Maidstone East
In addition to the aforementioned electrification, the 1960s continued to be an
eventful decade for the station. General goods traffic ceased on 13th September
1965 – as already mentioned, the LMS had relinquished its freight-handling
duties at the station back in 1934. The goods yard site subsequently became host
to a pair of berthing sidings, although the majority of the area was later used
as a car park. Then, in July 1967, a train collision was witnessed at the
station. At 15:53 on the 17th of that month, the 15:28 Ashford to Willesden
ferry van goods train, hauled by electric locomotive E5010 (latterly Class 71
No. 71010 under TOPS), ran into the rear of a four-vehicle passenger train
comprising a pair of 2-HAP units. The latter were forming the 15:54 service to
London Victoria and were sitting on the ‘’up’’ running line, beside the
platform. The goods train had passed the Maidstone East ‘’Up’’ Main Outer Home
Signal when it was set at ‘’Danger’’, and on emergence from Week Street Tunnel,
collided with the rear of the 2-HAP formation at 15 MPH. The goods train
consisted of twenty-seven vehicles, twenty-six of which were air-braked
continental ferry vans, and one of which was a brake van. The rear driving
vehicle of the 2-HAP formation suffered a crumpled front portion, and the E5000
series electric locomotive received damaged electric jumper fittings, broken
buffers, and a disfigured leading-end cab. The locomotive was subsequently
repaired, and survived on British Rail’s books until November 1977 – in August
1979, No. 71010 was scrapped at Doncaster Works. After the incident, the Chart
Leacon breakdown crane was summoned, and the line was cleared for normal working
to resume at 01:21 the following morning. As a result of the line between
Maidstone East and Bearsted being closed because of the incident, a shuttle bus
service was run between the two stations.
By 1980, this was a filthy station: the high-level building straddling the
tracks had been blackened by years of fumes. During 1984, the buildings here
were subject to a cleaning exercise, which resulted in spruce crème brickwork
and restored platform canopies. The lampposts were also painted in red to
conform to the 1982-formed ‘’London & SouthEast’’ Business Sector’s new colour
scheme. 1984 was also a significant year in terms of signaling: the scope of the
Maidstone East panel was extended on 28th May to reach the Victoria Panel
boundary at Kemsing in the west, and the Ashford Panel boundary at Hothfield in
the east. This brought to an end Absolute Block System working on the line
which, up to this time, had used Sykes Lock and Block instruments. Semaphore
signals were replaced with three-aspect colour lights, and the surviving Saxby &
Farmer signal boxes were closed – that at Hothfield remained open a little
longer to control a still extant siding, the cabin not going out of use until
16th February 1985.
By 1993, the Swanley to Ashford via Maidstone line had been identified as the
secondary route for Eurostar Chunnel services – the ex-SER trunk line via
Sevenoaks and Tonbridge took priority. At Maidstone East, the centre track would
once again prove useful. By the provision of a pair of facing crossovers, one at
each end of the station layout, a twenty-vehicle Trans Manche Super Train would
be able to overtake twelve-vehicle Kent Coast services stabled in either
platform. Coinciding with these works was the rebuilding of the westward-facing
bay behind the ‘’down’’ platform. Realignment of the track allowed the bay to be
extended behind the ‘’down’’ station building, lengthening the platform surface
from approximately 440 feet to 730 feet. By the summer of 1993, these track
modifications had been carried out, but significant damage to the permanent way
was just around the corner. Already mentioned so far has been the train
collision which occurred at the station in July 1967. Of greater consequence was
a second incident which took place during the early hours of a September day in
1993. At 02:12 on the 6th of that month, Class 47 No. 47288, hauling a rake of
fifteen air-braked ferry wagons on the 6M57 Dover to Willesden Railfreight
Distribution freight, came to grief. The formation embarked on the ‘’up’’
platform line, which was limited to a 25 MPH maximum speed, at approximately 60
MPH. This caused the locomotive and a number of wagons to derail and fall onto
their sides, in addition to spilling some of the load. The wagon immediately
behind the locomotive was carrying chipboard, and the following six vehicles
contained steel coils; the wagons thereafter were empty. The derailing wagons
demolished the signal gantry at the end of the ‘’down’’ platform, and both
canopy and covered walkway were also damaged on that side. A breakdown crane was
stabled in the bay line to re-rail the stricken vehicles. No. 47288 did not run
under its own power again after the incident, and after a period of being in
store at Tinsley, the locomotive was subsequently scrapped at C.F. Booth’s
Rotherham yard in May 1996. It was soon discovered that the accident had been
caused by the driver of the freight being drunk.
Today, this remains an attractive station, retaining those buildings which came
into use with the 1884 Ashford extension, in addition to the ‘’up’’ side
structure of earlier origin. Recently, plans came to light outlining the
construction of an ASDA supermarket complex upon the car park (former goods yard
area). The supermarket structure was to be suspended above the ground to permit
parking underneath. Thankfully, in August 2007, it became clear that these
proposals were not going to be implemented.
31st July 2005
A westward view shows the double track continuing over the 1927-installed wrought iron girder
bridge. On the right is the line which leads to the one remaining bay platform, whilst on the far
left can be seen the walkway over the river. David Glasspool
31st July 2005
The ''up'' side station buildings are an interesting hybrid of both brick and timber structures -
the latter pre-date the Ashford extension. The high-level building, as seen on the right, has the
same architectural features as those intermediate station sites between here and Ashford.
David Glasspool
22nd March 2006
This eastward view from the walkway shows the layout to good effect. The platform canopies here are
fundamentally of the Southern Railway's design, but the intricate valances have been truncated. The
blue fence on the right marks the former bay platform face, which was decommissioned as part of
the Kent Coast Electrification works. David Glasspool
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