Dymchurch railway station
Encyclopedia
Dymchurch railway station is on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
in Kent
, England
. It is five miles (eight km) south of Hythe
, and surrounded by flat countryside.
The station opened in July 1927 as Dymchurch (Marshlands), to distinguish it from a nearby station called Burmarsh for East Dymchurch
and later as Dymchurch Bay
.
The station has two platforms connected by a footbridge. On the 'up' platform there is a shelter and a station master's house. On the 'down' platform is a station building incorporating a booking office and staff room, a shop selling souvenirs and refreshments, and a women's toilet. The men's toilets are in the supporting pillars of the footbridge, although only that on the 'down' platform is in use.
There are four signals
on the Dymchurch control panel - an up home, an up starter, a down home, and a down starter. All are colour-light signals, but they are a mixture of two-aspect and three-aspect. All four signals are linked to the lights at the level crossings located one on each side of the station. The signals are controlled from a panel in the booking office.
Originally larger, the 1920s station had three platforms (two through platforms and a bay platform), a signal box
, a turntable, and a mainline crossover to allow shuttle trains from New Romney. These never happened, and the turntable was removed in the 1930s. A second crossover was installed before the war and shuttles worked between Dymchurch and Hythe
via Burmarsh Road
. The signalbox was removed in the 1960s, and the remaining four switches bolted in the normal position, primitive colour-light signals being worked by switches from the booking office for normal block operations.
Today just one siding remains, plus one mainline crossover. This is the only place where a train can pass between the up and down lines in the eight miles between Hythe
and New Romney
- it is also the only location where a works train can be parked off the main line. The three points required (two crossover, one siding) have been operated from a ground frame since the station was resignalled with the installation of level crossing lights in 1976.
The station is a tourist destination, largely for the sandy beaches nearby, the holiday arcades and an amusement park. It is has three staff during the summer (one only, out of season). It is a block station
for train control purposes.
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is a gauge light railway in Kent, England. The line runs from the Cinque Port of Hythe via Dymchurch, St...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is five miles (eight km) south of Hythe
Hythe, Kent
Hythe , is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway on the south coast of Kent. The word Hythe or Hithe is an Old English word meaning Haven or Landing Place....
, and surrounded by flat countryside.
The station opened in July 1927 as Dymchurch (Marshlands), to distinguish it from a nearby station called Burmarsh for East Dymchurch
Burmarsh Road railway station
Burmarsh Road railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, England. It is four miles south of Hythe.-History:...
and later as Dymchurch Bay
Burmarsh Road railway station
Burmarsh Road railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, England. It is four miles south of Hythe.-History:...
.
The station has two platforms connected by a footbridge. On the 'up' platform there is a shelter and a station master's house. On the 'down' platform is a station building incorporating a booking office and staff room, a shop selling souvenirs and refreshments, and a women's toilet. The men's toilets are in the supporting pillars of the footbridge, although only that on the 'down' platform is in use.
There are four signals
Railway signal
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
on the Dymchurch control panel - an up home, an up starter, a down home, and a down starter. All are colour-light signals, but they are a mixture of two-aspect and three-aspect. All four signals are linked to the lights at the level crossings located one on each side of the station. The signals are controlled from a panel in the booking office.
Originally larger, the 1920s station had three platforms (two through platforms and a bay platform), a signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
, a turntable, and a mainline crossover to allow shuttle trains from New Romney. These never happened, and the turntable was removed in the 1930s. A second crossover was installed before the war and shuttles worked between Dymchurch and Hythe
Hythe railway station
Hythe railway station may refer to:* Hythe railway station , a terminus on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.* Hythe railway station , a closed station on the SER main line's former branch line from Sandling to Sandgate....
via Burmarsh Road
Burmarsh Road railway station
Burmarsh Road railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, England. It is four miles south of Hythe.-History:...
. The signalbox was removed in the 1960s, and the remaining four switches bolted in the normal position, primitive colour-light signals being worked by switches from the booking office for normal block operations.
Today just one siding remains, plus one mainline crossover. This is the only place where a train can pass between the up and down lines in the eight miles between Hythe
Hythe railway station (RHDR)
Hythe station is the northern terminus of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and although smaller than New Romney, it is an impressive facility with curved platforms and overall roof, loco release road, former engine shed now an independent engineering works, signalbox with 16 lever frame, and...
and New Romney
New Romney railway station
New Romney railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in New Romney, Kent, England. It has always been the headquarters location of the railway.-Temporary terminus:...
- it is also the only location where a works train can be parked off the main line. The three points required (two crossover, one siding) have been operated from a ground frame since the station was resignalled with the installation of level crossing lights in 1976.
The station is a tourist destination, largely for the sandy beaches nearby, the holiday arcades and an amusement park. It is has three staff during the summer (one only, out of season). It is a block station
British absolute block signalling
The principle of the British absolute block system of railway signalling is to ensure the safe operation of a railway by allowing only one train to occupy a defined section of track at a time...
for train control purposes.