Tunbridge Wells railway station explained

Tunbridge Wells
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells
Country:England
Grid Name:Grid reference
Manager:Southeastern
Platforms:2
Code:TBW
Classification:DfT category C1
Years:20 September 1845
Events:first station opened[1]
Years2:25 November 1846
Events2:present station opened
Footnotes:Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Tunbridge Wells train station is on the Hastings line in the south of England and serves Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent. It is 34chain32chain down the line from London Charing Cross. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern.

History

The first station was a temporary terminus opened on 20 September 1845 situated north of Wells Tunnel. This closed when the line was extended to the present station which opened on 25 November 1846. It became a through station in 1851 when the line opened to Robertsbridge and a year later opened through to Hastings. The LBSCR line from Grove Junction to Tunbridge Wells (West) opened in 1867 for goods and 1876 for passenger. Immediately after becoming part of the Southern Railway in 1923 the station was named Tunbridge Wells Central.

Just beyond Grove Tunnel at the south end of the station was Grove Junction, where trains took the single line branch to Tunbridge Wells West. The branch closed on 6 July 1985.

In 1985 preparation for electrification the platforms were rebuilt and the tracks were resignalled. Electric trains started running in 1986. The station again became just Tunbridge Wells.

Since 1974, the up side of the station only has been Grade II listed.

Services

All services at Tunbridge Wells are operated by Southeastern using, and EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:

Additional services, including trains to and from and London Cannon Street and call at the station in the peak hours.

References

  1. Southern Region Record by R.H.Clark

External links

51.13°N 0.263°W