Goudhurst railway station

Goudhurst is a closed railway station on the closed Hawkhurst Branch in Kent, England.^[1]

Goudhurst
A postcard view of Goudhurst station in the 1900s
General information
Location	Goudhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent England
Grid reference	TQ709373
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway
Pre-grouping	South Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway Southern Region of British Railways
Key dates
1 October 1892	Station opened as Hope Mill for Goudhurst and Lamberhurst
1 December 1892	Renamed Goudhurst
12 June 1961	Station closed
Location

Goudhurst station, 1948
Legend
To Horsmonden River Teise A262 to Cranbrook Legend Running line Sidings

History

The station originally opened on 1 October 1892 as Hope Mill, for Goudhurst & Lamberhurst,^[2] when the line was opened from Paddock Wood.^[3] It was named after the parish, but following the presentation of a petition to the Cranbrook & Paddock Wood Railway Company in November 1892,^[4] the name was changed to Goudhurst on 1 December 1892.^[2][5] The station was the terminus of the line for just over eleven months, until the extension to Hawkhurst was opened on 4 September 1893.^[3][6] The station was approximately one mile to the west of the village of Goudhurst which was some 250 ft higher than the station, presenting a somewhat daunting task for a baggage-laden passenger.^[4] The station achieved some degree of fame when it appeared in the 1950s children's television series "The Old Pull and Push".^[7] It also featured in the 1953 children's film Adventures in the Hopfields.

The station was closed with the line on 12 June 1961.^[3][5] The fine station building was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with a private dwelling called "Haltwhistle" which is situated on the area where the goods yard would have been. The property is surrounded by high conifer trees and a swimming pool has been put in between part of the former platforms. The old station lights line the drive to the house.^[7]

Accidents

On 18 February 1948, SECR C class 0-6-0 No. 1225 was wrongly despatched into the north sidings at Goudhurst and derailed.^[8]