Dungeness railway station

This article is about the extant light railway station at Dungeness. For the former standard gauge station at this location, see Dungeness railway station (SER).
Dungeness

A train with the station buildings beyond. The platform ends just behind the locomotive.
Location
Place Dungeness
Area Shepway
Grid reference TR088169
Operations
Managed by RHDR
Platforms 1 formal + 1 overflow
History
August 1928 Opened
Stations on heritage railways in the United Kingdom
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Dungeness railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway on Romney Marsh in Kent.

History

The first part of line to Dungeness was opened on 24 May 1928, a year after the line reached New Romney. However, construction was complete only as far as The Pilot Inn, where a turning triangle was installed, so that locomotives could change direction when preparing to return to New Romney or Hythe. Construction work continued towards Dungeness, and the final section of the line (including this station) opened in early August 1928. Operations have continued at this station ever since.

Description

It is one of only a very few stations in England to be situated on a balloon loop, allowing trains to return with the engine pointing forwards without needing to uncouple and reverse the locomotive, or use a turntable.

Facilities at this station included two booking offices (one currently redundant), a shop, an extensive cafeteria and restaurant, toilets, and a waiting shelter. There is a water tower for the benefit of steam locomotives. There is only one formal (concreted) platform, although technically this station has two platforms: in the summer, trains sometimes arrive at and depart from the station's run-round loop even though no platform surface is provided.

The station was temporarily closed in October 2015 for extensive re-building with an expected completion date of Easter 2016. This plan was not fulfilled however as the contractor appointed to undertake the work went into receivership shortly after demolition of the existing buildings was complete. Work was re-commenced by a new contractor shortly before Christmas 2015 and by late January 2016 the foundations were largely complete.[1]

The station re-opened for Easter 2016 using RML2360, a Routemaster from the Arriva London heritage fleet, as a temporary booking office and souvenir shop. This vehicle had previously been rebuilt as an exhibition bus and was ideally suited for the purpose.[2] The re-building work at Dungeness was finished in May 2016.

Photogallery

Preceding station   Heritage railways Following station
Romney Sands   RHDR   Romney Sands
Via Loop

Coordinates: 50°54′52″N 0°58′13″E / 50.9144°N 0.9704°E / 50.9144; 0.9704

References

  1. ↑ Letter to railway shareholders dated 27 January 2016
  2. ↑ http://www.arrivalondon.com/news/arriva-london-s-heritage-fleet-unusual-rail-replacement-bus-service
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