The Crab & Winkle Line

Opened in May 1830 as the Canterbury & Whitstable Railway Line, this was the first commercial railway in southern England and the first ever passenger steam railway. It ran between Whitstable harbour and Canterbury and was was built to carry both passengers and freight, from the harbour to Canterbury.

Incorporated in 1825, the line was originally conceived "as an alternative means to the turnpike road for carrying coal and merchandise between Canterbury and Whitstable harbour". William James, a leading promoter of railway schemes, carried out the survey for the project and proposed three routes. Despite the tunnelling and hill climbing involved, the most direct route (about 7 miles) was chosen. As is often the case in these things, the original costs were underestimated and George Stephenson got involved. His son Robert supervised the construction work which took about 4 years to complete. It must have been an engineering nightmare, requiring as it did specially designed engines to cope with the steep gradients (never a good idea for a railway) between the town and city. The engineers handled this by installing a number of stationary traction engines to pull the train up with ropes. Pulling stations were set up at Tyler Hill and Clowes Wood and later, at the top of Church Street.

It took 40 minutes to go the whole length and there were ten return journeys daily. All carriages were open and all trains were a mix of passenger and freight. I dread to think how uncomfortable that journey would have been, especially through the 800 yard long tunnel at St. Stephens. This tunnel, at Tyler Hill was a very small bore and all the engines had to be modified with short funnels and lowered driver cabs. The passenger and goods rolling stock, too, had to be specially built to cope with this tunnel.

In 1846, the South Eastern Railway reached Canterbury and bought the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway in 1845. The branch was relaid with heavier rail and more powerful locomotives meant that the stationary engines could be dispensed with. Journey time was about now 20 minutes with no stops, although halts at South Street, Tankerton and Tyler Hill were opened later on.

The site of the Whitstable terminus is now occupied by Whitstable Youth Club, next to the main health centre. The track went right into the harbour but was also unsuitable for engines, so horses shunted the trucks into the station. The line crossed over the main London to Ramsgate line near Whitstable station, so people would have had the opportunity to see the relatively rare site of one train passing over another.

The line got a new lease of life in the 1920's as a popular holiday day-trip line, especially at weekends, when it became known as the "Crab & Winkle Line". Outside holiday periods, the line relied on freight. However, by now the road infrastucture had vastly improved and, under the ownership of British Rail, the line finally closed in 1952. Despite many people's opinions (mine included), the line was not a Dr. Beeching victim. Like many similar provincial lines, it probably held on longer than it would normally have done as a result of temporary post-war need.

All that remains of the line are the gates in the harbour. However, much of the route can be followed as it forms a cycle path, safely off main roads. A tunnel that was under the Cornwallis building collapsed during one of the long hot summers of the mid 70's (1976, presumably), when much of the ground dried up, creating large fissures. The collapse also brought down a bridge linking parts of the university with it. The tunnel was filled in to prevent further damage and a new Cornwallis building erected on top. My thanks to Rosemary Pepper for providing this correction to me.

The main locomotive, "Invicta", was built by George Stephenson and got it's name from the rampant white horse that is the emblem of Kent. Modelled on the more famous "Rocket", it was hopelessly underpowered for the gradients and was eventually used purely on a one-mile level section between Church Street (where an additional winding house had to be built) and Bogshole in Clowes Wood. After only a few years in service, the locomotive was put up for sale in 1839. No one wanted it, so it was put under cover. For years, it stood forlornly displayed in Canterbury's Dane John Gardens by the Riding Gate, opposite the main bus station, where it gradually rotted until it was taken to the National Railway Museum in York for restoration. The Railway Museum was understandably reluctant to let Canterbury have her back but she is now safely housed under cover in the old Poor Priest Hospital, Canterbury's heritage museum.