Gravesend Central
Under the SE&CR,
changes to the station were significant. These were begun on 1st July 1899, with
a name change: Gravesend (SER) became Gravesend Central, and the ex-LC&DR
terminus became Gravesend West Street. During 1904, the SE&CR undertook a number
of modernisations and partial rebuilds of its stations. Notable examples include
Woolwich Arsenal and Charlton, where ‘’high-level’’ entrances, straddling the
tracks, were brought into use. Structural alterations at Gravesend included the
dismantling of the two trainshed roofs and the conversion of the two central
sidings into through running lines. Single-storey yellow-brick extensions were
made on both eastern and western elevations of the main ‘’up’’ side station
building, and standard ornate canopies came into use on both platform surfaces,
these being 230-feet and 145-feet long on the ‘’up’’ and ‘’down’’ sides
respectively. These came complete with triple-vaulted glazed sections over the
building entrances (as per Herne Bay, on the ex-LC&DR Thanet route). A small
porch canopy was also added to the southern façade of the ‘’up’’ building. A
105-foot-long roofed lattice footbridge came into use between the platforms,
being suspended over the tracks upon two pairs of iron struts. An engine
stabling line was created behind the ‘’up’’ platform, to the west of the main
building, which fed a turntable. This was complemented by a 40-foot-long
pitched-roof water tower erected upon the platform surface here, comprising a
yellow-brick base detailed with arched windows. Two short sidings were retained
to the east of the ‘’up’’ side building, but the small wagon turntable and the
wagon shed were both abolished. An array of clapboard huts also began to emerge
on this site. An additional eastward-facing rolling stock stabling siding was
laid to the west of the layout, beyond the road bridge and beside the incoming
‘’down’’ line. To control the revised layout, a second, much larger signal box
was commissioned. This was positioned within an excavation cut into the chalk
beside the aforementioned stabling siding. The signal cabin comprised a solid
brick base, but demonstrated an upper timber half of SER design, complete with
sash-style windows. This cabin became No. 1 Box, and the existing SER cabin to
the east was subsequently designated No. 2 Box.
Southern Railway ownership from 1923 onwards saw a further wave of alterations.
These began with the closure of No. 2 Box at the eastern end of the layout on
24th June 1928, the larger No. 1 cabin assuming its functions. The SR quickly
began electrifying ex-SE&CR suburban lines, and by 1926, third rail had reached
Dartford, limited electric services commencing on 10th May of that year.
Subsequent extension of the electrified network to Gravesend occurred in July
1930, scheduled electric services commencing on 6th of that month. As part of
this scheme, platforms at Gravesend were extended at their western ends using
Exmouth Junction-manufactured prefabricated concrete, and the London end of the
‘’up’’ surface was rebuilt into this material from brick. Concrete bracket
lampposts appeared on the extensions, although the original brick sections of
platforms had earlier acquired the SR’s distinctive swan neck variant.
Naturally, ‘’Target’’ name signs had also appeared at the site. The 1930
electrification also resulted in the abolition of the ‘’up’’ side locomotive
turntable, but the feeding track was retained, and the aforementioned platform
extensions saw a bay for out-of-service Port Victoria trains, created. The
turntable had become surplus to requirements since the Hoo Peninsula branch
services were operated in push-pull fashion, which avoided the need for
locomotives to run round stock, or be rotated. Existing at this time as the end
of the electrified section of route, the berthing siding beside No. 1 Box also
received third rail, allowing the stabling of an electric unit at the site,
without blocking one of the platform lines.
Despite the 1930 electrification, steam-hauled services of course remained
eastwards from Gravesend, down the Medway Valley Line. From 14th May 1932, steam
shuttles also commenced to the SR’s then newly opened terminus at Allhallows-on-Sea,
out on the bleak marshes of the Hoo Peninsula. In conjunction with the
Gillingham electrification on the ‘’Chatham’’ Main Line, third rail was
subsequently extended beyond Gravesend, down to Maidstone West, and also laid
upon the connecting spur between North Kent and ‘’Chatham’’ Lines at Strood. The
extended scheduled suburban electric timetable over these routes commenced on
2nd July 1939. Gravesend Central continued to retain a healthy contingent of
steam activity in the form of goods yard locomotives and those engines which
powered the aforementioned Allhallows and Port Victoria shuttles. It was at the
time of the 1939 scheme that the brick road bridge at the western end of the
layout was rebuilt in concrete.
Changes to Gravesend’s railways were substantial on the advent of British
Railways in 1948. Passenger services along the Gravesend West branch ceased
completely on 3rd August 1953, but nevertheless, the ex-SER station retained its
‘’Central’’ suffix until 14th June 1965. In the meantime, most shuttle services
to the Isle of Grain had been diverted to Allhallows-on-Sea, although a daily
train did exist between Gravesend and the 1951-opened terminus at Grain Oil
Refinery. Platforms were again lengthened with concrete cast components in June
1954, to accommodate ten vehicle EPB formations which were then being introduced
to alleviate overcrowding on peak time trains. It was circa 1955 that the ornate
SE&CR clover-patterned canopy valances were replaced with plain timber variants.
The closure of the Allhallows spur on 3rd December 1961 saw the total withdrawal
of all passenger shuttles from Gravesend, over the Hoo Peninsula, and steam
traction at the site was also eradicated with the closure of the station’s
cramped goods yard on the same date. Cessation of steam saw the removal of the
pitched-roof water tank, but the supporting brick base was retained on site,
this subsequently receiving a flat tarmac-covered roof. The bay line was also
removed, and the track bed in-filled to bring the surface up to platform height.
The signal box was the next casualty, as the North Kent Line was converted from
semaphore signal to colour light operation. Closure of No. 1 Box occurred on
14th March 1971; the adjacent berthing siding was also decommissioned. It was
around this time that the redundant goods shed was demolished, and the former
goods yard site turned over for car parking. A CLASP office also appeared behind
the eastern end of the ‘’down’’ platform. An extensive station refurbishment
began in 1983 produced spruced up brickwork and restored platform canopies,
the latter of which continued to retain their fine glazed vaulted sections.
Within its 2007 Business Plan, Network Rail outlined proposals to redevelop
Gravesend station to provide ‘’improved facilities’’. This appears to include
the addition of platform lifts, although it is unclear as to whether these will
be incorporated into the existing footbridge, or if a completely new structure,
as per Greenhithe, will be built. Hopefully, the splendid SER buildings have a
long future ahead of them.
14th October 1961
A London-bound view from the lattice footbridge reveals a crowded goods yard, coal wagons and British Railways
road vehicles being aplenty - this was just 1˝ years before the withdrawal of goods facilities. Stabled at the London
end of the ''down'' platform is an ''H'' Class 0-4-4T with Maunsell push-pull set No. 616. Of interest in the background
is the lengthy track foot crossing, cutting diagonally over all four lines, in addition to the semaphore signals. The
conductor rails can be seen swapping sides around the water column, on the left. © David Glasspool Collection
1985
A wintry scene in early 1985 provides a clear view over the station layout, as viewed
from the nearby multi-storey car park. 4 EPB No. 5034 is observed stabled in the
''down'' platform, forming the ''62'' Charing Cross to Gillingham service. Today, this
platform is generally used for terminating all-station stopping services. In the foreground
can be seen the prefabricated concrete platform edging, which was added in 1954 and
replaced wooden fencing. The main ''up'' building is still seen in the latter stages of its
refurbishment. Chris
1985
Continuing the snowy scene, Class 56 No. 56119 is seen running on the ''up'' through line with Allington to Westbury
empty hopper wagons. No. 56119 was withdrawn from service during March 2004, and is currently in store at
Healey Mills Yard, in Wakefield. Behind the locomotive, in the middle-distance, is the area formerly occupied by
eastward-facing wagon sidings. Chris
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