Canterbury West | |
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The platforms, viewed from the passenger bridge
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Location | |
Place | Canterbury |
Local authority | Canterbury |
Grid reference | TR145583 |
Operations | |
Station code | CBW |
Managed by | Southeastern |
Number of platforms | 2 |
DfT category | D |
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries |
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Annual rail passenger usage* | |
2011/12 | 2.132 million |
– Interchange | 0.103 million |
2012/13 | 2.121 million |
– Interchange | 0.106 million |
2013/14 | 2.223 million |
– Interchange | 85,895 |
2014/15 | 2.336 million |
– Interchange | 96,584 |
2015/16 | 2.406 million |
– Interchange | 98,439 |
History | |
Key dates | Opened 6 February 1846 |
National Rail – UK railway stations | |
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Canterbury West from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
Canterbury West railway station is the busier of the two stations in Canterbury in Kent, England. All services are operated by Southeastern with both main line and high speed trains serving the station.
Although called Canterbury West, the station is about 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km) due north of Canterbury East station, and only about 20 yards (20 m) to its west.
The station and its line was built by the South Eastern Railway, while Canterbury East was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway.
The station opened on 6 February 1846 when the South Eastern Railway began services to Ashford. Two months later in April services were extended to Ramsgate, and to Whitstable after conversion of the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway and closure of the North Lane terminus. The station was built with two central through tracks and three platforms, one for the Whitstable branch.
On 1 July 1889 the Elham Valley Railway reached Canterbury from Folkestone and at this time the run-in boards read Canterbury (SER) Change for Whitstable and Elham Valley Line.
The Whitstable branch closed to passenger traffic on 1 January 1931, and traffic from the Elham Valley into Canterbury ceased from 1 December 1940. Following the Southern Region Kent Coast Electrification Scheme Phase 2 electric services started on 9 October 1961. Freight services were withdrawn on 13 September 1965 and the central through tracks were removed later in 1979.
In December 2009, Canterbury West became part of the Southeastern High Speed service to London St Pancras using the High Speed line from Ashford, significantly reducing journey times to London.