Sevenoaks railway station

{{Short description|Railway station in Kent, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use British English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox station | name = Sevenoaks | symbol_location = gb | symbol = rail | image = Sevenoaks station at night.jpg | caption = The ticket hall in 2023. A public piano can be seen on the left. | borough = Sevenoaks, District of Sevenoaks | country = England | grid_name = Grid reference | grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|TQ522553|25|TQ522553}} | manager = Southeastern | platforms = 4 | code = SEV | classification = DfT category B | opened = 2 March 1868 | rebuilt = 1974 | mpassengers =  {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.845 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 99,744}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 2.457 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 0.248 million}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 3.140 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.220 million}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 3.481 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.303 million}} {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2024/25 |passengers={{increase}} 3.741 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 1.265 million}}

| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road }} '''Sevenoaks railway station''' is on the South Eastern Main Line, serving the town of Sevenoaks, in Kent, England. It is {{convert|22|mi|9|chain|km}} down the line from London Charing Cross and is situated between {{rws|Dunton Green}} and {{rws|Hildenborough}} stations. Trains calling at the station are operated by Southeastern and Thameslink.

Trains from the station run northbound to London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross via Orpington, or to Blackfriars via Swanley and Catford; southbound trains run to Ashford International and Ramsgate via Dover Priory, or Tunbridge Wells and Hastings.

==History== Sevenoaks railway station was opened on 2 March 1868. It was formerly known as '''Tubs Hill''', after the adjacent area.

There is a second station to the north end of the town, on the branch to Swanley Junction, which opened on 2 June 1862; {{rws|Bat & Ball}} is named after a local inn which is now closed.

The two lines to Sevenoaks were electrified in January 1935. When the station was reconstructed in the 1970s, a new ticket office was built replacing the old wooden South Eastern Railway building. The largest version of the Southern Region D70 type glass box station, this reconstruction was designed by regional architect Nigel Wikeley.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=David |title=British Rail Architecture, 1948-97 |date=2018 |publisher=Crecy Publishing Ltd. |location=Manchester, UK |isbn=978-0-86093-685-5 |page=144 |edition=First }}</ref> Two additional side platforms were also demolished.

Sevenoaks is part of the rail franchise which, post-privatisation, was served by Connex South Eastern. Subsequent to their franchise termination in 2003, due to poor financial management, services were operated by South Eastern Trains, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Strategic Rail Authority. On 1 April 2006, Southeastern, owned by Govia, took over management of the station as part of the new Integrated Kent Franchise.{{cn|date=June 2025}}

===Accidents=== There have been two accidents at the station: * 7 June 1884 – A double-headed freight train ran into the rear of another freight train at Tub's Hill station. Both crew of the first train were killed. The {{stnlnk|Hildenborough}} signalman was charged with causing their deaths. The trains were being worked under the time interval system.<ref name=Jewell>{{cite book | last = Jewell| first = Brian| title = Down the line to Hastings | publisher = The Baton Press |year=1984 | location = Southborough | isbn = 0-85936-223-X}}</ref> * 24 August 1927 – the Sevenoaks railway accident. River class tank locomotive No. 800 ''River Cray'' derailed at Shoreham Lane between Dunton Green and Sevenoaks. Thirteen people were killed and 20 were injured. The locomotives were withdrawn and rebuilt as tender locomotives.{{cn|date=June 2025}}

==Platforms== thumb|right|The view from platform 3 at Sevenoaks, looking south towards {{rws|Tonbridge}} with a Thameslink train operating on behalf of Southeastern

There are two island platforms – 1 & 2, and 3 & 4: * Platform 1 – Northbound fast trains (through Dunton Green) fast to London Bridge, Waterloo East, London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street * Platform 2 – Slow trains starting/terminating at Sevenoaks (through Dunton Green) to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street, via Orpington and Lewisham * Platform 3 – Southbound trains via Tonbridge (destinations are Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Ashford International, Canterbury and Ramsgate) * Platform 4 – Thameslink trains (through Bat & Ball), which all start/terminate here

==Services== Services at Sevenoaks are operated by Southeastern and Thameslink, using {{brc|375}}, {{brc|376|n}}, {{brc|465|n}}, {{brc|466|n}}, {{brc|700|n}} and {{brc|707|n}} electric multiple units.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timetables |work=Southeastern Railway |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=1 December 2024 |url=https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/plan-your-journey/timetables}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Timetables |work=Govia Thameslink Railway |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=1 December 2024 |url= https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/service-updates/timetables}}</ref> * 4 tph to London Charing Cross (semi-fast) * 2 tph to London Charing Cross via {{stnlnk|Grove Park}} and {{stn|Lewisham}} (stopping) * 2 tph to London Blackfriars, via Catford * 2 tph to Hastings, via Tunbridge Wells (1 semi-fast, 1 stopping) * 1 tph to Dover Priory * 1 tph to Ramsgate, via {{stnlnk|Canterbury West}}

Additional services, including trains to and from London Cannon Street and Ramsgate, via {{stnlnk|Deal}}, call at the station during peak hours. In addition, the service to London Blackfriars is extended to and from {{stnlnk|Welwyn Garden City}}, via {{stn|Finsbury Park}}.

{{rail start}} {{s-rail-national|previous=Dunton Green|toc=Southeastern|route={{smalldiv|Grove Park Line}}}} {{s-rail-national|previous=London Bridge|next=Tonbridge|toc=Southeastern|route={{smalldiv|South Eastern Main Line}}}} {{rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Orpington}}|route=Southeastern<br />{{smalldiv|Hastings Line}}|next={{stnlnk|Hildenborough}} <br/>or<br/> {{stnlnk|Tonbridge}}|col={{SE colour}} }} {{s-rail-national|previous=Bat & Ball|toc=Thameslink|route={{smalldiv|Darent Valley Line}}}} {{end}}

==Passenger representation== The not-for-profit ''Sevenoaks Rail Travellers' Association'' (SRTA) corresponds and meets with Southeastern Railway, Transport for London, the Department for Transport, MPs and other relevant parties to represent the interests of passengers using Sevenoaks and nearby stations (Bat & Ball, Dunton Green, {{rws|Eynsford}}, {{rws|Kemsing}}, {{rws|Otford}} and {{rws|Shoreham}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sevenoakschronicle.co.uk/Sevenoaks-train-group-slams-Southeastern-s/story-19925773-detail/story.html |title=Sevenoaks rail group slams Southeastern's railway monopoly |publisher=Sevenoaks Chronicle |website=www.sevenoakschronicle.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328215905/http://www.sevenoakschronicle.co.uk/Sevenoaks-train-group-slams-Southeastern-s/story-19925773-detail/story.html |archive-date=2014-03-28}} </ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Sevenoaks railway station}} {{stn art lnk|SEV|TN132JA}} {{Kent railway stations}} {{TSGN and SE Stations|Catford Loop=y|SN None=y|Elmstead=y|Bromley South=y|Staplehurst=y|Hastings=y}} {{coord|51|16|35|N|0|10|54|E|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=title}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Sevenoaks Category:Railway stations in Kent Category:DfT Category B stations Category:Former South Eastern Railway (UK) stations Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1868 Category:Railway stations served by Southeastern Category:Railway stations served by Govia Thameslink Railway