© www.dover-kent.co.uk 2024
Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom
Dover Marine Station
In 1860 the South Eastern Railway started running trains onto
the Admiralty Pier to connect with their cross-Channel steamers.
Their rival the London Chatham and Dover Railway started using
the pier in 1864. There was little protection on the narrow
platform and in stormy weather passengers and trains alike got
soaked by waves breaking over the pier. What was needed was a
purpose build station, with a roof!
In 1909 work started on reclaiming the land on which to build
the Marine Station. The Admiralty Pier was built in a curve and a
wall was constructed a short distance from the pier, straight
across the curve to the original, pre-extension pier head. The
area between the wall and the pier was reclaimed using chalk
quarried from the cliffs.
The magnificent Marine Station had just been completed in 1914
when the First World War broke out, so its first passengers were
troops on their way to Flanders and the sick and wounded
returning from the front. In recognition of the part it played in
war transport, the war memorial of the South Eastern &
Chatham Railway was placed there rather than at one of the
large London termini.
The Marine Station opened to civilian Continental traffic in
January 1920 with a full passenger service by February 1922. As
well as the constant stream of ordinary boat trains carrying
passengers to and from the continent, the station also saw
special services such as the luxury Pullman train Golden Arrow.
Also before the advent of safe, reliable air travel, Dover was the
port of entry for most VIPs from the continent, with the Marine
Station welcoming European royalty and heads of state.
The Station played its part in Second World War handling the
hundreds of special trains for the Dunkirk evacuation and
suffering much bomb and shell damage.
After the war passenger services returned but as the car ferry
services increased the number rail passengers crossing the
channel fell.
In 1994 the Marine Station closed to rail traffic and in 1996,
after a major refurbishment, re-opened as Dover’s new Cruise
Liner Terminal.
the Admiralty Pier to connect with their cross-Channel steamers.
Their rival the London Chatham and Dover Railway started using
the pier in 1864. There was little protection on the narrow
platform and in stormy weather passengers and trains alike got
soaked by waves breaking over the pier. What was needed was a
purpose build station, with a roof!
In 1909 work started on reclaiming the land on which to build
the Marine Station. The Admiralty Pier was built in a curve and a
wall was constructed a short distance from the pier, straight
across the curve to the original, pre-extension pier head. The
area between the wall and the pier was reclaimed using chalk
quarried from the cliffs.
The magnificent Marine Station had just been completed in 1914
when the First World War broke out, so its first passengers were
troops on their way to Flanders and the sick and wounded
returning from the front. In recognition of the part it played in
war transport, the war memorial of the South Eastern &
Chatham Railway was placed there rather than at one of the
large London termini.
The Marine Station opened to civilian Continental traffic in
January 1920 with a full passenger service by February 1922. As
well as the constant stream of ordinary boat trains carrying
passengers to and from the continent, the station also saw
special services such as the luxury Pullman train Golden Arrow.
Also before the advent of safe, reliable air travel, Dover was the
port of entry for most VIPs from the continent, with the Marine
Station welcoming European royalty and heads of state.
The Station played its part in Second World War handling the
hundreds of special trains for the Dunkirk evacuation and
suffering much bomb and shell damage.
After the war passenger services returned but as the car ferry
services increased the number rail passengers crossing the
channel fell.
In 1994 the Marine Station closed to rail traffic and in 1996,
after a major refurbishment, re-opened as Dover’s new Cruise
Liner Terminal.
