St Mary's Bay railway station
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Bay railway station is a small station in St Mary's Bay, Kent
, England
, between the larger stations of New Romney
and Dymchurch
, on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
.
Situated off Jefferstone Lane the station has two platforms, one of which (the 'down' platform) is without station buildings. The other (the 'up' platform) has three buildings. The first is a booking office and when the station is staffed, a passenger waiting room, which also houses the control equipment for the adjacent level crossing
. This building is joined to an open-fronted platform shelter with passenger seating. The third building is a toilet block, though this is reserved for staff use only.
Although no longer a block post
for train control purposes, it was able to be used as such until 2000. The station has a single-aspect signal installation in the 'starter signal' position on the 'down' platform. The one displayable aspect is 'danger' (red). This is unusual in a non-block station. This signal has the outward appearance of being two-aspect, but this is an illusion, as one apparent signal aspect is in fact the repeater flashing light to indicate to train drivers that the adjacent level crossing
(with Jefferstone Lane) signals have operated correctly to stop road traffic.
When first opened this station was named "Holiday Camp" after a nearby camp site for boys. It has also been known as "Jesson" (Jesson Lane being the former name for Jefferstone Lane) and "Holiday Camp Jesson". Since 1946 it has been known as "St Mary's Bay" apart from a period from the early 1980s until the end of 2000 when it was renamed "Jefferstone Lane". In 2000/2001 the station was refurbished in the current colour scheme of green and cream. A small garden was also established by the booking office.
Until the end of the 1990s this station was fully staffed during the summer period. Since then it has been staffed only on special event days or when surplus staff have been available. Generally passengers are now expected to purchase their tickets at their destination.
The station was refurbished and repainted in 2009 by a small group of volunteers, helped by the railway's paid staff, with the aim of the station being opened on special events with small, but appropriate, photographic displays within the booking office. This has already happened during the 2008 and 2009 "Home Guard" weekends.
Once the upgrading work on the level crossing has been completed, which involves the installation of level crossing barriers, there are plans to establish the station as a 'Haven for wildlife'. This will include the building of a dead hedge on the up platform, from the end of the toilet block to the Dymchurch end of the platform. Also the garden area will be replanted to encourage local wildlife along with the current assortment of bird feeders and bird boxes that are already present.
The station is currently used largely by local residents and passengers alighting here for the sandy beach.
There are currently plans being discussed to reduce the number of trains calling at the station during the 2010 season, partly because of the planned increase of trains calling at the Warren Halt, and to improve the timekeeping of some services. Nonetheless, the management of the railway are keen to see the improvements at the station continue, and have plans to revise the marketing of the station and the area in order to increase usage.
Also in St Mary's Bay, about a quarter of a mile further north down Dunstall Lane is the now-closed Golden Sands Halt railway station
, formerly used by the Maddieson's Golden Sands holiday camp
.
St Mary's Bay, Kent
St Mary's Bay is a coastal village in Kent, England. On the coast, situated on Romney Marsh, St Mary's Bay has a long sandy beach which stretches north to Dymchurch and south to Littlestone-on-Sea. It has a station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. Local website -History:During the...
, 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...
, between the larger stations of New Romney
New Romney
New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to be silted up. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea...
and Dymchurch
Dymchurch
Dymchurch is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The village is located on the coast five miles south-west of Hythe, and on the Romney Marsh. It is typical of this part of the coast, having been a village which became larger during the 1930s...
, on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
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...
.
Situated off Jefferstone Lane the station has two platforms, one of which (the 'down' platform) is without station buildings. The other (the 'up' platform) has three buildings. The first is a booking office and when the station is staffed, a passenger waiting room, which also houses the control equipment for the adjacent level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. This building is joined to an open-fronted platform shelter with passenger seating. The third building is a toilet block, though this is reserved for staff use only.
Although no longer a block post
Block post
A block post in railway signalling is the signal box at one end of a block section. -German practice:In Germany block posts are known as Blockstellen and are defined as railway facilities on the open line that, as part of a block system, mark the end of a block section. The usually have a home...
for train control purposes, it was able to be used as such until 2000. The station has a single-aspect signal installation in the 'starter signal' position on the 'down' platform. The one displayable aspect is 'danger' (red). This is unusual in a non-block station. This signal has the outward appearance of being two-aspect, but this is an illusion, as one apparent signal aspect is in fact the repeater flashing light to indicate to train drivers that the adjacent level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
(with Jefferstone Lane) signals have operated correctly to stop road traffic.
When first opened this station was named "Holiday Camp" after a nearby camp site for boys. It has also been known as "Jesson" (Jesson Lane being the former name for Jefferstone Lane) and "Holiday Camp Jesson". Since 1946 it has been known as "St Mary's Bay" apart from a period from the early 1980s until the end of 2000 when it was renamed "Jefferstone Lane". In 2000/2001 the station was refurbished in the current colour scheme of green and cream. A small garden was also established by the booking office.
Until the end of the 1990s this station was fully staffed during the summer period. Since then it has been staffed only on special event days or when surplus staff have been available. Generally passengers are now expected to purchase their tickets at their destination.
The station was refurbished and repainted in 2009 by a small group of volunteers, helped by the railway's paid staff, with the aim of the station being opened on special events with small, but appropriate, photographic displays within the booking office. This has already happened during the 2008 and 2009 "Home Guard" weekends.
Once the upgrading work on the level crossing has been completed, which involves the installation of level crossing barriers, there are plans to establish the station as a 'Haven for wildlife'. This will include the building of a dead hedge on the up platform, from the end of the toilet block to the Dymchurch end of the platform. Also the garden area will be replanted to encourage local wildlife along with the current assortment of bird feeders and bird boxes that are already present.
The station is currently used largely by local residents and passengers alighting here for the sandy beach.
There are currently plans being discussed to reduce the number of trains calling at the station during the 2010 season, partly because of the planned increase of trains calling at the Warren Halt, and to improve the timekeeping of some services. Nonetheless, the management of the railway are keen to see the improvements at the station continue, and have plans to revise the marketing of the station and the area in order to increase usage.
Also in St Mary's Bay, about a quarter of a mile further north down Dunstall Lane is the now-closed Golden Sands Halt railway station
Golden Sands Halt railway station
Golden Sands Halt railway station was a private station on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in St Mary's Bay, Kent, England.Trains ran past this location for some 21 years before the private Golden Sands Halt opened in the summer of 1948...
, formerly used by the Maddieson's Golden Sands holiday camp
Holiday camp
Holiday camp, in Britain, generally refers to a resort with a boundary that includes accommodation, entertainment and other facilities.As distinct from camping, accommodation typically consisted of chalets – small buildings arranged either individually or in blocks. Some had three or four storeys,...
.