Dover Priory Station - How Old?
- 12 July 2011 16:13114400I have just been reading our local Village Newsletter (Shepherdswell) and it has an interesting article concerning the age of the station here, accordingly on 22nd July this year the Station, which I practically live on is 150 years old.
The article goes on to state that Dover Priory is also 150 years old on the 22nd as well.
Anyone know if this is correct and if it is, what if any celebrations are being held?
Thanks
Greg - 12 July 2011 16:16114401Dover Priory opened on 22 July 1861. as the temporary terminus of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR). It became a through station on 1 November 1861 with the completion of a tunnel though the Western Heights to gain access to the Western Docks area, where LCDR created Dover Harbour station Initially the station was known as Dover Town but was renamed in July 1863 (leading to rival SER to adopt the name for one of its Dover stations). Southern consolidated passenger services at Priory in 1927 and modernised the station in 1932. The Chatham Main Line into Priory was electrified in 1959 as part of Stage 1 of Kent Coast Electrification, under the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan. The line up to Ramsgate, via Deal was subsequently electrified under stage two of Kent Coast electrification in January 1961. The line from Folkestone into Priory was electrified in June 1961.The high-speed service to London St Pancras started in 2009. Special dispensation had to be sought to allow the service reach Dover as the tunnels to the south are too narrow for emergency exits for rolling stock without end doors.
- 12 July 2011 16:21114403I guess it is Greg and having worked there for nearly a quarter of that i should know but I don't.The building was badly bombed during the war and there was a loss of life,and of course the Dover Gaol thing was over a murder of the Station Master I believe.
Also there has been several filming events,Telford's Change a series set in the Dover Banking World actually the reason why the Dover Priory Station letters were put on the building before that there was nothing.We also had another series filmed there in my time can't remember what it was called but Dirty Den (Lesley Grantham) was in it.If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble! - 12 July 2011 16:23114405Dover Priory had an overall roof covering the platforms and was provided with goods, carriage and engine sheds. Passenger services for the town were consolidated at the Priory Station in 1927 when the old Harbour Station was closed (the Town Station had closed to civilian traffic in October 1914). The engine shed was closed in 1928 when a new shed near the old Town Station was opened. In 1932 the station was rebuilt in the modern style of the Southern Railway.
During the Second World War the station saw much traffic including the evacuation of the children of Dover in June 1940. It had the dubious honour of being the victim of the first shell to hit the town, which destroyed the passenger footbridge on 11 September 1940.
Since the war the station has seen a large increase in cross-Channel passenger traffic as the Eastern Docks hasdeveloped. With no rail connection to the Eastern Docks, shuttle buses to there, and the Hoverport, provide a connection for rail passengers. In 1994 the Priory Station became Dover's only railway station when the Marine Station closed.
In July 2006 it was announced that after several years of campaigning Dover will have Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) services into London. The Department for Transport said hourly high-speed services would run between Dover Priory and London St Pancras from December 2009. Journeys from the Kent coast into the capital will take just over an hour.
Twenty-nine Hitachi class 395 trains, with a top speed of 140mph (225km/h), will operate on the CTRL. Network Rail will undertake improvements to the Shakespeare Tunnel near Dover to make it safe for the Hitachi trains to use.
In August 2006 major renovations started at the station. Including the refurbishment of the station building, booking hall and toilet facilities, and planned improvements to the external circulation for vehicles. There were also works to improve port interchange facilities, signs for pedestrians and CCTV coverage in the waiting areas.
The new service was introduced in December 2009 with a Dover Priory to London St Pancras journey time of 69 minutes.
1876
- 12 July 2011 16:24114407that surprises me that it was bombed in the war as the art deco exterior would have been constructed in the years leading up to the conflict.
i can only assume that either the front was not damaged or they restored it to its former glory afterwards. - 12 July 2011 16:24114409Thanks for the info :-)
Anyone know if this milestone will be celebrated ?
Maybe Ill just toast the health of Shepherdswell from my garden for good measure! .. - 12 July 2011 16:29114414I think we should all set a time go down with a bottle of shampers and toast it for another 150 years i will take my box brownie.
- 12 July 2011 16:29114415Not heard anything Greg,Howard the booking hall/office was to the left of the buffet,in fact if you go down the side of the buffet,folkestone end you can still see the booking window by the big gateIf you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
- 12 July 2011 16:33114416well I would hope that it does stay for a while longer...as the High Speed Train is a marvel for getting into town now...
Perhaps I'll make some enquiries when I am in town tomorrow.
Shame nothing is being done to celebrate the extension of the line, I live in the hut that the navvies brewed up in when the Shepherdswell tunnel was dug! - 12 July 2011 16:43114419Greg, I live in Lydden with garden backing on to the railway line and have one of the allotments which are on the Railtrack site above the other end of the tunnel - maybe we can sing Happy Birthday from each end on the 22nd!
- 12 July 2011 16:56114422Ray! ...great idea! that tunnel has some great acoustic qualities!
