Sevenoaks railway station

Sevenoaks Add→{{rail-interchange}}
General information
Location	District of Sevenoaks
Managed by	Southeastern
Platforms	4
Other information
Station code	SEV
History
Opened	2 March 1868

Sevenoaks railway station is on the South Eastern Main Line in England, serving the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is 22 miles 9 chains (35.6 km) down-line from London Charing Cross and is situated between Dunton Green and Hildenborough stations. Trains calling at the station are operated by Southeastern and Thameslink.

Trains from the station run northbound to London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross via Orpington, or to Blackfriars via Swanley and Catford; and southbound to Ashford International and Ramsgate via Dover Priory, or Tunbridge Wells and Hastings.

History

Sevenoaks railway station was opened on 2 March 1868. It was formerly known as "Tubs Hill", after the adjacent area. There is a second station, on the branch to Swanley Junction, which opened on 2 June 1862. The station is named after the Bat & Ball local inn which is now closed, and serves the north end of the town.

The two lines to Sevenoaks were electrified in January 1935. When the station was reconstructed in the 1970s a new ticket office was built replacing the old wooden S.E.R. building. Two additional side platforms were also abolished.

Sevenoaks is part of the rail franchise which, post-privatisation, was served by Connex South Eastern. Subsequent to their 'sacking' in 2003 due to poor financial management (although their train operating performance had been very poor), services were operated by South Eastern Trains, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). On 1 April 2006, Southeastern, owned by Govia, took over management of the station as part of the new Integrated Kent Franchise.

Accidents

7 June 1884 - A double-headed freight train ran into the rear of another freight train at Tub's Hill station. Both crew of the first train were killed. The Hildenborough signalman was charged with causing their deaths. The trains were being worked under the time interval system.

24 August 1927 - the Sevenoaks railway accident. River class tank locomotive No. 800 River Cray derailed at Shoreham Lane between Dunton Green and Sevenoaks. Thirteen people were killed and 20 were injured. The locomotives were withdrawn and rebuilt as tender locomotives.

Services

The view from platform 3 at Sevenoaks, looking south towards Tonbridge with a Thameslink train operating on behalf of Southeastern

As of the January 2016 timetable off-peak services from this station from Monday to Friday are:

• 4 tph (trains per hour) to London Charing Cross (fast service to Waterloo East and Charing Cross only).
• 2 tph to London Charing Cross (stopping service via Orpington and Grove Park)
• 2 tph to London Cannon Street (semi-fast service calling at Orpington, New Cross and London Bridge)
• 2 tph to West Hampstead Thameslink (stopping service via Bromley South and Catford)
• 2 tph to Hastings via Tunbridge Wells (one semi-fast, one slow)
• 2 tph to Tunbridge Wells
• 1 tph to Folkestone Central via Ashford International (with bus connection to Dover)
• 1 tph to Ramsgate via Ashford International and Canterbury West

Platforms

There are two island platforms - 1 & 2, and 3 & 4.

• Platform 1- Fast trains starting south of Sevenoaks fast to London Bridge, Waterloo East, London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street
• Platform 2- Slow trains starting/terminating at Sevenoaks to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street via Orpington and Lewisham
• Platform 3- All trains running south of Sevenoaks via Tonbridge (destinations are Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Ashford International, Canterbury and Ramsgate).
• Platform 4- Slow trains to London Blackfriars, St Albans, Luton and Bedford via Bromley and Peckham Rye which all start/terminate here.

From 22 March 2009 the trains to London Blackfriars were extended through to Kentish Town off-peak, and some services through to St Albans, Luton and Bedford.

During the peak period there are fast direct services to London Cannon Street.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Dunton Green		Southeastern South Eastern Main Line		Hildenborough
Orpington		Southeastern Hastings Line		Tonbridge
Bat & Ball		Thameslink Thameslink		Terminus

Passenger Representation

The not-for-profit Sevenoaks Rail Travellers' Association (SRTA) corresponds and meets with Southeastern Railway, TfL, the DfT, MPs and other relevant parties to represent the interests of passengers using Sevenoaks and stations nearby – Bat & Ball, Dunton Green, Eynsford, Kemsing, Otford, and Shoreham.

External links

• Train times and station information for Sevenoaks railway station from National Rail