I took this picture on 12th June 1988. Can you visualise that maybe one day, if the cruise ship visits continue, that passengers may once again come down by train? I understand it`s changed a bit now from this view, but the main infrastructure is still in place. How convenient, when compared to the absurd carry on of passengers walking or waiting for a bus from Dover Priory station.

I really do not see the signal.

That's cruise terminal 1 Colin, the old Marine Station.

The track, where the trains are, is now filled in with conctrete; cars drive up to drop off their passengers and then park either outside or lower down towards the entrance.

That photo must have been taken from what is now the cruise terminal lounge.




Roger

What a waste of local resources.I remember my parents boarding the train in Stockport and not having to change stations in London and alighting at Dover West. No suitcases to haul across London ,no tube or taxis to take...can you imagine the marketing of cruise liners arriving at Dover with a fast train waiting at the quayside to whisk them off to Canterbury or London etc

Marek

Yes that would be good for the cruise-passengers Marek (and the cruise lines themselves), but wouldn't really benefit the town much.




Roger

Yes that would be good for the cruise-passengers Marek (and the cruise lines themselves), but wouldn't really benefit the town much.




Roger

Roger

I appreciate that Dover could miss out on more passengers going through the town but would be the effect if cruise liners decided to stop elsewhere with better rail or bus links?. By providing a door to door service from Dover to London at least the towns reputation may rise.

Marek

Just going off topic (sorry Colin, couldn't resist it) the livery on the 4CEP unit was the best ever. Known to all as "Jaffa Cake" it was only sadly short lived when Network South East introduced the "PepsiCola" red white and blue brand. And what do we have now, a sort of boring white.

Terry

I don't know, I can't tell, nobody tells me anything!

Good morning Terry, and don`t be sorry mate. That jaffa cake livery was the best of the lot I thought personally, but apparently, it was Chris Green, the new area manager who took an instant dislike to it. Alot better than what he replaced it with methinks.

I really do not see the signal.

That's up on the footbridge I believe:

Nice one Paul, thank you mate. Reminds me of Bath Green Park station, down in Dorset which Sainsbury`s tastefully converted into a supermarket, but at least it wasn`t demolished.

I really do not see the signal.

This is my Uncle who drove the last Golden Arrow. The picture was published in Lady magazine in December 1972.

The caption in the magazine reads:

The last Golden Arrow recently pulled out from Victoria for Dover, and the route was lined for miles by people waving farewell. many of the passengers reminisced over earlier days on the famous train, which has made the journey from London to Dover en route to Paris for 43 years, and is now to be sold.

It must be admitted, however, that some of the glamour of the train passed with the steam locomotives that used to head it.

Pictured here is Mr. George Langley, of Dover, driver of the last Golden Arrow.

Thanks for that Ken, an interesting and historical photo there. As you say, alot of the glamour disappeared with the steam loco at the front.

I really do not see the signal.

Re-opening Dover Marine Station is a great idea and one that should have been given more consideration to, prior to opening the Cruise Terminal. However in its self would not be much use to the people of Dover. Cruise ships are increasing slightly but the terminal will never be all year, busy.
If the Station was reopened, what would benefit Dover is running a service, possibly with old stock, from Dover Priory into Dover Marine, this I believe, properly advertised, would attract many visitors into the town.

Yes That could work Gary but will never happen.

Great photo of your uncle, Ken. I'm sure he'd have known our grandad, Alf Fairweather, who was a very well known Southern Railwayman at Dover Marine and Dover Priory. He was the senior driver on the Golden Arrow - Dover Marine to London Victoria in one hour twenty minutes, and bacon and eggs straight off the shovel on the footplate!

God bless you grandad.



Last edited at 1:47pm on 21/07/10 by Andrew Stevens1

vic,so you are saying that the marine station shouldnt be used again as a station or evan burlington house coming down.with views like that dover would retreat back to the dark age .we need to look at these options to bring dover back to life.

if you dont like europe why live so close.
ditch the pound bring on the euro.

I did not say that Brian read it again.and as for Burlington house I said before it went up,do not put it there and like the rest of Dover I have always said and at meetings we should get rid of it ASP.To get Dover back to life we need only to do one thing and that is get rid of its planning office up the hill and get some new faces on it which look at Dover as a+and not a -.

Vic, the people in planning are different to those in the 1960/70/80s, the Council cannot force developers into the Town. Point to 3 things major that they have done in the last couple of years ?

Paul we have had developers trying to get into Dover for years now and I have had meetings with some of them myself and also work on the same sites out side Dover, and they will all tell you the same it is the Dover planning office that is holding DOVER BACK and that is true mate only two weeks ago i was talking to a person who is still trying to get plans done and this would bring work to the area if it went ahead ,and he has told me he can not wait much longer and will pack it in and move on to some other town.And paul he is not the only one we have even had companys go under just because of that planning office.

at the Marine Station: