Trains at: Tonbridge, SEML, 09/03/24

A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon session spent at Tonbridge on the South Eastern Railway Mainline where we see plenty of services from South Eastern, Southern and freight from GBRF.
This isn't the original station, the first station was built and opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1842 and was located to the eastern side of the road bridge that passes over the station. When the original station was built it also meant the end of the Priory that was situated on the site.
During this time the line was running to and from London Bridge via Redhill and Croydon using the Brighton Mainline, it's worth noting that the station was opened in May 1842 and until December of that year was used as a terminus station until the line was opened heading towards Ashford.
Eventually the line to Dover was opened and as such a small engine shed was built to cater for the servicing of the growing fleet and length of the line.
3 years later the line to Tunbridge Wells was opened. Well it was a branch line in all honesty and the station was changed to Tunbridge Junction. The next few years following the line was extended and eventually opened up in Hastings.
Throughout the the next 50 years various changes were made to the station and the surrounding areas. But I'll jump forward to 1929 when the Southern Railway changed the name of the station from Tunbridge to Tonbridge. Totally worth it I know.
In 1935 one of the bay platforms was transformed into a through platform to ease access to the station for the trains.
In 1958 the brick station fronting was replaced with a mode modern tile facade. The line from Sevenoaks to Dover was electrified in 1961, this was done when the Southern Region was improving journey times across that area as part of the Kent Coast Electrification scheme put in place by British Rail. The line from Tonbridge to Hastings was electrified in 1986.
The line towards Redhill was eventually done in 1993 for the Eurostar/Channel Tunnel improvement works.
Eurostar ran trains through Tonbridge until 2003 when the first section of High Speed 1 was built.
My next station will be Hildenborough.
You can find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, videos and photos from all of my goings on throughout 2024.
You can also find me on Instagram through the name tornado922 where it isn't just rail related content that I produce.
You can now find me on TikTok under the name Tornado_922

[@chriswhitaker4577]

Hi Tornado922. Great film at Tonbridge. Looking forward to watching the next film at Hildenborough. Kind regards, Chris.

[@coyi51]

Definitely the best station on the line thus far, with some variations in traffic. Fair play to you for toughing it out this far. Many thanks.

[@NotDavidTrains]

I wouldn't say the best station. Sevenoaks is the best

[@camotech1314]

Seven oaks doesn't have much freight?

[@NotDavidTrains]

@@camotech1314 Sevenoaks has the same amount of freight Tonbridge does. A less its going via Redhill then No.

[@michaelfeeney8437]

Glad you remarked on the front end of the cl66. Many are still blathered at the ends due to being on the Sandite trains.

[@Tornado922]

Ah right ok that would explain why they are so dirty

[@arnoldspottingvideos5269]

Nice video at Tonbridge Jarred. Rare to see Southern 377/2 on the Tonbridge-Redhill route this usually 377/3s. Thanks for sharing sir and have a great Easter.

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, I hope you had a wonderful Easter break

[@barrythedieselelectricstea5217]

excellent shots👍 i was there on 30th March there was some engineering freight and a 465 drag

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, sounds like you had a more enjoyable time than I did!

[@trainspotter586]

Super upload

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@theimperialist2686]

Nice railway video

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!

[@robertstrainsnsw1596]

Good film at Tonbridge

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly Robert for your continued support

[@Harrynhoughton13]

Excited For Hildenborough Jarred

[@Tornado922]

Jolly good

[@NotDavidTrains]

Highly recommend Trains at Sevenoaks

[@Tornado922]

That will be coming

[@Sophiebryson510]

Happy Easter

[@Tornado922]

Hope you had a great one :)

[@ElectrostarEnthusiast]

5:12 375 & 377 side by side

[@Tornado922]

And not a massive difference visually between them

[@alextrainspotterhd6444]

This video wasn’t to bad bit more better variety and a little locomotive as well

[@Tornado922]

I'm glad you enjoyed watching this

[@Owenjedi5000]

Happy Easter Tornado922, just a question? Will this series end at London Charing Cross and London Victoria.

[@Tornado922]

Hope you had a great Easter break? Yes this series will be ending at Charing Cross

[@camotech1314]

He always says he didin't do it when sirens are blaring. That's always what someone that's guilty would say. 😅

[@Tornado922]

Innocent until proven guilty haha

[@ryanjefferies2334]

Are you serious. You couldn’t wait a few more weeks I could have finally met you 😢

[@Tornado922]

I'm sorry to have disappointed you, I'm sure at some stage throughout the course of the year we will have that chance

[@Firefly414]

Thank god its finally over. I suggest never doing a low traffic route like this ever again.❤❤❤

[@Tornado922]

I'm just glad I'm starting to get to the busier parts of the line now, that section from Ashford to Tonbridge was horrid