Tonbridge

The first station here was positioned to the east of the present site, on the opposite side of the road bridge (although the latter was not in existence at this time). The layout here was similar to what later emerged at Canterbury (SER): two platform faces were separated by four tracks and linked by a covered footbridge. Each platform line was protected by a pitched-roof, whilst the pair of through tracks remained uncovered. Through running to Dover had commenced on 7th February 1844 and in the following year, the SER received Parliamentary permission for a double-track branch to Tunbridge Wells. This began operation on 20th September 1845, terminating on the outskirts of the town until a permanent station opened on 25th November 1846. The branch eventually provided a shorter route to Hastings over the earlier conceived line opened from Ashford and over the Romney Marsh on 13th February 1851; the line from Tunbridge Wells to the Sussex coast became operational on 1st February 1852. Tunbridge station had become ''Tunbridge Junction'' concurrent with this. After just over two and a half decades, no less than four routes fanned out from the station. In conjunction with the 1868 cut-off line opening, Tonbridge station was rebuilt: four tracks still separated two main platform faces and an ornate, single-storey brick-built station building was perched upon a road bridge at the eastern extremities of the arrangement. Note that the station had shifted sites, now sitting immediately west of its original position. There were yet more station buildings: both ''up'' and ''down'' sides were host to their own single-storey brick-built structures, complete with arched canopies of the ''clover'' valance pattern type, the same of which were installed at nearby Paddock Wood (and still in evidence there today). The main buildings were based along a similar design pattern to those which appeared concurrently at Chislehurst and Ashford, demonstrating the same arched windows and, for SER structures, unusual red brick (the company being better known for its yellow brick structures). Two bay platforms were in evidence at the new layout, both westward-facing, on the ''up'' and ''down'' sides respectively. A three-road engine shed had been built on the eastern side of the aforementioned road bridge, beside the ''up'' line, but this dated from the station's original opening. The SER's last change was to the name board: in 1893, the name ''Tonbridge Junction'' was used.

By 1900 the engine shed had been doubled in size to six roads, complete with turntable, and had been joined by a carriage shed, but the station itself remained largely as described above. The latter changed, however, during the era of the Southern Railway, station rebuilding occurring in 1935. All platform-level structures were demolished, which allowed the ''up'' side bay platform line to be extended eastwards and converted into a loop, thus creating a new island platform. Platforms were widened considerably, totally rebuilt from the SER red brick to prefabricated concrete, and with these came more spacious canopies of the distinctive SR ''W'' design. Modern red-brick waiting rooms were incorporated underneath the canopies, like the examples which later appeared at Swanley. The station building upon the road bridge was cosmetically rebuilt - the shape of the then new structure indicates that at least the original walls and dimensions of the 1868 building were kept. Meanwhile, the station had become just ''Tonbridge'' in 1929.

The actual station changed little when the Kent Coast Electrification on the Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Ashford route came into force in June 1962 (the electric timetable commencing on 18th of that month), the existing structure being under three decades old at the time. The surrounding infrastructure did, however, see significant alterations. Large ''T'' shape semaphore signal gantries which had served the station since the 1935 rebuild were replaced with four-aspect colour lights, and Tonbridge ''A'' and ''B'' signal boxes (which had controlled the Redhill / Sevenoaks line junction and Tunbridge Wells branch respectively) gave way to a new power box. The latter was sandwiched at the apex of the West Yard's sidings and incoming Redhill line, controlling an area spanning to Sevenoaks and Paddock Wood on the main line, in addition to controlling the entrance to the extensive rolling stock yard. The engine shed briefly survived the 1962 electrification, lasting some two years after the ''juice'' was switched on. When the final steam locomotives disappeared from it in June 1964, the building and turntable succumbed, but the area was, for many years, used for stabling diesel locomotives.

Summer 1984

More Hastings DEMU action sees unit No. 1012 leading a London-bound service from its Namesake. Stabled

alongside is Western Region DMU L575/W51088, forming a Tonbridge to Reading service. The platform canopies

were showing signs of recent restoration work. Chris

Summer 1984

A London-bound view in 1984 reveals the rear of a ''Hastings'' formation, awaiting departure to its namesake,

whilst taking the through line is Bulleid 2EPB No. 019, which at that time was in departmental service. Chris

Summer 1984

4 CEP No. 1528 is observed speeding through the arched bridge on the ''up'' through line, forming a fast

service to Charing Cross. Stabled in platform 2 is 4 Vep No. 7767, forming an Ashford to Charing Cross

semi-fast service. Platform 4, just out of view on the left, formerly handled Royal Mail traffic, before the

1995 opening of the dedicated platform at Tonbridge Sorting Centre. Chris
 

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