Dover Town Yard

Including the Train Ferry

Prior to the advent of the Channel Tunnel, this was an important marshalling yard for continental freight traffic. Since the railway first reached Dover as long ago as 1844, the site below the town’s Western Heights has evolved from that of a terminus station, to a motive power depot, to a marshalling yard and, finally, a lorry park. The spectacle of wagons below the White Cliffs bearing legends such as Transfesa and Ferrywagon is in the long-distant past; however, the railway enthusiast only has to journey less than ten miles west, to the sidings at Dollands Moor, to observe overseas freight traffic in action, albeit via the tunnel rather than seaborne.

Given the close link between Dover Town Yard and the Train Ferry, your author feels it appropriate to cover the latter here, too. The specifics of the SR’s motive power depot below Western Heights is dealt with in the Dover Shed section.

Train Ferry

In April 1929 the then Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, set up the Channel Tunnel Committee. The Committee issued a report on 14th March of the following year, which estimated that the cost of two independent railway traffic tunnels under the Channel would be £25,000,000, in addition to £5,600,000 for a pilot tunnel to verify the practicality of the scheme. The report was produced in collaboration with the Southern Railway and France’s Northern Railway, both of which it was proposed would operate and maintain the tunnel, and funding was to be through private finance. Traction would be electric throughout and the cost of the required new steel rolling stock would be shared between the two railway companies.

The same report also outlined a series of alternatives to the rail tunnel:

• A Channel Tunnel open to both road and railway traffic.
• A combined railway and road bridge across the Channel.
• The construction of a railway tube, laid on the seabed between Britain and France.
• A cross-Channel passenger and goods ferry.

(ref: The Scotsman, 15th March 1930)

In December 1930, it was announced that representatives of both the SR and Northern Railway of France had met in Dover to discuss the possibility of a train ferry across the Channel. By this time, the proposal to build the Channel Tunnel had been abandoned. The train ferry would enable passengers to travel between London and Paris without leaving their carriage compartments. Both Dover and Richborough, the latter used as a ferry base during World War I, were inspected as possible landing places, with Calais being selected as the French port, and it was proposed to initially use the service for goods only (ref: News Chronicle, 15th December 1930).

Click the above for a larger version © David Glasspool

Enshrined in the Southern Railway Bill, 1932, was the provision of terminal facilities at Dover for a cross-Channel train ferry, in addition to permission for the conveyance of coal traffic along that town’s seafront railway. The latter was owned by the Dover Harbour Board, but the SR had running powers over it. The Bill was passed by a House of Commons Select Committee on Tuesday, 26th April 1932 (ref: The Kentish Express, 29th April 1932).

At the SR’s annual meeting on 2nd March 1933 the company’s Chairman, Mr G. E. Loder, announced that, after an investigation of the conditions at French ports by the company, Dunkerque had been identified as the most suitable location for a train ferry terminal (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 26th May 1933). In July of the same year, the company placed an order with Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Ltd. of Newcastle-on-Tyne for the construction of three train ferry boats for use on the Dover to Dunkerque route. Each vessel was to be 360-feet in length, with four sets of rails on deck, and driven by twin-screw-geared turbines. The mechanically-stoked ships were to be built at Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson's Neptune works, Walker-on-Tyne; the propelling machinery supplied by Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co., Ltd; and the water-tube boilers produced by Messrs. Yarrows, Ltd (ref: Supplement to the Journal of Commerce and Shipping Telegraph, 31st July 1933). 120 different firms had submitted tenders for construction of the ships, twelve of which had been called in by the SR for closer consideration (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 16th March 1934).

The first of the three train ferry vessels, named Twickenham Ferry, was launched at the builder’s Neptune yard on Thursday, 15th March 1934 (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 16th March 1934). Sister ship Hampton Ferry was launched at the same yard on Monday, 30th July of that year, and the final vessel "Shepperton Ferry" on 23rd October (ref: The Journal of Commerce and Shipping Telegraph, 31st July and 25th October 1934).

In the meantime, at the SR’s annual meeting on 1st March 1934, the company’s Chairman announced that negotiations were in progress with the International Sleeping Car Company for the running of a night service of sleeping cars between London and Paris via the train ferry. It was thought that this would be a popular innovation, particularly among businessmen. It was hoped that the train ferry service between Dover and Dunkerque would be operational for goods traffic by summer 1935 (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 2nd March 1934).

1958

A northward view depicts "C" Class 0-6-0 No. 31243 upon the tracks that led to the Customs Transit Shed, the latter of which is out of view to the right. "C" Class engines were permitted to run onto the train ferry. Behind the locomotive is Tidal Basin, beyond which can be seen the mansions of Waterloo Crescent (still extant today) along the seafront and, prominent on the clifftop, Dover Castle. Hawkesbury Street Junction, the former Dover Harbour station, and Dover Priory are in the leftward direction. In the December 1959 edition of "The Railway Magazine" it was reported that No. 31243 had been withdrawn from ordinary Southern Region stock. © David Glasspool Collection

On Friday, 15th February 1935, the SR issued its annual report for the past year. This stated that the construction of the train ferry dock at Dover was progressing, but due to unforeseen difficulties, the work could not be completed in the timeframe originally laid out. The SR’s Chairman, Mr R. Holland-Martin, stated at the company’s annual meeting that the construction difficulties encountered with the train ferry dock at Dover were "due to the appearance of a small fissure in the chalk outside the experience of any geologist". When cofferdams were sunk, water was still encountered, in spite of extensive pumping operations (ref: The Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette, 6th March 1935). By that time, the SR had taken delivery of two of the three train ferries after successful trials and, in connection with the service, a Customs Examination Shed and Bonded Store were to be established at Bricklayers Arms (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 22nd February 1935).

The last of the train ferry steamers built by Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. left the Tyne for Dover on Thursday, 21st March 1935, after successful trials. The contract was worth between £400,000 and £500,000 (ref: The Daily Mail, 22nd March 1935). All three ferries were laid up until the dock works at Dover and Dunkerque were completed — at the latter, no serious difficulties were encountered (ref: Western Mail & South Western News, 13th October 1936).

At the SR’s annual meeting on 27th February 1936, it was announced that the Dover to Dunkerque train ferry service would begin in October of that year. Businessmen would be able to leave London late at night and sleep in the same carriage berth until they reached Paris for breakfast. Although it was conceded that competition from air routes would inevitably increase, there was confidence that the train ferry would be the preferred choice amongst travellers (ref: The Civil & Military Gazette, 29th February 1936).

On Monday, 12th October 1936, the French Ambassador in London — M. Corbin — inaugurated the then new train ferry service in Dover. The Ambassador, whilst waving a shunter’s green flag, gave the right-of-way signal for twelve sleeping cars on the London to Paris route to be moved onboard the waiting train ferry (alternatively, the ferry could hold forty wagons). Sir John Simon, the then Home Secretary, was also present, in addition to a large number of British and French railway officials. After the carriages had been shunted onboard, the Ambassador returned from the ferry to the quayside and pushed a button to release the huge gates of the dock (ref: Western Mail & South Western News, 13th October 1936). The total cost of the train ferry project was reported to have been £1,000,000 (ref: Daily Herald (London), 13th October 1936).

The train ferry dock at Dover was 405-feet-long by 72-feet-wide and, as a result of the aforementioned difficulties encountered with the chalk, took over a year to build. Each dock gate weighed 300 tons and, prior to ferries leaving the dock, the gates were lowered to the bed of the harbour, rather than opening outwards. Over 1,500 goods wagons were built specifically for the train ferry service and, at the time, it was reported that freight would be able to be sent directly from Britain to as far as the Balkan States (ref: Western Mail & South Wales News, 13th October 1936).

30th May 1961

An eastward view depicts "Schools" Class 4-4-0 No. 30936 "Cranleigh" heading towards Shakespeare Tunnel with a Charing Cross via Tonbridge and Orpington service. The tunnel portals are about 200-yards behind the camera and, naturally, the sea wall is beyond the vans on the right. By this time, catenary had been erected over a series of sidings in the yard for the E5000 series (Class 71) electrics. After electrification of the Kent Coast routes, No. 30936 was reallocated to Nine Elms (70A) and withdrawn from that shed in December 1962 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, February 1963). © David Glasspool Collection

Each of the three train ferries averaged a weight of approximately 2,840 tons, and averaged a speed of fifteen knots. At the rear ends of the upper decks of each ferry was situated a garage with the capacity to hold twenty-five cars, whilst on the passenger deck above the rails were a restaurant, saloons, and private cabins (ref: Western Mail & South Wales News, 13th October 1936). The regular service began on 14th October 1936: trains left London Victoria at 10:00 P.M. and Paris Nord at 9:50 P.M., with arrivals at 8.55 A.M. and 8.30 A.M. respectively (ref: The Railway Magazine, November 1936). This train became known as the Night Ferry.

On 20th June 1937, a small signal box by the name of Dover Ferry was brought into use (ref: Volume 4, Southern Railway Register Section E10: Hawkesbury Street Junction to Dover Ferry, Signalling Record Society). Situated adjacent to the dock, this signal box controlled movements on and off the train ferry. The levers in Dover Ferry signal box would not operate without a ferry being berthed at the dock; the vessel’s stern would be bolted to a ramp linking it with the quayside, completing an electrical circuit that activated the frame (ref: Grand European Expresses: The Story of the Wagons-Lits, George Behrend, 1962). The train ferry dock was not directly accessible from the Folkestone direction, requiring trains to reverse at Hawkesbury Street Junction.

Development of the Yard

Modernisation of Western Docks had been set in motion by the completion of the grand Dover Marine station under the auspices of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Joint Management Committee. The station had come into use on 2nd January 1915 for ambulance traffic, the docks having become part of an enclosed military zone on the outbreak of war. Marine station was first opened to public traffic on 18th January 1919, on the resumption of the Dover to Ostend sea route (ref: The Railway Magazine, June 1919).

Major reorganisation of the area below Dover’s Western Heights was undertaken by the SR, beginning in 1926 when a start was made on demolishing Archcliffe Fort (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 22nd October 1926). Removal of the fort, in addition to land reclamation to the south, sought to widen the approaches to Western Docks from the Folkestone direction, establish a modern locomotive depot to replace the existing shed at Priory, and provide space for freight sidings. Through demolition of the fort, completed in September 1928, 75,000 tons of chalk were generated, a considerable amount of which was used to fill in the viaduct between Archcliffe and Shakespeare Cliff (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 21st September 1928).

Marine station was extended to accommodate longer trains and Priory station rebuilt (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 30th December 1927). Dover Harbour station, opened by the London Chatham & Dover Railway in 1861, was closed on and from 10th July 1927 (ref: Clinker's Register, 1980), and demolition of the trainshed and platforms occurred in June 1929 (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 14th June 1929).

16th March 1977

Formerly, south of Hawkesbury Street Junction, a footbridge crossed those tracks that led to the train ferry dock and Marine station from the Priory direction. A roughly eastward view from the footbridge shows Class 08 shunter Nos. 08892 and 08833 in the train ferry sidings. The location of the train ferry dock is marked in the background by the two towers of the ramp that bridged the gap between land and vessel. The enclosed footbridge in the background, erected by the Southern Railway and built to the same design as that still in existence at Swanley, linked the car clearance shed and train ferry dock with Lord Warden Square, the latter adjacent to the former hotel that later became "Southern House". Behind the vans, just right of centre, is the Customs Transit Shed, whilst on the far left is Tidal Basin. The tracks that curve to the right in the background continued to Marine station. © David Glasspool Collection

Messrs. G. E. Wallis and Sons, Ltd., of Broadmead Works, Maidstone, was selected as the contractor to build the engine shed (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 21st September 1928). Comprising five-roads and located adjacent to Dover’s Western Beach (today known as Shakespeare Beach), the shed was brought into use on 9th November 1929 (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 27th December 1929).

On 3rd June 1928, a new signal box was opened at Archcliffe Junction (ref: Southern Railway Register, Section B1: Tonbridge to Dover, Signalling Record Society). This was at the western end of the triangular junction formed by lines from Folkestone, Priory, and Marine. The signal box sat in the fork of the junction, at the western extremity of a platform face partly formed by the remains of the South Eastern Railway’s Dover Town station. The latter closed for good to passengers on and from 14th October 1914 (ref: Clinker's Register, 1980); it was converted into an ambulance station and all trains diverted to the Harbour station (ref: The Locomotive Magazine and Railway Carriage and Wagon Review, 14th November 1914).

On Sunday, 8th May 1932, the rebuilt Dover Priory station was opened without ceremony (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 13th May 1932). The cost of reconstruction was estimated to have been £135,000 (ref: The Dover & County Chronicle 9th May 1925). At Hawkesbury Street Junction — where the line from Priory diverged for Marine station and Folkestone — a new signal box was brought into use on 13th May 1934 (ref: Southern Railway Register, Section E1: St Mary Cray Junction to Dover Marine, Signalling Record Society). The signal box was built on the eastern side of the tracks, in line with the remains of a retaining wall that once supported the trainshed of Harbour station, and replaced a Stevens & Sons cabin that existed about 90-yards to the south, on the opposite side of the tracks. The signal box controlled a remodelled junction and the approaches to what became the train ferry dock. As previously mentioned, the latter was opened with ceremony on 12th October 1936, marking the completion of Western Docks’ transformation.

26th March 1978

A westward view captured from the "Man of Kent" rail tour — a Kent Coast circular from Victoria, hauled by "Deltic" No. 55007, that also ventured to Bognor Regis — includes those sidings of Dover Town Yard that occupied the former site of the engine shed. As evidenced here, two sidings were equipped with third rail to berth electric passenger stock. On the right, in front of the "Deltic", is Archcliffe Junction signal box. The hopper wagons on the left were owned by "Polybulk Limited", a consortium of international experts in transport engineering and the distribution of bulk solid, and were used to transport grain from the continent. The first train of maize from Lavaur, France arrived at a grain silo in Pinhoe, Exeter on 28th August 1974, formed of "Polybulk" hoppers, although these travelled on Zeebrugge to Harwich train ferry, rather than via Dunkerque and Dover. © David Glasspool Collection

War Years

On the outbreak of war on 3rd September 1939, regular cross-Channel civilian traffic ceased to run. During the conflict, Twickenham Ferry found itself in Birkenhead, at Cammell Laird’s shipbuilding yard, where it was equipped with a huge gantry over the stern, allowing railway stock to be lifted from its deck and placed onto an adjacent quay or landing place (ref: The Liverpool Echo, 31st May 1945). On 29th June 1944, three days after the Allies recaptured Cherbourg from the Germans, Twickenham Ferry delivered the first cargo of steam locomotives to that French port to support the Allied invasion (ref: Daily News (London), 4th July 1945). As for Hampton Ferry, she was named HMS Hampton during the war and became a minelayer, laying 6,000 mines in the English Channel. Later during the conflict, Hampton Ferry passed from the Admiralty to the Ministry of War Transport and was used to convey military equipment and motor vehicles between Stranraer, Scotland and Larne, Northern Ireland (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 25th October 1946).

Given its proximity to the continent and the existence of the harbour and docks, it is not surprising that Dover was hard-hit during World War II. The town was subject to four years of heavy shelling from German artillery stationed on the northern coast of France. During the conflict, four members of Dover’s locomotive department were killed, several injured, and locomotives and rolling stock machine-gunned, bombed, or shelled (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 5th January 1945). The engine shed’s exposed location made it vulnerable to attack and, as a result, most of locomotive allocation and staff were transferred to Ashford. After an attack, a locomotive would be sent along the track in the vicinity where shells fell, to verify that the lines were good enough for regular traffic. At night, the track would be walked along instead, just in case there were unseen craters or fallen bridges (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 5th January 1945).

Under the control of the Ministry of War Transport, Hampton Ferry and Shepperton Ferry were both used to return numbers of austerity steam locomotives from France to Britain that had been taken over for war purposes, but never used due to the speed in which Nazi Germany was overrun (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 8th March 1946). Twickenham Ferry returned to Dover in July 1946, by which time the gantry had been removed (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 19th July 1946).

27th June 1984

A south eastward view shows Hawkesbury Street Junction signal box, which was opened by the Southern Railway in 1934. It was situated upon the former site of the closed Harbour station’s "down" platform — indeed, the retaining wall of the latter is evident in the background and was level with the rear of the signal box. The rear wall of the signal box’s base is still evident today, the cabin having closed in April 1998. Harbour Tunnel and Priory are to the left; Western Docks station and Folkestone to the right. On the right is the end of the former Harbour station's main building, which today houses a gym, concert hall, and shipping offices. © David Glasspool Collection

Post War and Electrification

Over the weekend of 10th/11th August 1946, the Port of Dunkerque was officially re-opened — it had been closed until that time because of mines (ref: Belfast News-Letter, 7th August 1946). The Night Ferry restarted on Monday, 15th December 1947, departing Victoria at 8:30 PM and travelling via war-battered Dunkerque. Three sleeping cars were in service in each direction nightly except for Fridays and Saturdays, when an additional car was put on. In the daytime, the train ferries were used for general passengers, goods wagons, and motor cars (ref: The Scotsman, 18th December 1947).

An important traffic conveyed from Dunkerque to Dover via the train ferry was that of fruit and vegetables. On landing at Dover, these perishables were conveyed by rail to Ewer Street, Southwark. Ewer Street had been established by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway in 1901 as a dedicated fruit and vegetable depot, replacing the previous arrangement of managing this traffic at London Bridge (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 1901). In connection with the February 1956-approved Kent Coast Electrification Scheme, Ewer Street was replaced by a then new Continental Freight Depot at Hither Green, this of which came into use on 10th October 1960 (ref: Southern Electric 1909-1979, G. T. Moody).

From 21st February 1959, Dover Marine station was closed for a week to allow extensive alterations to be made in connection with the Kent Coast Electrification Scheme. These included making a start on lengthening the platforms by 114-foot to accommodate twelve-car trains, track layout revisions, building in the provision for future colour light signalling, and constructing a fully-enclosed footbridge to link the railway station with the train ferry dock. Traffic to and from Marine station resumed on 1st March, although the works were not due to be completed until the end of May (ref: The Railway Magazine, May 1959).

1988

The Gothic portals of Shakespeare Tunnel are evident in the background of this view showing "Jaffa Cake" No. 1547 nearing journey’s end with a service from Charing Cross via Orpington. The prefabricated concrete footbridge linked the cliff top with Shakespeare Beach; it was closed on Christmas Eve 2015 with the line beneath it, when a routine track inspection found sink holes along the course of the line. The line remained closed until September of the following year, after £40 million of repairs, services between Dover and Folkestone recommencing on 5th of that month. A new footbridge across the line, to replace the one pictured above, did not come into use until March 2017. © David Glasspool Collection

In the meantime, the 10:00 P.M. departure of the Night Ferry from Victoria on Monday, 8th June 1959 became the first public electric train on the route to Dover via Chatham. This comprised five corridor carriages, seven sleeping cars, and two luggage vans, hauled by E5000 series Bo-Bo electric No. E5003 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, August 1959). The Night Ferry was Britain’s heaviest passenger express train and, from 2nd December 1963, it became even heavier with the addition of two carriages. This took its weight up to 850 tons, twice that of an ordinary passenger express (ref: The Railway Magazine, January 1964).

The full accelerated electric timetable between London and the Kent Coast via Chatham came into use on Monday, 15th June 1959 (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, August 1959). In conjunction with electrification, overhead wires were installed in Dover Town Yard for use by the pantograph-fitted E5000 series Doncaster-built electrics.

On 12th June 1961, electric passenger working commenced between London and Dover via Tonbridge and Ashford. This was to existing steam timings, because the necessary signalling had not been completed by that time to allow faster running (The Railway Magazine, July 1961). In the June 1961 edition of the RCTS’ The Railway Observer magazine, it was reported that both Dover and Folkestone engine sheds were expected to close entirely at that time. After the disused shed at Dover was taken down, additional goods lines were laid on its former site, in addition to a pair of electrified sidings. The full accelerated electric timetable via Tonbridge and Ashford took effect on 18th June 1962 (ref: Kentish Express, 22nd June 1962).

1989

In this eastward view, Class 33 Nos. 33206 and 33205 are seen stabled in Town Yard. In 1991, they were two of four locomotives allocated to Railfreight Distribution’s "FDIB" pool, which was dedicated to working the train ferry link span at Dover. The other two locomotives, also Class 33 diesels, were Nos. 33203 and 33211, and the pool was officially Stewarts Lane-allocated. © David Glasspool Collection

In November 1969 Hampton Ferry, one of the original trio of vessels built for the train ferry service, saw an end to its Channel career after being sold to Claxton Ltd of Hamilton, Bermuda. In December of that year the ship was towed to Faslane, on the Clyde in Scotland, where new diesel engines and boilers were installed and the name Tre-Arddur applied. In June 1970 the ship was towed to Piraeus in Greece (ref: The History of Dover Harbour, Alec Hasenson, 1980). Sister ship Shepperton Ferry made her final English Channel crossing on Saturday, 26th August 1972 (ref: Liverpool Echo, 26th August 1972). In 1974, Twickenham Ferry was suddenly withdrawn after an explosion in her boilers (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 27th September 1974). By this time, the ferry was owned by French firm Anonyme de Navigation Angleterre-Lorraine-Alsace, which in the following year sold the vessel to a firm of Spanish shipbreakers (ref: Newcastle Journal, 2nd April 1975). She was towed to the breakers from Dunkerque on Thursday, 23rd May 1974 (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 24th May 1974).

In 1972 a then new train ferry for the Dover to Dunkerque service, called St Eloi, was launched in Italy. The ship was owned by Angleterre-Alsace-Lorraine Co., had the capacity to hold 200 cars and 1,000 passengers, and was scheduled to enter service in that October (ref: Kentish Express, 16th June 1972). In the same year, the M.V. Anderida commenced operation on the route, replacing Shepperton Ferry (ref: Liverpool Echo, 26th August 1972).

The final "down" working of the Night Ferry departed Victoria behind Class 33 No. 33043 on 31st October 1980. The last "up" train of the service arrived the following morning behind Electro-Diesel No. 73142 Broadlands (ref: The Railway Magazine, January 1981). The Night Ferry had been First Class-only since 1956 and, by the end, had the distinction of being the only service running on British Rail that used pre-war rolling stock (ref: The Railway Magazine, January 1981). The Class 71 (E5000 series) electrics that had previously hauled the service had all been withdrawn on 3rd October 1976 and placed into store (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, December 1976).

1989

This panorama of the yard from atop the cliff just west of Archcliffe Fort includes Archcliffe Junction and signal box to the left, a yard packed with wagons — including a trainload of Land Rovers for export — and, in the background, Marine station. Behind Archcliffe Junction signal box is the large single platform surface that once formed part of Dover Town station, closed to passenger traffic as long ago as October 1914. The towers of the linkspan of the 1988 train ferry dock are just visible on horizon, beyond the rear of Marine station. Your author does have a slide depicting a close-up of the 1988 link span, but he is currently having a hard time trying to locate it in his collection. © David Glasspool Collection

New Train Ferry Dock

On Tuesday, 26th August 1986, the Dover Harbour Board officially invited major construction firms to submit tenders for the construction of a new train ferry dock at Admiralty Pier, Western Docks. Estimated to cost £9 million, this was to replace the dock of 1936 (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 29th August 1986). The Harbour Board was unperturbed by the signing of the Fixed Link Treaty in Canterbury on 12th February of the same year, which formally marked the start of the project to build the Channel Tunnel; nor was Sally Line’s proposed £16 million port development at Ramsgate a deterrent, this of which included a rail-served freight terminal and had the potential to divert continental goods traffic away from Dover (ref: Isle of Thanet Gazette, 6th June 1986).

At the time of the Dover Harbour Board’s announcement of a new dock, a new train ferry was already under construction in Dunkerque (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 6th June 1986). This was launched at the Normed Shipyard in Dunkerque on 30th April 1987. This vessel was constructed from 120 prefabricated sections and, on its main deck, comprised nearly 2,000 feet (610 metres) of railway track — enough to accommodate thirty bogie wagons or fifty standard wagons (ref: The Railway Magazine, July 1987).

In London on Monday, 22nd December 1986, it was announced that the Dover Harbour Board had signed separate agreements with British Rail, SNCF, the Port of Dunkerque, Sealink UK, W. A. Dawson (civil engineers), and the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company of Darlington for the construction, management, and operation of the then new train ferry berth (ref: Newcastle Journal, 23rd December 1986). The site of the berth was located halfway along Admiralty Pier and required the demolition of existing carriage cleaning buildings and the laying of new sidings. The ramps and bridges serving the then new train ferry dock would make use of sensor technology to automatically raise and lower during loading/unloading. The works were scheduled to be completed by 31st January 1988. An agreement between the Dover Harbour Board and SNCF stipulated the operation of the train ferry for an initial period of ten years (ref: East Kent Mercury, 31st December 1986). As a result of this deal, Sally Line dropped its proposals to develop a rail-served port at Ramsgate on 10th December 1986 (ref: Isle of Thanet Gazette, 12th December 1986).

Since 1924, a train ferry service had also existed between Harwich in Essex and Zeebrugge in Belgium. The final voyage on this route was completed on Saturday, 31st January 1987, after which Dover became the country’s only train ferry port (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 6th February 1987). Two vessels were in use on the Harwich to Zeebrugge route by that time: Speedlink Vanguard and Cambridge Ferry. The former went into dry dock at Tyneside, before being returned to her owners Stena Line; Cambridge Ferry sailed down to Dover on the weekend the service ceased and, on Monday 2nd February 1987, started berthing trials for introduction to the train ferry route between there and Dunkerque (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 6th February 1987).

Although 31st January 1988 had been the expected date of completion for the then new dock, problems with the linkspan pushed this back (ref: Branch Line News No. 584, Branch Line Society, 21st April 1988). The official opening of the dock was scheduled for Thursday, 12th May 1988; however, a seamen’s strike and a blockade of the ramp at Dunkerque forced this to be postponed (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 13th May 1988). Nevertheless, the Nord Pas De Calais — the train ferry vessel launched in Dunkerque specifically for the new service — had made its first commercial run into the then new dock earlier that week (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 13th May 1988). On Monday, 16th May 1988, what was envisaged to be the final train ferry departure from the berth of 1936 was made. French train ferry Saint Germain also made her final Channel voyage on that day, after which she was laid up in Dunkerque (ref: The Dover Express and East Kent News, 20th May 1988).

Summer 1995

Wearing the two-tone grey livery of Railfreight Distribution, Class 47 Nos. 47344 and 47033 are seen in Town Yard after arrival with a rake of "Cargowaggon" sliding-door vans. These were privately-owned German-built bogie wagons, which were air-braked and suitable for running across British Rail’s "Speedlink" freight network. In the foreground are the electrified berthing sidings — then out of use — that were previously seen in the 1978 photograph. The edge of Shakespeare Cliff is just visible. © David Glasspool Collection

During the last week of September 1988, the linkspan of the then recently-opened train ferry dock failed — the structure collapsed into the water (ref: Branch Line News No. 596, Branch Line Society, 27th October 1988). This resulted in the dock of 1936 being brought back into use temporarily; the track connections to it had been restored by 27th September 1988. The Nord Pas De Calais was too large to fit into the old dock at Dover and, as a result, Cambridge Ferry was brought back from her latest haunts in Falmouth to work the route. Additionally, the Chartres was reassigned to the Dover to Dunkerque route from the Newhaven to Dieppe run. Cambridge Ferry made her first sailing on 30th September 1988; the Chartres had been deployed on 27th of the same month. It was expected that repairs to the linkspan would take up to three weeks (ref: Branch Line News No. 596, Branch Line Society, 27th October 1988).

The Channel Tunnel was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II and President Mitterrand of France on 6th May 1994 (ref: The Official Channel Tunnel Factfile, 1998). On 27th of the following month, the first revenue-earning freight services through the tunnel began (ref: Branch Line News No. 734, Branch Line Society, 16th July 1994). Thereafter, a phased migration of continental rail traffic from ferry to Chunnel occurred, as and when security certification for loading points was obtained and Class 92 electric locomotives commissioned (ref: Branch Line News No. 770, Branch Line Society, 27th January 1996).

Dover Western Docks closed to scheduled passenger traffic on 25th September 1994, but the connections between the station, Archcliffe Junction, and Hawkesbury Street Junction were retained for stabling empty stock (ref: The Railway Magazine, February 1995). Dover Marine signal box had closed on 2nd July 1995 (ref: Southern Railway Register, Section E1: St Mary Cray Junction to Dover Marine, Signalling Record Society) and, by late October of the following year, all of the track in and around the station had been lifted and building work was in progress. The curve between Dover Town Yard and the train ferry sidings remained in situ; the curve between Archcliffe Junction and Western Docks station was lifted east of the level crossing that linked Lord Warden Square with Shakespeare Beach (ref: Branch Line News No. 770, Branch Line Society, 27th January 1996).

Summer 1995

The rusty set of rails seen in this eastward view, passing over the level crossing that linked Lord Warden Square with Shakespeare Beach, led to Marine station, which had closed in September of the previous year. The Class 47 is sitting upon the then still used curve that gave access to the train ferry dock and sidings of 1988. By this time, passing via Town Yard was the only way trains could reach the ferry. The Railfreight grey diesel shunter is alongside the refuelling point. The covered bridge seen straddling the tracks, beyond the Class 47, formed a pedestrian route between Lord Warden Square and Marine station and still exists today. Archcliffe Junction is behind the camera. © David Glasspool Collection

On Friday, 22nd December 1995, the last train ferry sailed from Dover to Dunkerque, the vessel being SNCF-owned Nord Passage de Calais (ref: Branch Line News No. 769, Branch Line Society, 13th January 1996). The service had been cancelled for much of December anyway due to French strikes (ref: RCTS’ The Railway Observer, February 1996). By the end, the ferry had only been carrying goods that were deemed too hazardous to be conveyed through the tunnel. It was initially thought that this traffic would be sufficient to maintain the service, but dangerous goods were instead transferred to lorries that went by ferry. As for the Nord Passage de Calais, this was scheduled to be redeployed with Sea France as a passenger ferry between Dover Eastern Docks and Calais on 3rd February 1996 (ref: Branch Line News No. 770, Branch Line Society, 27th January 1996).

The cessation of rail freight activity at Dover Town Yard was marked by the closure of the section between there and Archcliffe Junction on 21st September 1996 (ref: The Railway Magazine, February 1998). Effective Monday, 1st December 1997, all remaining points at both Hawkesbury Street and Archcliffe Junctions were replaced by plain track (ref: Branch Line News No. 820, Branch Line Society, 21st February 1998). On 10th April of the following year, Archcliffe Junction and Hawkesbury Street Junction signal boxes closed (ref: Southern Railway Register, Section B1: Tonbridge to Dover, Signalling Record Society). Dover's rail freight and train ferry era was well and truly over.

1992

4-CEP No. 1607 rounds the curve from Archcliffe Junction, forming part of a twelve-vehicle service, bound for Dover Priory. This southward view, taken from "The Viaduct", includes Archcliffe Junction signal box and, beyond, Dover Town Yard laden with vans. The siding on the right was often used at that time to stable locomotives. © David Glasspool Collection

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