MY LIFE IN TRAINS
Lineside and Station Sequences
Part Ten
Two Days in East Kent – 27 – 28 February 1960
Late in February 1960, I went to stay in Dover with a friend of a family friend. What astounds me looking back through these photos, apart from the fact that I, just 16, was allowed to travel by train alone and stay away, was that I could walk around the railway and dock sites without challenge – don’t try this now.
I spent the first morning exploring the railways around the docks and Dover Marine station. Mostly steam, because the electrification had not been completed, with a few diesels. And many of the images are far from perfect because of the novice photographer and limitations of the camera in winter. Good record though.
Following my solo excursion around Dover, in the afternoon the ‘friend of a family friend’ took me to Folkestone, Hastings and Ashford, and I managed to get a few more photos.
The following day was mainly spent around Dover again, with a brief excursion to Ramsgate in the afternoon. Look out for evidence of both phases of the Kent Coast Electrification scheme.
You will have seen some of these before if you followed the My Story series.
All Photographs by Alan Lewis Chambers ©
9:25 SECR C Class 0-6-0 No 31150 waits to leave Dover Docks with a freight on 27 February 1960.
9:50 BR Type 2 (later Class 24) No D5017 leaves Dover through Archcliffe Junction on a passenger train towards Folkestone on 27 February 1960,
with Dover engine shed and the iconic white cliffs in the background.
9:52 SR Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34082 '615 Squadron' poses at Archcliffe Junction on 27 February 1960,
against the background of Dover engine shed and the iconic white cliffs.
9:54 SECR D1 4-4-0 No 31749 heads into Dover at Archcliffe Junction on 27 February 1960.
10:01 Leaving Dover on 27 February 1960 is BR Type 2 No D5011 on a Chatham line freight.
11:10 Pausing between shunting duties in Dover docks on 27 February 1960 is Drury 0-6-0 diesel mechanical No 11220 (later D2250).
11:13 SR Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34071 '601 Squadron' in Dover Marine station on 27 February 1960.
11:45 Dover Marine Station: Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34066 'Spitfire' arrives with a Boat Train from London on 27 February 1960.
11:46 SECR O1 0-6-0 No 31048 shunts around Dover Marine station on 27 February 1960.
11:55 Shunting freight in Dover Docks on 27 February 1960 is SECR C Class 0-6-0 No 31150.
11:58 SECR O1 0-6-0 No 31258 pauses at Archcliffe Junction in Dover on a down freight on 27 February 1960
- the engine men seem to be amused by my attempts at photography.
14:08 Taken from my train at Folkestone, with major rebuilding for the coming electrification, SR Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34068 'Kenley'
is heading an express towards Dover.
16:30 BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T No 80034 at Hastings on 27 February 1960.
17:25 SR N Class 2-6-0 No 31819 heads a fast freight towards Maidstone at Ashford on 27 February 1960.
17:28 Brighton Built Fairburn Class 4 2-6-4T No 42098 was about to leave Ashford on a down stopping passenger train 27 February 1960.
17:36 SR Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34086 '219 Squadron' storms out of the twilight at Ashford on the up Golden Arrow 27 February 1960.
10:55 Dover Marine station - SECR N Class 2-6-0 No 31818 brings in empty stock from the Priory direction on 28 February 1960.
11:35 SECR N Class 2-6-0 No 31854 hauls a freight through Dover Priory on 28 February 1960.
11:55 An express boat train to London via Chatham passes through Dover Priory station on 28 February 1960
double headed by pioneer BR Type 2 No D5000 and D5013.
13:00 BR Class 4 2-6-4T No 80037 at Ramsgate on 28 February 1960.
15:15 SR Unrebuilt Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34071 '601 Squadron' outside Ramsgate station on 28 February 1960.
17:08 SR Unrebuilt Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34086 '219 Squadron' shunts the baggage for the up Golden Arrow at Dover Marine station
on 27 February 1960.
17:15 SR Unrebuilt Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34086 '219 Squadron' waits to leave Dover Marine station with the up Golden Arrow on 27 February 1960.
17:25 SR Unrebuilt Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34066 'Spitfire' shunts vans at Dover Marine station on 28 February 1960.
17:30 SR Unrebuilt Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No 34066 'Spitfire' leaves Dover Marine station on 28 February 1960.
