Tonbridge (TON)

Tonbridge is a stop on the South Eastern Main Line in Kent between Hildenborough and Paddock Wood. It is also the terminus of a line from Redhill and there is a line to Hastings.

Southeastern 466 031 at Tonbridge

Information
Type:	National Rail (South Eastern Main Line)
Station code:	TON
Opened:	1842
Platforms:	4

The first station in Tunbridge (as the town was known then) by the South Eastern Railway in 1842. This station was slightly to the east of the current one which opened in 1864. Before that in 1852, the station was renamed Tunbridge Junction with the opening of a branch to Hastings. The station was moved to it's current location when the SER opened a new route from London Bridge which joined the existing line at Tunbridge. The station was renamed Tonbridge Junction in 1893, when the town itself was renamed Tonbridge to avoid confusion with Tunbridge Wells. The final rename to Tonbridge occurred in 1929 [1]. Next to the station is are two large railway yards either side of the station, the goods shed and locomotive depot has been closed [2].

The main station building which is on a bridge over the railway lines was rebuilt in 1958. The main line through Tonbridge was electrified in 1961. The Hastings Line was electrified in 1986, the line to Redhill finally followed suit in 1993. The station was refurbished in the early 2010s. The platforms are down steps or lifts from the road bridge level main station building. The station is managed by Southeastern Railway.

View down the platform

Southern 377 327 waits with a Redhill service

A variety of locomotives and stock at Tonbridge yard

Southeastern 375 907 arrives at Tonbridge

GB Railfreight 73 128 leads two sister locomotives through Tonbridge

[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Redhill to Ashford (Middleton Press, 1990) Fig. 53

[2] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Tonbridge to Hastings (Middleton Press, 1987) Fig. 6