Place Chatham Station code CTM DfT category C1 Address Chatham, United Kingdom Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference TQ755676 Managed by Southeastern 2011/12 2.861 million Opened 25 January 1858 | |
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Similar Rochester railway station, Gillingham (Kent) railway st, Strood railway station, Rainham (Kent) railway st, Gravesend railway station | ||
Chatham railway station
Chatham railway station is on the Chatham Main Line in England, serving the town of Chatham, Kent. It is 34 miles 25 chains (55.2 km) down-line from London Victoria and is situated between Rochester and Gillingham.
Contents
The station and all trains that call are operated by Southeastern.
There are two platforms, one for each direction and both capable of accommodating 12-coach trains.
There are tunnels at either end of the station: Fort Pitt Tunnel (428 yards) at the London end, and Chatham Tunnel (297 yards) at the country end.
Services
Typical off-peak services are:
History
The station was opened on 25 January 1858, when the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) (then known as the East Kent Railway) opened a single line eastwards to Faversham. Two months later (29 March 1858) the link with the North Kent Line at Strood was opened; and the new railway reached Dover Priory in 1861. The Chatham Dockyard branch connection is made near Gillingham.
As built the station had two platforms with the station buildings being on the Down side. A note on the working drawings states that the station had to be visible from Fort Pitt. About 1881 it was rebuilt with two island platforms, and the station buildings were moved onto the road bridge, then known as Rome Place. In 1958 the station was converted back to two platforms as part of the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme, Stage 1. The station had been electrified in 1939 but the 1958 scheme lengthened the platforms to 12 car EMUs, which due to the geography of the station - between two tunnels - necessitated the abandoning of the other platforms.
A modern entrance and booking hall replaced the originals in 1981. Further remodelling in the 1990s and 2000s has seen the ticket office moved twice, accompanied by the opening, closing and re-opening of retail areas. A small shop selling eateries and general corner shop stock was also opened. The building is located at one side of the road bridge (now Railway Street) over the track, with a taxi rank located between the road and the building. Stairs lead down to the platforms: a buffet is located on the London-bound platform.