed by the amalgamation of several smaller railway companies, the largest of which were the London & South Western Railway (LSWR), the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSC) and the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). The construction of what was to become
2056646
Bexhill West branch line


branch declined. The line diverged from the Hastings Line at a point south of Crowhurst and headed in a generally southerly direction. After crossing the Combe Haven Viaduct, the line swung to the south west. station was reached at . The line then continued in a south westerly direction, which became southerly on the approach to , from Crowhurst. The line was double track throughout. The line was operated from the outset by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The South Eastern Railway absorbed the Crowhurst, Sidley and Bexhill Railway Company
8144604
Kent


Kent Railway in 1858, it linked the northeast Kent coast with London terminals at Victoria and Blackfriars. The two companies merged in 1899, forming the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), further amalgamated with other railways by the Railways Act 1921 to form the Southern Railway. Britain's railways were nationalised in 1948, forming British Railways (shortened to British Rail in the mid-1960s). The railways were privatised in 1996 and most Kent passenger services were franchised to Connex South Eastern. Following financial difficulties, Connex lost the franchise
16892385
Abbey Wood railway station


there are bus connections from the station to Thamesmead). Opened by the South Eastern Railway on 30 July 1849, the operations of which were handed over to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899, it became part of the Southern Railway during the grouping of 1923. The line then passed on to the Southern Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. When BR was divided into sectors in the 1980s the station was served by Network SouthEast until the privatisation of British Railways. During the 1860s William Morris famously used a
1481534
Westerham Valley branch line


In 1899, SER merged with its bitter rival, the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). In 1923, the Westerham Valley branch, together with its operators the SECR, became part of the Southern Railway at the grouping. The Southern Railway was nationalised in 1948 and became the Southern Region of British Railways. The line began to suffer competition with buses, notably the 403 route which ran from Croydon via Sanderstead, Chelsham and Westerham to Sevenoaks, and
6289205
Reculver


Canterbury and Herne Bay. The Canterbury and Kent Coast Railway Bill was presented to a select committee of MPs in January 1885: the London, Chatham and Dover Railway objected to it, particularly the junction with their main line at Reculver, so the Bill was rejected and the line was not built. Rudimentary houses were erected by the East Kent Railway company on nearby marshland in 1858 for the navvies who constructed the line through the area; these had been taken over by enginemen of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway by October 1904
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Strood railway station


when the first section of the Rochester & Chatham Extension was opened, by which SER trains reached their own stations at Rochester and, from 1 March 1892, Chatham. This line was to the north-east of, and largely ran parallel to, the LCDR line; it had its own bridge over the Medway. On 1 January 1899 the SER and LCDR entered into a working union which traded as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR) and set about eliminating duplicated facilities. In 1911, a connecting line was
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Tunnel Railway


Additionally, by the 1920s the population of Ramsgate had almost doubled since the station had opened, making the freight facilities inadequate, with no room for expansion. Following the railway grouping of 1923, both the South Eastern Railway and the London, Chatham & Dover Railway became part of the newly formed Southern Railway, which decided to address the duplication of lines and stations at Ramsgate and Margate. It decided to link the two lines at Ramsgate to allow through running between them. This scheme had been proposed by the South Eastern and
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Caterham railway station


Caterham railway station serves the town of Caterham in the Tandridge district of Surrey. The station is located at the southern terminus of the Caterham Line, which branches from the Brighton Main Line at Purley. It is from , the London headquarters of the former South Eastern Railway which took the branch over in 1859, three years after its completion. The town's first station was originally opened on 5 August 1856 by the Caterham Railway. It was closed on 1 January 1900 by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, which opened a
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Strood


been removed. In 1844 A single line railway was laid through the tunnel, part on the towpath and part on a timber structure over the canal. The canal was sold in 1845 to the South Eastern Railway (SER), who filled in the canal within the tunnel and laid a double track (see North Kent Line). The South Eastern Railway terminated at Strood, with passengers taking a steamer or coaches to reach Rochester or Chatham. The station, completed 10 February 1856, was opposite The Railway Tavern. More
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Ashford railway works


an adjacent site in 1850. On 1 January 1899, the railway entered into a working union with the London Chatham and Dover Railway, forming the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). Each antecedent company had its own locomotive works, but Ashford was larger than Longhedge works and so became the principal locomotive works for the new organisation. The latter facility was gradually run down and converted into a subsidiary works. The N class 2-6-0 locomotive was first constructed at Ashford in 1917, using a design by
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LCDR T class


The LCDR T class was a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotives of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway. The class was designed by William Kirtley and introduced in 1879. Source: semgonline The locomotives passed to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899. All 10 (SECR nos. 600-609) survived into Southern Railway ownership in 1923. Three survived into British Railways (BR) ownership in 1948. They had all been withdrawn by 1951. Seven locomotives had been withdrawn by 1948. The
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Sheerness line


from the original station, which was renamed Sheerness Dockyard. At this time, all trains had to run first to the Dockyard station, then reverse (after the engine had changed ends) to Sheerness-on-Sea, and vice versa for the return journey. The original line was built by the independent Sittingbourne and Sheerness Railway company, and taken over by the London, Chatham & Dover Railway (LC&DR) in 1876. After 1899, it was run by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway, formed by the working
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South Eastern and Chatham Railway


benefits of joint working. A significant step was the construction of a junction in 1902-4 between the SER and LC&DR main lines where they crossed near Bickley and St Mary Cray, east of Bromley; the LC&DR's line via Maidstone to Ashford was connected to the SER station at Ashford; and the SER branch from Strood to Chatham alongside the LC&DR's main line to Chatham was closed prior to World War I. The overlapping networks on the Isle of Thanet (Margate-Broadstairs-Ramsgate) were rationalised by the Southern Railway
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Canterbury West railway station


Canterbury West railway station is the busier of the two stations in Canterbury in Kent, England. All services are operated by Southeastern with both main line and high speed trains serving the station. Although called Canterbury West, the station is about due north of Canterbury East station, and only about to its west. The station and its line was built by the South Eastern Railway, while Canterbury East was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway. The station opened on 6 February 1846 when the South Eastern Railway began services
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Charing Cross railway station


1887, Hungerford Bridge was widened to in order to provide three more tracks into the station. On 1 January 1899, the SER merged with the London, Chatham and Dover Railway to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), which took over operations at Charing Cross. Contemporary with the Charing Cross Hotel was a replica of the Eleanor Cross in Red Mansfield stone, also designed by Edward Middleton Barry, that was erected in the station forecourt. It was based on the original Whitehall Cross built in 1291, that
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Eustace Missenden


Sir Eustace James Missenden (3 March 1886 – 30 January 1973) was a British railwayman, successively the last General Manager of the Southern Railway and the first Chairman of the Railway Executive. Eustace James Missenden was born in London, the son of a South Eastern and Chatham Railway station master. He left school at an early age, which according to Bonavia gave him a chip on his shoulder. In May 1899, Missenden started work as a junior clerk with the South Eastern Railway, at the small station at Bishopsbourne,
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British steam railcars


still running when the railways were nationalised in 1948. In June 1904 the South Eastern & Chatham Railway ordered two articulated steam railcars from Kitson and Company for the Sheppey Light Railway and the Strood - Chatham services, seating 56 in third class. They were delivered in February 1905. Initial cost savings, prompted the order of six further units, delivered between March and May 1906, for use on a range of lightly used services, including the Hundred of Hoo Railway, the Dover - Sandgate services. Subsequent experience found that they
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Elham Valley Railway


South Eastern had to site its Canterbury South station much further south. Canterbury was reached in 1890 where it joined the Ashford - Ramsgate line at Harbledown Junction. When the two railway companies SER and LCDR merged in 1899 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), there were livery changes at the stations. Railmotors were introduced in 1913 although these struggled to cope with the steep climb up from Cheriton junction through Etchinghill tunnel and onto Lyminge. During World War I the line was taken over by the army, with
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Robert Seppings


the whole of the keel, the vessel remaining suspended by the shores. Soon, his creation became commonly known as "Seppings Blocks." For this invention Seppings received £1000 from the Admiralty, and in 1804 was promoted to be a master shipwright at Chatham. At Chatham, in spite of the repugnance to innovation displayed by the naval authorities of that period, he was able to introduce important innovations in the methods of ship-construction. Quoted as saying "partial strength produces general weakness", he significantly improved the
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LCDR Brigand class


the numbers 1 and 2. In 1884, no. 2 was rebuilt with a new boiler; no. 1 was similarly treated in 1890. They passed to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) at the start of 1899, and their numbers were increased by 459 to avoid duplication with former South Eastern Railway locomotives. Both were withdrawn from service in May 1903. Before joining the LCDR, Martley had worked for the Great Western Railway (GWR); and the names for these two locomotives were taken from the
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Hawkhurst branch line


The Hawkhurst branch line was a short railway line in Kent that connected Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Horsmonden with the town of Paddock Wood and the South Eastern and Medway Valley lines, a distance of . The line was promoted by the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway (C&PWR), which was incorporated in 1877, but took until 1892 to open the first section of the line to Hope Mill. Services were worked by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). The line was extended to Hawkhurst in 1893. In
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SR Maunsell carriage


The Southern Railway Maunsell carriage was the first design family of railway carriages built by Southern Railway (SR) in the United Kingdom. Following grouping in 1923, SR had continued to build carriages to the designs of the previous three main companies (the London and South Western Railway, London Brighton and South Coast Railway and South Eastern and Chatham Railway railways), and the Maunsell carriage was intended to be the standard carriage design for use across the Southern Railway lines, incorporating the best features of each of the former companies' designs
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Whitstable


bought by the South Eastern Railway, who introduced steam locomotives capable of operating along the entire length of the railway. A direct rail route from Whitstable to London was established in 1860 when the London, Chatham and Dover Railway opened a station on what is now the Chatham Main Line. On 16 November 1869, 71 buildings in the town were destroyed by a fire which started at a shop near the harbour. In about 1856 the first branch of the Sea Cadet Corps, then known as the Naval Lads' Brigade, was
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Dover


, travelling west and east, are the A20 to Folkestone and thence the M20 to London, and the A258 through Deal to Sandwich. The railway reached Dover from two directions: the South Eastern Railway's main line connected with Folkestone in 1844, and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway opened its line from Canterbury in 1861. Southeastern trains run from Dover Priory to London Charing Cross, London Victoria or London St Pancras International stations in London, and Ramsgate or Sandwich in Kent. The Chatham Main Line into Priory was electrified
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Chislehurst Junction


Chislehurst Junction is an important railway junction near Chislehurst in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is the point where the South Eastern Main Line and the Chatham Main Line pass over each other, with diversion chords between each line. These are arranged such that a London-bound train on one line can transfer to the other, and likewise for services heading away from the capital. The railways previously passed over each other without a junction, until the merger of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) and
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Rochester Bridge


It was designed and built by Joseph Cubitt, and had four spans, one of which could be opened to allow masted ships through, although this was later found to be unnecessary and so was fixed shut. The bridge was built of iron girders supported on masonry piers, 600 feet in length and weighing 700 tons. The East Kent Railway became the London Chatham and Dover Railway 1 August 1859 and in 1861 the bridge became a part of the newly completed Chatham Main Line from London to Dover. The South Eastern Railway,
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Ilfracombe branch line


a second bore for the Slade tunnel. The Southern Railway era started with the Railways Act 1921 and the grouping of the railways. This took effect on 1 January 1923, when the LSWR was absorbed into the new Southern Railway along with its southerly neighbour, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The GWR formed a group of its own (combining with a large number of smaller lines). Competition to the south, to Portsmouth and Epsom ceased, but critically, competition in
19177740
Ouse Valley Railway


The Ouse Valley Railway was to have been part of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR). It was authorised by an Act of Parliament and construction of the long line was begun, but not completed. It never opened to traffic. In the 1860s, the South Eastern Railway and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway were proposing to build railways to Brighton and Eastbourne. To counter this threat, the LBSCR proposed to build a long railway linking Haywards Heath, Uckfield, and Hailsham. It accepted that
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Southwark Park railway station


Southwark Park was a railway station in Bermondsey, south-east London, on the Greenwich Line between and . It was opened by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway on 1 October 1902, on approximately the same site as the then long-closed Commercial Dock railway station. It was close to the southern end of Southwark Park, from which it took its name. South Bermondsey railway station, on the South London Line, is nearby. The station was constructed on a section of extra wide arches running from west of Rotherhithe
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SECR H class


The South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) H Class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive originally designed for suburban passenger work, designed by Harry Wainwright in 1904. Most of the sixty-six members of the class were later equipped for push-pull working for use on rural branch lines. The two constituent railways of the SECR had both relied on 0-4-4T locomotives for London suburban, and semi-fast train services. The South Eastern Railway (SER) Q class
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Upper Sydenham railway station


Palace, sitting in the wooded area at the top of Sydenham Hill, overlooking Dulwich and Sydenham. The station and the line was poorly used despite new houses being built in the area as passengers preferred to use other stations near-by (Sydenham Hill, Crystal Palace (Lower Level) and Sydenham) which were on more direct routes. The line was one of the first of the former South Eastern and Chatham Railway to be electrified by Southern Railway, under "South Eastern Electrification - Stage 1" in July 1925.
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Cheriton Halt railway station


Cheriton Halt is a disused railway station on the South Eastern Main Line which served the village of Cheriton on the outskirts of Folkestone in Kent, England. The station opened in 1908 and closed in 1947. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway opened a new halt at the growing village of Cheriton on 1 May 1908, away from Shorncliffe later Folkestone West. The station, comprising two wooden platforms, was perched on the embankment just to the east of the underbridge on the B2063 Risborough Lane. Each platform was equipped with basic facilities
3076385
Medway Valley line


the Medway Valley was opened, to join the North Kent Line at Strood (which had opened in 1847). The extension was built by the railway contractor Edward Betts, who lived locally at Preston Hall and through whose estate the line partially passed. Betts arranged for his local station at Aylesford to be built in a much grander style than the other country stations along the line. The SER merged with local rival London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) on 1 January 1899 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
12548388
London Bridge station


the main line into central London and the opening of Charing Cross railway station, and in 1866 to Cannon Street station. In 1899 the SER entered into a working amalgamation with the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LC&DR) to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee. Junctions were laid to enable trains through London Bridge to reach the LC&DR stations at Holborn Viaduct and St Pauls. The LB&SCR took over the unfinished joint station, which they demolished in 1849 and opened a temporary station in 1850. This was
689085
SR L1 class


The Southern Railway L1 class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotives built for express passenger service on the South Eastern Main Line of the Southern Railway. They were designed by Richard Maunsell as a development of Harry Wainwright's L class. Harry Wainwright had built two useful and attractive 4-4-0 classes for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway between 1902 and 1908; the D class and the E class, and had completed designs for a larger L class at the time of his retirement at the
1464159
SER Q class


The SER Q class was a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotives of the South Eastern Railway. The class was designed by James Stirling and introduced in 1881. These locomotives should not be confused with the later SR Q class 0-6-0. The locomotives passed to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899 and 55 were rebuilt by Harry Wainwright to class Q1 between 1903 and 1919. Thirty-two unrebuilt locomotives survived into Southern Railway ownership on 1 January 1923 with random numbers between 6 and 424
16975727
Crystal Palace (High Level) railway station


the former South Eastern and Chatham Railway to be electrified by Southern Railway, under "South Eastern Electrification – Stage 1" in July 1925. After the Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire in 1936, traffic on the branch declined. During World War II the line was temporarily closed after bomb damage. Although temporary repairs were made and the line subsequently reopened the decline in traffic and a requirement for heavy reconstruction work led to the decision to close the station and branch on 20 September 1954, although it was not demolished until 1961
7762497
York engine sheds and locomotive works


GNR – Great Northern Railway LNER – London North Eastern Railway NER – North Eastern Railway SECR – South Eastern and Chatham Railway (became Southern Railway in 1923) By 1964 there were a number of diesel locomotives as well as steam locomotives. Four years later the steam locomotives had been withdrawn. Note that almost all the small tank engines such as the J77 class have been replaced by diesel shunters of class 03,04 and class 08. 42 years after the first survey, York still had an allocation of NER locomotives – 2 x J27
1146979
Central London Railway


The CLR route was then to turn south-east beneath Leicester Square to a station at Charing Cross and then north-east under Strand to Norfolk Street to interchange with the planned terminus of the Great Northern & Strand Railway. The route was then to continue east under Fleet Street to Ludgate Circus for an interchange with the South Eastern and Chatham Railway's (SECR's) Ludgate Hill station, then south under New Bridge Street, and east into Queen Victoria Street where a station was planned to connect to the District Railway's
15488440
Southern Railway routes west of Salisbury


Great Britain to combine into four groups—the so-called "big four". This took effect on 1 January 1923, when the LSWR was absorbed into the new Southern Railway along with its southerly neighbour, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The GWR formed a group of its own (combining with a large number of smaller lines). Competition to the south, to Portsmouth and Epsom ceased, but critically, competition in the West with the GWR was unaffected.
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