Kemsley Halt.

[Paul_C]

Another almost impossible request but would anyone happen to have any photos of the brick built booking hall that stood on the the Sheerness bound platform at Kemsley please. I've looked in the Middleton Press book but that shows nothing so the search continues. 

 

I believe the building was demolished around 1980'ish although that is a very rough guess. The word Halt was dropped from the nameplates in '61/'62 I think. Anything would be most appreciated folks. I know that many books exist but when I trawl through these publications at exhibitions there is very little on the branch line.

 

Paul.

[Tom Burnham]

There's this 1959 photo by Roger Joanes on Flickr -

 

[Paul_C]

That's a brilliant shot Tom, thank you. I remember there being a small turning area come pull in at the front of the station but getting shots of that will be very difficult I would imagine. Thanks Tom.

 

Paul.

[Tom Burnham]

I suppose the bit that sticks out on to the platform had the levers for the passing loop points and signals. Surprising it continued to be called a halt - perhaps in part because there were no goods facilities.

[MidlandRed]

On 01/03/2023 at 22:20, Tom Burnham said:

There's this 1959 photo by Roger Joanes on Flickr -

 

Extraordinary photo - platforms newly extended and 3rd rails in place, all part of the Kent Coast scheme presumably - are the platform extensions to allow for six or eight  car trains (presumably the direct peak services to/from London)? Also incredibly rural in this direction - the left side is completely developed now. 

Edited March 3, 2023 by MidlandRed

[bécasse]

Electric services started on Monday 15 June 1959, nine days after Roger took the photo, presumably on the Saturday afternoon as we had school on Saturday mornings. In the initial timetable there was as hourly London Victoria - Sheerness direct service off-peak as well as peak and that called at Kemsley, there was also an hourly Sittingbourne - Sheerness shuttle and an hourly Sheerness - Dover Priory service, incredibly intense considering that the branch was single track from the Swale Bridge with just one passing loop at Queenborough. London trains would have been at least 8 HAP at peak hours (including Saturdays in those days).

[The Lurker]

The Kentrail pages have pictures from 2007, after the demise of the brick building including one from the same position on the footbridge as the 1959  shot.

 

https://www.kentrail.org.uk/kemsley_halt.htm

 

Also a little more when the "Halt" might have disappeared from the station name

[Tom Burnham]

It was a genuine halt when it opened, but it was rebuilt (around 1938 from memory) with a passing loop. Until then the Sheerness branch had one single track section from Middle Junction (Sittingbourne) to Queenborough.