Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Headcorn & Maidstone Junction Light Railway was a proposed railway in Kent
, which although an Act of Parliament was granted for construction, was not built apart from a short branch at Tovil, which was opened to goods only.
, the county town of Kent had been reached by the railway in 1846, when the South Eastern Railway
built a branch from Paddock Wood
. In 1856 a branch was built from Strood
to make an end-on junction with the branch from Paddock Wood at what is now station.
Headcorn
had been reached by the railway in 1842, being on the main line built between Tonbridge
and Ashford
.
This situation left Maidstone in a position where there was no direct access to either London
or the Channel Ports
by rail. In 1874 a branch was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
from Swanley
to the current station. This line was extended in 1884 to Ashford.
There were various schemes proposed to link Maidstone and Headcorn.
These were:
to the south of Maidstone. The villages of Chart Sutton
and Town Sutton (Sutton Valence) standing on the ridge where the railway would need to cross. The line from Paddock Wood to Maidstone had already taken the only gap in the ridge south of the town. But the River Loose had cut a channel into the ridge, which could possibly be used to drive a railway through to reach the top of the ridge.
and followed to Loose Valley to link up with a branch which had been built from the Medway Valley Line at Tovil Station across the River Medway
to a goods station in Tovil itself. The branch had opened in 1886. This line crossed the Medway by a substantial girder bridge. The entire line was to be single throughout and feature 17 level crossing
s, all ungated. The line was to be constructed according to the provisions of the Light Railways Act 1896
and the engineer was to be H. F. Stephens
.
There were objections to the level crossings required in the Loose Valley. Amongst the objectors was Herbert Green, who owned Hayle Mill, in the Loose Valley. His main objections were that the line would mean demolition of cottages he owned, and that smoke from the engines would ruin his hand made paper produced at the mill. Herbert Green suggested two separate proposals involving tunnels in the Loose Valley.
The public enquiry was reconvened in London
on the 10 April 1905. Further objections to the level crossings were raised, and it was eventually agreed to replace the level crossing at East Farleigh
Hill with a bridge over the road. This meant a level crossing would be built at Cave Hill, although with gates. Maidstone Borough Council
withdrew their objection after this was agreed. Opposition from various property owners included the owner and tenant of Hayle Place, and the owner of Park House Farm, Chart Sutton. Herbert Green raised further objections based on the fact that his insurance premiums would rise considerably in view of the increased fire risk. The enquiry concluded on the 27 April, and the commissioners held a further meeting on the 9 May to discuss various deviations etc. proposed.
. The mouth being some 100 yards (91.4 m) from Hayle Mill was an acceptable situation for Herbert Green, who said that "the longer the tunnel was the less the chance that the line would actually be built." The commissioners gave permission for the railway to charge an extra mile in fees for all traffic passing through the tunnel. The Light Railway Order was signed by David Lloyd George
on 6 May 1906. The railway had 3 years to complete compulsory purchase of land, and five years to complete construction.
The authorised share capital was raised to £96,000 from £78,000 and additional loan borrowings were increased £32,000, the extra being to cover the cost of the tunnel. In 1907 an amendment order was obtained to vary the borrowing structure, the Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway (Amendment) Order, 1907.
In the Annual Report of 1913, the K&ESR reported that the construction of the extension had not been commenced, but further powers were being asked for. The purchase monies were refunded to the landowners in 1917, but the line continued to be mentioned in the K&ESRs accounts until the mid 1930s.
tank locomotive was purchased for the K&ESR. It is widely thought that this locomotive was purchased to work on the H&MJLR. The Builder was Hawthorn Leslie & Company (works number 2587/1904) and the loco became K&ESR No.4 Hecate later Southern Railway
No.949 and British Railways No.30949.
and 09 shunters
, the bridge being deemed unsafe for anything heavier. The line was 21 chains (422.5 m) long and it closed to traffic on 3 October 1977. After closure the bridge over the River Medway was removed and the site of Tovil Goods Yard is now covered by housing development.
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, which although an Act of Parliament was granted for construction, was not built apart from a short branch at Tovil, which was opened to goods only.
Background
MaidstoneMaidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, the county town of Kent had been reached by the railway in 1846, when the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
built a branch from Paddock Wood
Paddock Wood
Paddock Wood is a small town and civil parish in the Borough of Tunbridge Wells and county of Kent in England, about southwest of Maidstone. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 8,263, and is the centre for hop growing in Kent.-History:...
. In 1856 a branch was built from Strood
Strood
Strood is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. It lies on the north west bank of the River Medway at its lowest bridging point, and is part of the Rochester post town....
to make an end-on junction with the branch from Paddock Wood at what is now station.
Headcorn
Headcorn
Headcorn is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the floodplain of the River Beult south east of Maidstone....
had been reached by the railway in 1842, being on the main line built between Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
and Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
.
This situation left Maidstone in a position where there was no direct access to either London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
or the Channel Ports
Channel Ports
The Channel Ports are seaports in southern England and the facing continent, which allow for short crossings of the English Channel. There is no formal definition, but there is a general understanding of the term. Some ferry companies divide their routes into "short" and "long" crossings...
by rail. In 1874 a branch was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
from Swanley
Swanley
Swanley is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located on the south-eastern outskirts of London, north of Sevenoaks town. The town boundaries encompass the settlements of Swanley itself, Hextable and Swanley Village...
to the current station. This line was extended in 1884 to Ashford.
There were various schemes proposed to link Maidstone and Headcorn.
These were:
- The Maidstone and Loose Valley (1856–57)
- The Loose Valley (1877)
- The Lydd Railway (Various Powers) (1877)
- The Tenterden (1894–95)
- The Headcorn Junction and Maidstone Light Railway (1904–05).
Geography
The main obstacle to building a railway between Maidstone and Headcorn was the Greensand RidgeGreensand Ridge
The Greensand Ridge is an extensive, prominent, often heavily wooded, sandstone escarpment and range of hills in south-east England. It runs in a horseshoe shape around the Weald of Surrey, Sussex and Kent. It reaches its highest elevation, , at Leith Hill in Surrey—the second highest point...
to the south of Maidstone. The villages of Chart Sutton
Chart Sutton
Chart Sutton is a small village on the edge of the Weald of Kent, approximately to the south of Maidstone. The village is small, with around 800 inhabitants, but the village does offer a village hall and a park...
and Town Sutton (Sutton Valence) standing on the ridge where the railway would need to cross. The line from Paddock Wood to Maidstone had already taken the only gap in the ridge south of the town. But the River Loose had cut a channel into the ridge, which could possibly be used to drive a railway through to reach the top of the ridge.
Route
The line was seen as a further extension of the Kent & East Sussex Railway northwards from Headcorn. It was proposed to make an end-on junction with the K&ESR at their Headcorn station, and crossing the SE&CR main line by a bridge of 60 feet (18.3 m) span climb towards Sutton Valence, needing to climb 244 ft in 2½ miles (74 m in 4 km). Having reached Sutton Valence the line then had to drop 300 ft in 4¼ miles (91 m in 6.85 km). The line would have passed the quarries at Boughton MonchelseaBoughton Monchelsea
For other Boughtons in Kent see Boughton Aluph; Boughton under Blean and Boughton MalherbeThe village and civil parish of Boughton Monchelsea is in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The civil parish lies on a ragstone ridge situated between the North Downs and the Weald of Kent and has...
and followed to Loose Valley to link up with a branch which had been built from the Medway Valley Line at Tovil Station across the River Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
to a goods station in Tovil itself. The branch had opened in 1886. This line crossed the Medway by a substantial girder bridge. The entire line was to be single throughout and feature 17 level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s, all ungated. The line was to be constructed according to the provisions of the Light Railways Act 1896
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
and the engineer was to be H. F. Stephens
H. F. Stephens
Colonel Holman Fred Stephens was a British light railway civil engineer and manager. During his lifetime he was engaged in engineering and building, and later managing, 16 light railways in England and Wales.- Biography :...
.
The Public Enquiry
The public enquiry into the building of the line was held at the Star Hotel, Maidstone on 17 March 1905. H F Stephens said that the proposed line would bring benefits of development of the local stone quarries at Boughton Monchelsea, then in decline, and lead to an increase in the population of the villages served. Stephens predicted traffic receipts of £20 per mile per week. William Rigby also supported the line, claiming the cost of £56,000 was reasonable. He was engaged on building the northern extension of the K&ESR from Tenterden to Headcorn at the time, and stood to gain the contract to build the proposed line.There were objections to the level crossings required in the Loose Valley. Amongst the objectors was Herbert Green, who owned Hayle Mill, in the Loose Valley. His main objections were that the line would mean demolition of cottages he owned, and that smoke from the engines would ruin his hand made paper produced at the mill. Herbert Green suggested two separate proposals involving tunnels in the Loose Valley.
The public enquiry was reconvened in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on the 10 April 1905. Further objections to the level crossings were raised, and it was eventually agreed to replace the level crossing at East Farleigh
East Farleigh
East Farleigh is a village and civil parish in the local government district of Maidstone, Kent, England. The village is located on the south side of the River Medway about two miles upstream of the town of Maidstone...
Hill with a bridge over the road. This meant a level crossing would be built at Cave Hill, although with gates. Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone (borough)
Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone which is also the County town of Kent...
withdrew their objection after this was agreed. Opposition from various property owners included the owner and tenant of Hayle Place, and the owner of Park House Farm, Chart Sutton. Herbert Green raised further objections based on the fact that his insurance premiums would rise considerably in view of the increased fire risk. The enquiry concluded on the 27 April, and the commissioners held a further meeting on the 9 May to discuss various deviations etc. proposed.
The Act.
In June 1905 the commissioners granted a Light Railway Order, the Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway Order, 1906. Amongst the changes made were a bridge over the main road at Sutton Valence instead of a level crossing, and a 428 yards (391.4 m) long tunnel at LooseLoose, Kent
Loose is a village some south of Maidstone, Kent, situated at the head of the Loose Valley. The village and the Loose Valley form the Loose Valley Conservation Area. The fast flowing River Loose which rises near Langley runs through the centre of the village and once supported a paper making...
. The mouth being some 100 yards (91.4 m) from Hayle Mill was an acceptable situation for Herbert Green, who said that "the longer the tunnel was the less the chance that the line would actually be built." The commissioners gave permission for the railway to charge an extra mile in fees for all traffic passing through the tunnel. The Light Railway Order was signed by David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
on 6 May 1906. The railway had 3 years to complete compulsory purchase of land, and five years to complete construction.
The authorised share capital was raised to £96,000 from £78,000 and additional loan borrowings were increased £32,000, the extra being to cover the cost of the tunnel. In 1907 an amendment order was obtained to vary the borrowing structure, the Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway (Amendment) Order, 1907.
In the Annual Report of 1913, the K&ESR reported that the construction of the extension had not been commenced, but further powers were being asked for. The purchase monies were refunded to the landowners in 1917, but the line continued to be mentioned in the K&ESRs accounts until the mid 1930s.
Locomotive
In 1904, an 0-8-00-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
tank locomotive was purchased for the K&ESR. It is widely thought that this locomotive was purchased to work on the H&MJLR. The Builder was Hawthorn Leslie & Company (works number 2587/1904) and the loco became K&ESR No.4 Hecate later Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
No.949 and British Railways No.30949.
The Tovil Goods Branch
As mentioned above, a single track branch line was carried over the River Medway to terminate at a goods station in Tovil. This line served the paper mills at Upper Tovil Mill, Lower Tovil Mill and Bridge Mill, as well as general goods traffic. The line was carried over the river on a substantial girder bridge. It was latterly worked by class 08British Rail Class 08
The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes....
and 09 shunters
British Rail Class 09
The British Rail Class 09 is a class of 0-6-0 diesel locomotive designed primarily for shunting and also short distance freight trips along branch lines....
, the bridge being deemed unsafe for anything heavier. The line was 21 chains (422.5 m) long and it closed to traffic on 3 October 1977. After closure the bridge over the River Medway was removed and the site of Tovil Goods Yard is now covered by housing development.