Eynsford railway station
Eynsford  | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
| Location | |
| Place | Eynsford |
| Local authority | District of Sevenoaks |
| Grid reference | TQ535649 |
| Operations | |
| Station code | EYN |
| Managed by | Southeastern |
| Number of platforms | 2 |
| DfT category | E |
|
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries | |
| Annual rail passenger usage* | |
| 2012/13 |
 |
| 2013/14 |
 |
| 2014/15 |
|
| 2015/16 |
|
| 2016/17 |
|
| History | |
| 1 July 1862 | Opened |
| 6 January 1935 | Electrified |
| May 1962 | Closed (Goods) |
| National Rail – UK railway stations | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Eynsford from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
 | |
Eynsford railway station serves Eynsford in Kent, England. It is 20 miles 32 chains (32.8 km) down the line from London Victoria and is situated between Swanley and Shoreham. Train services are provided by Southeastern and Thameslink.
The ticket office, on the 'down' side, is situated in the substantial station building. This is manned only during part of the day; at other times a ticket machine may be used, which is located at the foot of the stairs leading from the car park to the Ashford-bound platform.
The platforms are connected by a concrete footbridge - a typical product of the Southern Railway concrete factory at Exmouth Junction. There is a small car park (charges apply) at the entrance to the station.
History
The Swanley to Sevenoaks Bat & Ball line was opened on 2 June 1862, by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, initially with just a single track. The station at Eynsford came into use the following month, with two platforms and a passing loop; the second track came in 1863.
The main station building is on the "down" side, two storeys high, with chimney stacks and arched window frames. On the "up" side is a shelter with an elaborate valance and sides for protection from the weather. The track was crossed at ground level until a lattice footbridge was built in about 1910. The signal cabin was positioned at the southern end of the "up" platform.
Eynsford's goods yard was positioned on the "down" side, to the south of the main building, and comprised a pair of sidings, one of which passed over a wagon turntable through the pitched-roof goods shed. The platforms were extended twice, first in 1894 and again in 1932 when they were lengthened at their southern ends, requiring the demolition of the signal box. This was replaced by a porch on the ground floor of the station building's platform side.
Electric services between Bickley and Sevenoaks were introduced on 6 January 1935, when the station lost its lattice footbridge to a prefabricated concrete replacement. Goods traffic ceased in May 1962 and the goods shed was demolished soon after.
Approximately 1 km to the north west lie the remains of Lullingstone, built but never opened, as the development it was intended to serve never materialised. All that remains are the platforms (still in situ) and the platform canopies, now gracing Canterbury East station. Between the two, the line is taken over the River Darent by an impressive nine-arch red-brick viaduct.
Services
The typical service from the station, operated by Thameslink, is
- 2tph to London Blackfriars via Bromley South and Catford
- 2tph to Sevenoaks
From May 2019 the service to Blackfriars will continue to Welwyn Garden City during peak hours.
In addition, some Southeastern services between London Victoria and Maidstone East stop here.
Buses
- 421 to Swanley and to Sevenoaks (Mondays to Saturdays)
- 429 to Bluewater via Swanley and Dartford and to West Kingsdown (Sundays)
| Preceding station | |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swanley | Southeastern Maidstone East Line |
Shoreham | ||
| Thameslink Thameslink |
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| Historical railways | ||||
| Lullingstone Line open, station closed |
Southern Railway Swanley to Ashford (via Maidstone East) Line |
Shoreham Line and station open | ||