London Charing Cross

## Description

London Charing Cross is the primary London terminus of the Medway Vale line and South East. It is located in Central London, with connections to the London Underground Bakerloo and Northern lines, and multiple bus routes.

The station is actually comprised of two entirely separate trainsheds and lines, the mainline side used by most trains and the suburban side used by the metro and London Overground trains. The two are connected by an internal walkway.

The suburban side of the station was rebuilt in late 2008 to cater for increased passenger numbers and the introduction of the London Overground the following year, transforming it into the magnificent light cavern it is today. The station makes extensive use of special lighting, and was voted building of the year 2009.

The mainline side is more dark and dreary, with a flat roof after the decaying original train shed was demolished in the 1980s to make way for electrification and the introduction of the suburban class 321s. This roof has since been developed on and now houses an office complex. However, a small patch of the concourse was opened out with a similar arch roof to the suburban station in 2010 in an attempt to increase the aesthetic of the station.

## History

The station opened in 1843 as a four-platform terminus for the new London and South Eastern railway (LSER) between London and Ramsgate. It was originally provided with a cast-iron overall roof covering the four platforms. As new lines were built and the station was expanded over the years, flatter extensions of the canopy were added to cover new platforms.

The suburban side of the station opened in 1908 as part of the new South London suburban railways. It linked with the existing lines to Dartford via deep tube bored tunnels under the Thames and city streets, as well as new tracks parallel to the quadruple tracked mainline as far as Brackwell Common.

The mainline station was closed for three months in 1986 for redevelopment work to begin. The overall train shed and other canopies were removed, platforms relaid and lengthened ready for longer albeit short lived Intercity 225 sets, and the track layout between London Bridge and Charing Cross dramatically simplified to six tracks. The works were complete in 1988, and the station reopened unceremoniously that year with its more boring features and new flat topped roof. During the closure, the large terminus bays at London Bridge were extensively used to accommodate displaced services, as it had been redeveloped during 1985 for this very purpose. The large terminus there no longer remains. (See London Bridge article).

## Platforms

With a total of 25 platforms, London Charing Cross has the most platforms on the South Eastern Mainline:

* Platforms 1-6 - Various Fast and Express services to Margate Central, Faversham, Dover and Cheriton International.
* Platforms 7 and 8 - Dedicated for the Airport Express service to and from South Kent International Airport
* Platforms 9 -17 - Various Semi-Fast and stopping services to Rainham, Lincoln End, Swanley and Margate Central
* Platforms S1-S4 - Upper level DC platforms for metro services to and from Brackwell Common
* Platforms S4-S7 - Upper level DC platforms for LOROL services to Dartford, and Madford Water.

*NB - LOROL = London Overground Rail Operations Limited*

## Services

**Mainline Services**

Stopping/Local Services

**4tph to East Minsterton.** *Calling at Southwark Green, London Bridge, Winterswick, Rushett Common, Tetherby Cray, Uplyme, Starr Gate, Twynersh High Road, Twynersh Central, Castlepoint, Brackwell Common, Little Wallend and East Minsterton, of which:*

* 2 terminate at *Swanley Garden City. Calling at Washton, Swanley Heights and **Swanley Garden City.***
* 2 terminate at Lincoln End. *Calling at Hantsbridge and **Lincoln End.***

Semi-Fast Services

**2tph Semi-Fast to Rainham & Cozenton.** *Calling at Tetherby Cray, Twynersh Central, Chosley Crescent, Sheerwater, Yardley, Sewardstone, North Hall, Bretton, Whittington Heath, Raynamhill Park and **Rainham & Cozenton.***

**2tph Semi-Fast to Margate Central.** *Calling at Twynersh Central, Brackwell Common, Lincoln End, Broadstone, Sevenoaks Parkway, Merriton Market, Ashbourne & Wyeth, Wymett Town, Faremarket, Adisham, Lofton, Frensham, Westbourne Gateway and **Margate Central.***

Express Services

**2tph to Faversham.** *Calling at Twynersh Central*¹*, Yardley, Whittington Heath, Rainham & Cozenton, Weyton, Oakmoor, Froxfield, Teynham Rocks and Faversham.*

**2tph to Dover Western Docks.** *Calling at Sevenoaks Parkway, Faremarket*¹*, Margate Central, Margate Leaside*¹, *Broadstairs, Newhaven & Stonehampton*¹, *Kearsney, Dover Priory and **Dover Western Docks.***

**1tph to Cheriton International.** *Calling at London Bridge, Twynersh Central, Lincoln End, Faremarket, Lofton, Westbourne Gateway, Margate Central, Northill Street, Somerton, Margate Leaside, Crossford, Coldharbour, Westenhanger and **Cheriton International.***

**2tph to South Kent International Airport.** *Calling at Nydalen Bridge and **South Kent International Airport.***

*Key:*

*Stations with a **"***¹***"** in between them mean that they are served alternately in the service pattern.*

*Stations with a **"^"** at the end indicate that the service goes out of bounds of the current release of this route.* As in, the line goes further than here, but this is where a Scenario would start/finish from.