SOUTH EASTERN AND CHATHAM RAILWAY

Contents

Formation

Integration

Further development

SECR locomotives

Electrification

Further Reading

External links

Formation

The 'South Eastern and Chatham Railway' (SECR) was formed on 1 January 1899, when two neighbouring rival railways; the South Eastern Railway (SER) and London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) formed a "managing committee" comprised of the directors of the two companies. This effectively merged the two companies (strictly speaking they remained independent until grouping: this was to avoid capital gains tax, stamp duty, etc of a merger) with the receipts split 59% to SER and 41% LCDR. The two companies had competed extensively over broadly the same area, reportedly with some of the bitterest competition ever seen between British railway companies. Many towns in Kent were thus served by both companies and were left with a legacy of two stations and multiple London termini (the prime destination of most passengers).

Integration

SECR instituted numerous connections between the two largely separate networks. New services were introduced to reap the benefits of joint working. The most significant step was the construction of a junction where the SER and LCDR's respective mainlines crossed near Bickley and St Mary Cray, east of Bromley (circa 1902-04). LCDR's terminating line via Maidstone to Ashford was connected to the SER hub at Ashford. The SER branch from Strood to Chatham alongside the LCDR's main line to Chatham was closed prior to World War One. Later the overlapping network on the Isle of Thanet (Margate-Broadstairs-Ramsgate) was extensively rationalised by the Southern Railway. Service cuts under BR saw Gravesend lose its second station.

Further development

After the formation of the SECR three minor lines were built before the SECR became one of the constituent parts of the Southern Railway in 1923. They were:

★ Tattenham Corner Line - Kingswood to Tattenham Corner, in 1901.

★ The Sheppey Light Railway - branch off the Sheerness Line, in 1901 (closed 1950).

★ Bexhill branch off the Hastings Line - Crowhurst and Bexhill West, in 1902 (now closed).

SECR locomotives

The LCDR's works at Longhedge, Battersea was closed in 1911 and production was concentrated at Ashford. Harry Wainwright was replaced by Richard Maunsell as Locomotive Superintendent in 1913.

★ List of locomotives

Electrification

Main articles: Railway electrification in Great Britain

Prior to grouping, with the development and implementation by competitors (notably LSWR, LB&SCR, various "Tube" companies) and electric trams) of electric traction in the early twentieth century, SECR planned to start electrifying its lines. The proposed method of electrification was 1500V DC using two additional rails - ie four rails (like London Underground and LNWR), this very high voltage (for rail track level systems) was only used in elsewhere on the L&YR's 1200V DC side contact third rail line from Manchester Victoria to Bury. Grouping in 1923 led to Southern Railway's adopting LSWR's standard of 660V DC third rail over SECR's network.

Further Reading

★ History of the Southern Railway, , C.F., Dendy Marshall, Ian Allan, , ISBN 0-7110-0059-X

External links

★ A potted history of the SECR