Kent Coast Electriification

[gelboy45]

Hi

 

I am looking for any of the BR(SR) leaflets/pamphlets promoting the electrification and new services introduced upon electrification, Phase 1 and 2.

 

Any help would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Gerry

[keefer]

Good article about the schemes here: http://extra.southernelectric.org.uk/features/historical-features/kentcoast.html

 

In particular, under 'Publicity':

"The principal public relations vehicle was a 2 page newsletter entitled "South East Report". This first appeared in February 1959, with monthly issues up to June of that year, and further editions in October 1959 and June 1960. These news sheets included interviews with local mayors, reports by Mr P A White (the Line Traffic Manager), and comments from the travelling public. The articles served to explain both the delays which were occurring and the reason for the temporary timetables which were then in use, and also to give background information on the works. Diagrams of changes to track layout in the Bromley, Ashford and Folkestone areas were incorporated.

Among other literature produced by the Southern Region was a fully illustrated 29 page booklet entitled "Extension of Electrification - from Gillingham to Sheerness-on-Sea, Ramsgate and Dover" which described the various facets of Phase 1. Other leaflets included "Transforming the Railway on the South East" which opens with the sentence "Frankly, this railway, the South Eastern Division of the Southern, should have been modernised years ago" and was an overview of the scheme. Also "Kent's new Electric Trains" was issued for the commencement of Phase 1 services and described both the express stock and the 2Haps."

 

EDIT: one booklet on Ebay at the moment: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kent-Coast-Electrification-First-Phase-1959-Railway-Book-Booklet-/391895628532

Edited March 19, 2019 by keefer

[bécasse]

I remember the newsletter well but couldn't remember what it was called.

One other important piece of 'literature' that was produced was a leaflet that detailed the pattern of train services that would operate over the (8pm Friday - 5am Monday) weekend in late May 1959 while the track layout between Shortlands/Chislehurst-Swanley/Petts Wood was dramatically changed and the new c/l signalling brought into use. 

Not only were there interesting train diversions: Victoria-Gillingham/Kent Coast (electric/steam) via Nunhead and Eltham Well Hall or Lee and Victoria-Maidstone East (electric) via Nunhead, Chislehurst, Sevenoaks (reverse) and Otford (reverse), but there was also imaginative use of bus services with links between Bromley South and Chislehurst, Lee and Eltham Well Hall to connect with diverted trains, as well as bus services actually paralleling the temporarily closed lines.

It is interesting to speculate just how long the railway would be closed for similar work today (two months?). I remember that the following Monday morning rush hour didn't go well, although trains managed to run, but it had all settled down by the Monday evening.

Edited March 20, 2019 by bécasse
corrected spelling

[keefer]

An article from Railway Magazine courtesy of SEMG online: http://www.semgonline.com/RlyMag/ElecTrainsFolkDover.pdf

Edited March 20, 2019 by keefer

[gelboy45]

Thanks keefer. Really interesting.

 

Gerry