Chatham railway station

This article is about the station in Medway, England. For other uses, see Chatham railway station (disambiguation).

Medway Towns

Legend North Kent Line (& High Speed) to London Bridge & St Pancras Chatham Main Line to Victoria & Blackfriars Medway Valley Line to Maidstone Halling Cuxton Strood x20px Rochester Bridge | Strood (1st) Rochester Bridge x20px Rochester Common x20px Rochester(2015–) x20px Rochester(1892–2015) Chatham Central River Medway Chatham Gillingham Rainham Chatham Main Line to Faversham, Dover and Ramsgate

See also: Medway Towns railway map

Chatham railway station is situated in Chatham, Medway, South East England. It is on the Chatham Main Line between Rochester and Gillingham, and is 34.3 miles (54 km) from London Victoria. Train services are provided by Southeastern.

There are two platforms, one for each direction, each capable of handling 12-car trains.

There are tunnels at either end of the station: Fort Pitt Tunnel (428 yards/385m) at the London end and Chatham Tunnel (297 yards/267m) at the other end.

Services

Typical off-peak services are:

• 2tph to London St Pancras via Gravesend and Ebbsfleet International
• 3tph to London Victoria via Bromley South (1tph calling at Denmark Hill)
• 2tph to London Charing Cross via Dartford and Woolwich Arsenal
• 2tph terminating at Gillingham
• 1tph terminating at Faversham
• 2tph to Dover Priory via Canterbury East
• 1tph to Ramsgate via Margate
• 1tph to London St Pancras via Faversham, Margate, Ramsgate, Deal, Dover Priory and Ebbsfleet International

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Rochester		Southeastern North Kent Line		Gillingham
		Southeastern Chatham Main Line
Rochester		Southeastern High Speed 1 London-Broadstairs		Gillingham

History

File:Chatham Station geograph-3083847-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

The station in 1983

This 2007 photo, facing east and showing the Chatham Tunnel and Maidstone Road bridge, clearly illustrates the effect of the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme. Loop platforms existed either side of the mainline platforms, with the London bound loop being situated in the foreground where one of the car parks is currently.

File:British Railways Southern Region station totem for Chatham.jpg

British Railways Southern Region totem sign for Chatham station.

The station was opened on 25 January 1858, when the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) (then known as the East Kent Railway) opened a single line eastwards to Faversham. Two months later (29 March 1858) the link with the North Kent Line at Strood was opened; and the new railway reached Dover Priory in 1861. The Chatham Dockyard branch connection is made near Gillingham.

As built the station had two platforms with the station buildings being on the Down side. A note on the working drawings states that the station had to be visible from Fort Pitt. About 1881 it was rebuilt with two island platforms, and the station buildings were moved onto the road bridge, then known as Rome Place. In 1958 the station was converted back to two platforms as part of the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme, Stage 1. The station had been electrified in 1939 but the 1958 scheme lengthened the platforms to 12 car EMUs, which due to the geography of the station - between two tunnels - necessitated the abandoning of the other platforms.

A modern entrance and booking hall replaced the originals in 1981. Further remodelling in the 1990s and 2000s has seen the ticket office moved twice, accompanied by the opening, closing and re-opening of retail areas. A small shop selling eateries and general corner shop stock was also opened. The building is located at one side of the road bridge (now Railway Street) over the track, with a taxi rank located between the road and the building. Stairs lead down to the platforms: a buffet is located on the London-bound platform.

External links

• Train times and station information for Chatham railway station from National Rail
• Chatham station's page on the KentRail website