Romney Sands railway station
Encyclopedia
Romney Sands Railway Station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
in Kent
, England
. It is located on the bleakest part of the Romney Marsh
, a shingle peninsula.
In 1973, the decision was made to install a passing loop to enable the operation of an hourly train service between New Romney
and Dungeness
; however, the site had insufficient space. The station was therefore re-located to the other side of the holiday camp entrance road. The passing loop was installed during the winter of 1973-1974, together with an island platform and a booking office (the first ever station building at this site).
Although the holiday camp still operates, following a change of ownership it is no longer known as Maddieson's Camp. Consequently the railway station was renamed Romney Sands around 1980.
, with a branch line curving away inland from south of the station. This line was constructed at the request of the War Office
and provided a train service to a secret military installation working on acoustic aircraft detection
at Denge
. Their work was highly successful, but almost immediately replaced by the superior invention known as radar
. The War Department operated their own locomotive, which was stabled at Hythe engine shed, and for which they had running rights for the full length of the railway. This is the only independently owned locomotive to have seen long-term service on the railway. After the war the War Department Branch Line saw a further six years of service (freight only) by the RHDR, which transported large quantities of uncrushed shingle by train to Hythe, where a ramp system was used to transfer the cargo to road haulage. This freight service ended in 1951, and the line was lifted at the end of that year.
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 located on the bleakest part of the Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 mi ² .-Quotations:*“As Egypt was the gift of the Nile, this level tract .....
, a shingle peninsula.
Station history
The station opened in May 1928 and was originally named "Maddieson's Camp" after the adjacent holiday camp which it served. The pre-war station consisted of nothing more than station name boards. After the Second World War the double track mainline was reduced to single track, and a single concrete platform was provided. There were no other changes until 1973.In 1973, the decision was made to install a passing loop to enable the operation of an hourly train service between 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:...
and Dungeness
Dungeness railway station
Dungeness railway station is a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway on Romney Marsh in Kent.-History:The line to Dungeness was opened on 24 May 1928, a year after the line reached New Romney...
; however, the site had insufficient space. The station was therefore re-located to the other side of the holiday camp entrance road. The passing loop was installed during the winter of 1973-1974, together with an island platform and a booking office (the first ever station building at this site).
Although the holiday camp still operates, following a change of ownership it is no longer known as Maddieson's Camp. Consequently the railway station was renamed Romney Sands around 1980.
War Department Branch Line
Between 1929 and 1951, Romney Sands was a junctionJunction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
, with a branch line curving away inland from south of the station. This line was constructed at the request of the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
and provided a train service to a secret military installation working on acoustic aircraft detection
Acoustic mirror
An acoustic mirror is a passive device used to reflect and perhaps to focus sound waves.- Overview :Prior to World War II and the invention of radar, acoustic mirrors were built as early warning devices around the coasts of Great Britain, with the aim of detecting airborne invasions...
at Denge
Denge
Denge is a former Royal Air Force site near Dungeness, in Kent, England. It is best known for the early experimental acoustic mirrors which remain there....
. Their work was highly successful, but almost immediately replaced by the superior invention known as radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
. The War Department operated their own locomotive, which was stabled at Hythe engine shed, and for which they had running rights for the full length of the railway. This is the only independently owned locomotive to have seen long-term service on the railway. After the war the War Department Branch Line saw a further six years of service (freight only) by the RHDR, which transported large quantities of uncrushed shingle by train to Hythe, where a ramp system was used to transfer the cargo to road haulage. This freight service ended in 1951, and the line was lifted at the end of that year.