Hastings at Knockholt 1986

All pics 1.4.1986 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing

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Knockholt is a small station in Kent, with a busy service. Back in 1986 it was an excellent spot to photograph a whole range of services and trains.

Top amongst these were the so-called 'Hastings' units which ran, on diesel power of course, from London Cannon Street down to Hastings via Tunbridge Wells and Battle. These were unique units, that were narrower than normal stock due to space restrictions on the Tonbridge-Hastings route. 

These would soon become history as the Tonbridge to Hastings line was electrified. This was their swansong. A few individual coaches also formed part of the 'Tadpole' units used on a few other routes.

Knockholt 19.5.1986

1521 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1540 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1583 Knockholt 19.5.1986

Knockholt 19.5.1986

1517 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1619 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1600 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1571 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1569 Knockholt 19.5.1986

47 486 Knockholt 19.5.1986

7853 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1551 Knockholt 19.5.1986

1522 Knockholt 19.5.1986

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Knockholt is a busy station in Kent, on the main line to Dover from London. 

Back in 1986 the first signs of sectorisation were appearing with the excellent 'Jaffa Cake' livery visible on one of the trains above. An hour or so at the station saw a succession of trains pass through, commonplace at the time but all lost to us now! The highlight was class 47 47 486 on an inter regional train, complete with main line liveried coaches.

Additional info (via Wikipedia)

Knockholt railway station is a railway station in the south eastern corner of the London Borough of Bromley, in Travelcard Zone 6 and on the South Eastern Main Line. It is located next to the Greater London boundary with Kent district of Sevenoaks. The boundary is the farm bridge at the southern end of the platforms.

Location

The station is 4.8 km (3.0 mi) north-northeast of the village of Knockholt but closer to several other settlements. The station serves several small communities in the Sevenoaks district in addition to Knockholt; Badgers Mount 1.3 km (0.81 mi) to the southeast, Well Hill 1.3 km (0.81 mi) northeast, andHalstead 2.2 km (1.4 mi) south. Within the Bromley borough Pratts Bottom is only 2 km (1.2 mi) west-southwest; and also Chelsfield (although having its own railway station, is in parts closer to Knockholt station) at about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) to the north and west. Many people often wonder why the station is not named after the village within it sits. To avoid confusion with Halstead in Essex, and due to Badgers Mount not entirely fulfilling the criteria for being a village, it was named after the next closest village, which is of course Knockholt.

Services[edit]

The typical off-peak service from the station is two trains per hour southbound to Sevenoaks and two trains per hour northbound to London Charing Cross, calling at all stations to Hither Green and then running fast to London Bridge.