The London, Chatham and Dover Railway opened a line to Ramsgate from London on 5 October 1863. The line finished at Ramsgate after running through an 1,124-yard (1,028 m) tunnel to Ramsgate Harbour station. Due to the relatively steep gradient within the tunnel an out-of-control train ran through the station onto the beach in August 1891 and again in March 1915.
As the years passed by and use increased with the growth of the town the station became unusable due to the limited space it offered and also due to the gradient two engines were needed to haul freight from the harbour.
In 1926 it was decided that during the railway restructuring that two new stations in Ramsgate would be built and linked together making both the harbour station and town station obsolete. The tunnel was closed and sealed with the harbour station being used as a zoo and amusement park known as merrie england.
By 1933 Merrie England was an extremely popular attraction and it was decided to reuse a 780 yards (710 m) section of the original tunnel with a new spur of 364-yard (333 m) at Hereson Road which was a short walk from the mainline station.
The new narrow guage line was electrified and took just 12 weeks to open
During the war the tunnels formed part of the towns air raid shelter system containing a large amount of interlinked tunnels and entrances.
The railway finally closed its doors following and accident in July 1965 when another train ran off ofthe end of the tracks at the harbour staion.
a couple of the original sign that can be seen in the original pic.
some of the unlined air raid tunnels
the blockage caused by a burst water main
the hereson junction
Thanks for looking any feedback appreciated
As the years passed by and use increased with the growth of the town the station became unusable due to the limited space it offered and also due to the gradient two engines were needed to haul freight from the harbour.
In 1926 it was decided that during the railway restructuring that two new stations in Ramsgate would be built and linked together making both the harbour station and town station obsolete. The tunnel was closed and sealed with the harbour station being used as a zoo and amusement park known as merrie england.
By 1933 Merrie England was an extremely popular attraction and it was decided to reuse a 780 yards (710 m) section of the original tunnel with a new spur of 364-yard (333 m) at Hereson Road which was a short walk from the mainline station.
The new narrow guage line was electrified and took just 12 weeks to open
During the war the tunnels formed part of the towns air raid shelter system containing a large amount of interlinked tunnels and entrances.
The railway finally closed its doors following and accident in July 1965 when another train ran off ofthe end of the tracks at the harbour staion.
a couple of the original sign that can be seen in the original pic.
some of the unlined air raid tunnels
the blockage caused by a burst water main
the hereson junction
Thanks for looking any feedback appreciated
