Knockholt railway station
Encyclopedia
Knockholt railway station is a railway station in the south eastern corner of the London Borough of Bromley
, in Travelcard Zone 6
and on the South Eastern Main Line. It is located next to the Greater London
boundary with Kent
district of Sevenoaks
. The boundary is the farm bridge at the southern end of the platforms.
but closer to several other settlements. The station serves several small communities in the Sevenoaks district in addition to Knockholt; Badgers Mount
1.3 km (0.807784557644749 mi) to the southeast, Well Hill
1.3 km (0.807784557644749 mi) northeast, and Halstead
2.2 km (1.4 mi) south. Within the Bromley borough Pratts Bottom is only 2 km (1.2 mi) west-southwest; and also Chelsfield
(although having its own railway station, is in parts closer to Knockholt station) at about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) to the north and west. Many people often wonder why the station is not named after the village within it sits. To avoid confusion with Halstead
in Essex
, and due to Badgers Mount not entirely fulfilling the criteria for being a village, it was named after the next closest village, which is of course Knockholt.
and two trains per hour northbound to London Charing Cross
, calling at all stations to Hither Green
and then running fast to London Bridge
.
(SER) opened their “cut off” line through Orpington, Sevenoaks to Tonbridge in 1868, there was no station between Chelsfield and Dunton Green. A Knockholt Vestry meeting in March 1871 resolved to request the SER to build a station for Knockholt but this request was initially refused. Eventually, the SER agreed to provide a station if a £3,000 contribution was provided by "local parties." This was raised and "Halstead for Knockholt" (the station being much closer to Halstead than Knockholt) was opened in 1876.
Between 1887 and 1915 a twice daily bus service operated from Knockholt village to the station.
In 1899 the SER joined with its arch rival to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
(SECR). Alfred Smithers
, who had moved to Knockholt in 1881, became deputy chairman of the SECR. At the strong suggestion of Smithers, the station name was changed to “Knockholt” in 1900 to avoid the confusion which had arisen with Halstead Station in Essex (and coincidentally giving Smithers a local station named after his village).
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
, in Travelcard Zone 6
Travelcard Zone 6
Fare zone 6 is an outer zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. The zone was created in January 1991; from May 1983 it had...
and on the South Eastern Main Line. It is located next to the Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
boundary with 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...
district of Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks (district)
Sevenoaks is a local government district covering the western most part of Kent in England. Its council is based in the town of Sevenoaks. It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the Sevenoaks Urban District, Sevenoaks Rural District and part of Dartford...
. The boundary is the farm bridge at the southern end of the platforms.
Location
The station is 4.8 km (3 mi) north-northeast of the village of KnockholtKnockholt
Knockholt is a village and civil parish in Kent, England, lying approximately 5 miles south of Orpington and 3 miles northwest of Sevenoaks. It is part of the Sevenoaks district and according to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,166...
but closer to several other settlements. The station serves several small communities in the Sevenoaks district in addition to Knockholt; Badgers Mount
Badgers Mount
Badgers Mount is a village in Kent, south-east England, situated approximately south-east of Orpington and north-northwest of Sevenoaks. It is part of the Sevenoaks district, and is also in the parish of St Margaret's Church and civil parish of Shoreham....
1.3 km (0.807784557644749 mi) to the southeast, Well Hill
Well Hill
Well Hill is a small relatively rural settlement, a large hamlet or possibly a small village, in the Sevenoaks district of Kent. It lies immediately east of the Greater London border, is southeast of Charing Cross, London, and is within and very close to the M25 motorway...
1.3 km (0.807784557644749 mi) northeast, and Halstead
Halstead, Kent
Halstead is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the North Downs, 3 miles south of Orpington and 5 miles north of Sevenoaks....
2.2 km (1.4 mi) south. Within the Bromley borough Pratts Bottom is only 2 km (1.2 mi) west-southwest; and also Chelsfield
Chelsfield
Chelsfield is a place in the London Borough of Bromley in London, England.The name is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Cillesfelle, meaning land of a man called Cēol....
(although having its own railway station, is in parts closer to Knockholt station) at about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) to the north and west. Many people often wonder why the station is not named after the village within it sits. To avoid confusion with Halstead
Halstead
Halstead is a town and civil parish located in Braintree District of Essex, England, near Colchester and Sudbury. It has a population of 11,053. The town is situated in the Colne Valley, and originally developed on the hill to the north of the river...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and due to Badgers Mount not entirely fulfilling the criteria for being a village, it was named after the next closest village, which is of course Knockholt.
Services
The typical off-peak service from the station is two trains per hour southbound to SevenoaksSevenoaks railway station
Sevenoaks railway station serves the town of Sevenoaks in Kent. Train services are provided by Southeastern.Trains from the station run northbound to London Bridge, Cannon Street , Waterloo East and London Charing Cross via Orpington, to London Blackfriars via Swanley and Catford, and southbound to...
and two trains per hour northbound to London Charing Cross
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
, calling at all stations to Hither Green
Hither Green railway station
Hither Green is a railway station located in Hither Green in the London Borough of Lewisham, in southeast London, United Kingdom. Hither Green is a busy commuter station with services to several London termini and destinations to the southeast Hither Green is a railway station located in Hither...
and then running fast to London Bridge
London Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
.
History
When the South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway may refer to:* South Eastern Railway Zone * South Eastern Railway * Southeastern Railway * Southeastern Railway * South Eastern Railway -See also:* South Eastern and Chatham Railway...
(SER) opened their “cut off” line through Orpington, Sevenoaks to Tonbridge in 1868, there was no station between Chelsfield and Dunton Green. A Knockholt Vestry meeting in March 1871 resolved to request the SER to build a station for Knockholt but this request was initially refused. Eventually, the SER agreed to provide a station if a £3,000 contribution was provided by "local parties." This was raised and "Halstead for Knockholt" (the station being much closer to Halstead than Knockholt) was opened in 1876.
Between 1887 and 1915 a twice daily bus service operated from Knockholt village to the station.
In 1899 the SER joined with its arch rival to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
(SECR). Alfred Smithers
Alfred Waldron Smithers
Sir Alfred Waldron Smithers was a British financier and parliamentarian. Smithers father William Henry Smithers was a prominent employee of the Bank of England. Alfred entered the world of finance early when he joined the London Stock Exchange at the age of 23...
, who had moved to Knockholt in 1881, became deputy chairman of the SECR. At the strong suggestion of Smithers, the station name was changed to “Knockholt” in 1900 to avoid the confusion which had arisen with Halstead Station in Essex (and coincidentally giving Smithers a local station named after his village).