Grove Ferry and Upstreet railway station

Grove Ferry and Upstreet
General information
Location	City of Canterbury
Platforms	2
History
Original company	South Eastern Railway
Pre-grouping	South Eastern and Chatham Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway
Key dates
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

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.

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Chislet Colliery Halt		British Rail Southern Region Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line		Minster