Whitstable Harbour railway station

Whitstable Harbour railway station was the name of two disused railway stations serving Whitstable the terminus of the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway. The station opened in 1830. It was extended in the mid-1870s and resited in 1895. The Canterbury and Whitstable line closed to passengers in 1931 and freight in 1952, although it was reopened for a month following the North Sea flood of 1953.

Whitstable Harbour
The second station, in the 1960s. First station in background.
General information
Location	Whitstable, Kent England
Coordinates	51°21′47″N 1°1′50″E
Grid reference	TR 107 660
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Canterbury and Whitstable Railway
Pre-grouping	South Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway
Key dates
3 May 1830	Opened
Mid-1870s	Extended
3 June 1895	Resited
1 January 1931	Closed to passengers
1 December 1952	Closed
5 February 1953	Line temporarily reopened
28 February 1953	Closed
Location

History

The original station was opened on 2 May 1830.^[1] It was located north of Harbour Street. Whitstable Harbour was built by Thomas Telford. It was opened on 19 March 1832.^[2] In 1847, coke ovens were erected at Whitstable Harbour.^[3] In the mid-1870s, the station was extended. A brick-built booking office was provided and the platform was extended to take three carriages.^[4] The coke ovens closed in 1880 when the South Eastern Railway switched to using Welsh steam coal to fuel its locomotives.^[3] The layout of the original station meant that when passenger trains were using it, the shunting of wagons was impeded. In 1895, a new passenger station was built south of Harbour Street, opening on 3 June.^[5]

The second Whitstable Harbour station in 1920

The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway closed to passengers on 1 January 1931.^[6] The signal box at the station closed on 11 February 1931, with the line being worked as a siding thereafter.^[7] The line remained open to freight until 1 December 1952. Following the North Sea flood of 1953, the railway was reopened on 5 February, closing on 28 February.^[6]

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Terminus		South Eastern Railway Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		Canterbury North Lane (1830-46 (p) / 1830-91 (f) ) / Canterbury West (1846-1908, 1931-52)
Terminus		South Eastern Railway Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		Blean and Tyler Hill Halt (1908-11)
Terminus		South Eastern Railway Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		South Street Halt (1911-14)
Terminus		British Railways Southern Region Canterbury and Whitstable Railway		Tankerton Halt (1914-31)