Grove Ferry and Upstreet railway station

Grove Ferry and Upstreet

Grove Ferry Railway Station 1907
Location
Place Canterbury
Area City of Canterbury
Grid reference TR235632
Operations
Original company South Eastern Railway
Pre-grouping South Eastern and Chatham Railway
Post-grouping Southern Railway
Platforms 2
History
13 April 1846 Opened as Grove Ferry
20 September 1954 Renamed Grove Ferry and Upstreet
30 April 1960 Station closed to freight
3 January 1966 Station closed to passengers
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain
A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z
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Grove Ferry and Upstreet was a railway station in east Kent. It was opened by South Eastern Railway (SER), on the Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line between Sturry station and Minster station.

The buildings have been demolished and only a few traces remain of the platforms.

History

Opened on 13 April 1846, the rural station was built to serve the village of Upstreet and the ferry crossing of the Great Stour until the 1960s, when a bridge was built. The nearby "Grove Ferry Inn" owned the rights to the ferry and farmed lavender, creating a popular day trip destination up until the Second World War; this is now part of the Grove Ferry Picnic Area.

The public Level Crossing and goods sidings leading to the ferry were operated from a small signalbox. The signal box closed many years ago, and the level crossing is now operated by automated barriers. The broad steps leading to the footpath connecting the station to the village, although overgrown, can still be seen.

Goods traffic ceased on 30 April 1960, and the station was closed to passenger traffic on 3 January 1966 shortly before the introduction of a bus service over the new Grove Ferry Bridge, which would have undermined the low patronage.

Grove Ferry and Upstreet Station lives on in model form due to the efforts of the Ashford Model Railway Club, with the model occasionally being taken on tour.[1]

Preceding station Disused railways Following station
Chislet Colliery Halt   British Rail
Southern Region

Ashford to Ramsgate
(via Canterbury West) line
  Minster

References

  1. "Layouts - Grove Ferry & Upstreet". Ashford Model Railway Club. 2009. Archived from the original on 30 December 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2009.

Coordinates: 51°19′27″N 1°12′24″E / 51.32408°N 1.20675°E / 51.32408; 1.20675

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