St Mary's Bay railway station
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St. Mary's Bay railway station is a small station in St Mary's Bay, Kent between the larger stations of New Romney and Dymchurch, on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.
The station has two platforms, one of which (the 'down' platform) is without station buildings. The other (the 'up' platform) has three inter-connected buildings. The first is a booking office and staff shelter, probably original to 1920's station construction. This is joined to the second, an open-fronted platform shelter with passenger seating. The third is a toilet block, though this is reserved to staff use only.
Although not a 'block station' for train control purposes, the station has a single-aspect signal installation in the 'starter signal' position on the 'down' platform. The one displayable aspect is 'danger' (red). This is unusual in a non-block station. The purpose is to allow a service train to enter the block section from Dymchurch to New Romney when that section is already occupied; the train enters on a 'caution ticket' and is held at St Mary's Bay by the red signal until the previous train has cleared the section. This signal has the outward appearance of being two-aspect, but this is an illusion, as one apparent signal aspect is in fact the repeater flashing light to indicate to train drivers that the nearby level crossing (with Jefferstone Lane) signals have operated correctly to stop road traffic.
When first opened this station was named "Holiday Camp" after a nearby camp site for boys. It has also been known as "Jesson" and "Holiday Camp Jesson". Since the 1930s it has been known as "St Mary's Bay" apart from a short period in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it was temporarily renamed "Jefferstone Lane".
Until the early 1990s this station was fully staffed during the summer period. Since then it has been staffed only on peak operating days or when surplus staff have been available. Generally passengers are now expected to purchase their tickets at their station of destination.
The station is used largely by local residents as there is little in this community to attract tourists, although some alight here in search of a sandy beach - in fact, the best beaches are further south in the area of Dymchurch.
