JOU r NAL 40,0010* of the Railway and Canal Historical Society Vol. 10, No, 1. January 1964 PRESIDENT - Chai.Ies Fo Klapper VICE,PRESIDENTS = C.R.Clinker and H.A.Vallance CHAIRMAN - B. Baxter HONOSECRETARY HON.TREASURER HON.EDITOR John Bryant C.P.Weaver J.G.Spence 26, Clarence Street 4, Queen's Close Tuborg Halt Ulverston Kenilworth 34, Manor Avenue Lancashire Warwickshire Caterham, Surrey * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE SEVENOAKS CUT-OFFg FRUSTRATION IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH By H.P.White While it enjoyed the monopoly of Continental traffic through Folkestone and Dover and of local traffic to East Kent towns, the South Eastern Railway was content with its circuitous route via Redhill, especially as fares were levied on a mileage basis, Southern Railway working time- tables gave the distance between London Bridge and Tonbridge this way as 40 miles 30 chains. The emergence of the London, Chatham & Dover and the consequent breaking of the S.E.R. monopoly led the latter company to provide the more direct route through Sevenoaks. A line from St. John's Junction on the North Kent line to Tonbridge was thus authorized on 30 June 1862. From London Bridge to Tonbridge this way was given by the Southern as 27 miles 55 chains, a saving of 12 miles 55 chains. The distance between Charing Cross and Dover (Admiralty Pier) was reduced from 89/ miles to 77, to within a few chains equal to the LOCO& D.R. route from Victoria. via Chatham and considerably easier. But two facts about the Sevenoaks line reveal the anxiety of the S.E.R. The limited potential for local traffic and the high cost of construction would not recommend it to any company, let alone the S.E.R. 2 New Cross was then on the edge of London's built-up area. Measmes Guide to the South Eastern Railway of 1858 waxes lyrical on the beautiful green meadows on the hill between Lewisham and. Blackheath. Beyond, the poor soils of the Blackheath gravels, which reach out to Petta Wood, and of the flinty clays of tha North Downs meant poor farming, as did the sands around Sevenoaks. The latter, with 4,878 souls counted in the 1861 Census, was the only place larger than the small villages of Chislehurst, Orpington and CheIsfield. In the 241 miles between New Cross (already served by the North Kent trains) and Tonbridge, only six stations, Chislehurst, Orpington, Chelsfield, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks and Hilden- borough, are listed in the May 1868 issue of "Bradshaw". Today of course, there are four intermediate stations on the 61 miles between New Cross and Chislehurst. The new line had to cross the 'geain" of rather hilly country. In its way stood the Blackheath gravel plweeau the North Downs Plateau and the narrower Greensand ridge at Sevenoaks. Unlike any other main line out of London (except the SoE.R's usual pertner in misfortune, the LOCO& D.R.) it was unable to make use of valleys leading to natural gaps through the hills. So a short tunnel was necessai- y thr.lugh the gravels at Elmatead Woods, a high embankment across the Cray '4:„ley at Orpington, a 21 mile cutting thence up to and b<<tween Chelsfield and Polhill tunnels through the North Downs, and finally a tunnel at Sevenoaks through the Greensand. a Trans- This was a formidable series of earthworks, more appropriate to Pennine crossing than one on the edge of the London Basin. Even so the work went on with ommendaie speed, much faster than on the original line (see H.P.White - it4r1x11151s on the South Eastern: Railway Magazine, October 1961, p. 689). according to the S,E0R's Half- Yearly Report of 10 February 1864 the contracts had recently been let. But in that of 14 August 1866 it was reported the line was open to Chislehurst, that Polhill Tunnel was nearly finished and Sevenoaks Tunnel progressing well. "Open" to Chislehurst did not mean there was a public service to this obscure village. The Report of February 1867 gave the :wee that the whole line had been opened for goods traffic since the third of the month, but slips, with which the line has been plagued ever since, had delayed opening for passengers. The Engineer's Report of 12 August 1868, signed by Peter Ashcroft, says - "This line, as you are aware, has been open for traffic since February 3rd last, since which time Jxpresses, Tidal, Ordinary and Goods trains have passed over without hindrance," We may assume the S.E.R. to have been eager to use its new route in order to come to grips with the L.C.& D.R. operating its shorter route since 1861, in their fight for the Dover traffic. But contemporary Bradshaxs set rather a puzzle. That of April 1868 shows what in the circumstances was a surprisingly lavish local service. On weekdays there were four trains terminating at Chislehurst, one at Orpington and eight at Sevenoaks. That of May shows 3 four of the latter extending to Tonbridge, but only two expresses as calling at Sevenoaks, the rest called at Redhill, or were non—stop and their route thus uncertain. Although 1 May 1868 has been taken as the throughout opening date for passenger traffic, as far as the travelling public were concerned, the impact of the new route was very limited. For, in January 1868 the timesof the boat trains to Dover were 7.30 a.m., and 8.35 p.m. from Cannon Street, arriving at Dover Town at 9.25 a.m. and 10.35 p.m. respectively. The arrival on the pier was five minutes later in each case. The evening service took slightly longer because of a Staplehurst stop, at what was then an important mail centre for Mid Kent. Now these times remained unchanged until the March 1869 Bradshaw. Departure times were then put back to 7.45 a.m. and 8.50 p.m. from Cannon Street, with arrivals at Dover Town at 9.26 a.m. and 10.35 p.m. respectively, accelerations of 14 and 15 minutes. While it can be taken that the boat trains were now definitely routed through Sevenoaks, it is impossible to say which way they went between 1 May 1868 and 1 March 1869. If they were regularly using the Sevenoaks route, as Ashcroft's report implies, why were their timings not cut for ten months ? If they still used the Redhill route, why the delay in changing to the shorter one ? Obviously the questions would be solved at once if a run of working timetables was available. Unfortunately, while the Transport Archives at Royal Oak have almost complete runs of LOBO& S.C.R., L.C41D.R. and S.E.& C.R. working timetables, there is none of the S.E.R. Should any member be able to help in tracing the relevant issues, the author would be very glad to hear from him. Meanwhile, a small point remains obscure. It is a small point, but it provides an example of an opening date alone being insufficient evidence to enable an assessment of the immediate impact a new line would make. * * * * * * * * * * 4 * * * * * * * * LOCAL GROUP SECRETARIES LONDON: J.A.,Hall, Flat 3, 110 Crouch Hill, London N.8. NORTH WESTERN: D.G.Rimington, 11 Cherry rree Walk, Stretford, Lancashire. NORTH EASTERN:*R.J.Hunter, Granby Lodge, 3carcroft Road, York. (*acting). WEST MIDLANDS: J.H.Denton, Marchmont Houses, Church Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton. EAST MIDLANDS: K.E.Spurge, 31 Elvaston Road, Nottingham. SOUTH WESTERN: D,Garnett, Pear Tree Cottalge, Little Somerford, near Chippenham. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE OPENING OF RAILWAYS: CENTENARIES IN 1964 Compiled by M.D0Greville 41. NOTE DATE RAILWAY SECTION OPENED MILES BELOW JAN 1 SOUTH LEICESTERSHIRE Hinckley to Wigston Junction 11 # *JAN 1 SWANSEA VALE Ystalyfera to Brynamman 54 JAN 11 SOUTH EASTERN London Bridge to Charing Cross 2 FEB 1 CALEDONIAN Broughton to Peebles 11 FEB 1 WHITEHAVEN, CLEATOR & EGREMONT Frizington to Rowrah 31 FEB 15 LONDON & NORTH WESTERN Edgehill to Speke Junction 41 FEB 17 KIRCUDBRIGHT Castle Douglas to Kircudbright 104- A FEB 25 LLYNVI VALLEY Bridgend to Maesteg 84 B MARCH 1 LONDON & NORTH WESTERN Brynmawr to Nantybwch 44 MARCH 21 LANCASHIRE & YORKSHIRE Royton Junction to Royton 1 4 , MARCH 28 CARMARTHEN & CARDIGAN Conwil to Pencader 8 MARCH 28 HULL & HORNSEA Hull (Wilmington) to Hornsea 13 APR 1 CALEDONIAN (Lanark to Douglas ) (Silvermuir Fork ) 1 4 C APR 1 SOUTH EASTERN New Beckenham to Croydon (Addiscombe Road) 4 APR 14 GREAT WESTERN Savernake to Marlborough 51 *APR 18 GREAT WESTERN Quaker's Yard to Middle Duffryn Junction with Vale of Neath 5 D APR 25 BRIDGE OF WEIR Johnstone to Bridge of Weir 31 E MAY 1 MIDLAND Ashchurch to Evesham 11 F MAY 16 MIDLAND Tewkesbury to Great Malvern 111 JUNE GREAT WESTERN Yeovil to Clifton Maybank (Goods) 1 JUNE 1 GARSTON & LIVERPOOL Garston to Liverpool (Brunswick) 31 JUNE 1 GREAT WESTERN Uffington to Faringdon 31 JUNE 1 INVERNESS & ABERDEEN JUNCTION Invergordon to Meikle Ferry 151 JUNE 1 LONDON, BRIGHTON & SOUTH COAST Barnham to Bognor 34 JUNE 1 LONDON, CHATHAM & DOVER Elephant & Castle to Blackfriars 1 *JUNE 1 MIDLAND Swadlincote Junction to Swadlincote 21 JUNE 1 NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE Milton Junction to Congleton Upper Junction 9 JUNE 3 CARMARTHEN & CARDIGAN Pencader to Llandyssil 31 JUNE 11 WANSBECK Scots Gap to Knowes Gate 3i JUNE 13 HAMMERSMITH & CITY Westbourne Park to Hammersmith 21 JUNE 23 ABERYSTWITH & WELSH COAST Borth to Aberystwith 8 J JUNE 2 27 BLYTH & TYNE (North Shields to Tynemouth 4 (Monkseaton to Newcastle 9 JULY 1 HAMMERSMITH & CITY Latimer Road to Uxbridge Road JULY 4 NORTH BRITISH Leadburn to Dolphinton 10 JUL 11 HEREFORD, HAY & BRECON Eardisley to Hay 7 JULY 13 NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE Etruria to Hanley 12 JULY 27 OSWESTRY, ELLESMERE & WHITCHURCH Oswestry to Ellesmere 7' AUG 1 LONDON & NORTH WESTERN Winwick Junction to Golborne Junction 21 *AUG 1 SOUTH YORKSHIRE