Tunbridge Wells railway station

Tunbridge Wells
The platforms at Tunbridge Wells, looking south
General information
Location	Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells England
Grid reference	TQ584392
Managed by	Southeastern
Platforms	2
Other information
Station code	TBW
Classification	DfT category C1
Key dates
20 September 1845	first station opened
25 November 1846	present station opened
Passengers
2019/20	3.625 million
Interchange	40,320
2020/21	0.736 million
Interchange	7,440
2021/22	2.097 million
Interchange	21,915
2022/23	2.566 million
Interchange	72,163
2023/24	2.839 million
Interchange	70,744
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Tunbridge Wells train station is on the Hastings line in the south of England and serves Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent. It is 34 miles 32 chains (55.4 km) down the line from London Charing Cross. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern.

History

The platforms, looking north

The first station was a temporary terminus opened on 20 September 1845 situated north of Wells Tunnel. This closed when the line was extended to the present station which opened on 25 November 1846. It became a through station in 1851 when the line opened to Robertsbridge and a year later opened through to Hastings. The LBSCR line from Grove Junction to Tunbridge Wells (West) opened in 1867 for goods and 1876 for passenger. Immediately after becoming part of the Southern Railway in 1923 the station was named Tunbridge Wells Central.

Just beyond Grove Tunnel at the south end of the station was Grove Junction, where trains took the single line branch to Tunbridge Wells West. The branch closed on 6 July 1985.

In 1985 preparation for electrification the platforms were rebuilt and the tracks were resignalled. Electric trains started running in 1986. The station again became just Tunbridge Wells.

Since 1974, the up side of the station only has been Grade II listed.

Services

All services at Tunbridge Wells are operated by Southeastern using Class 375, 465 and 466 EMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:

• 2 tph to London Charing Cross
• 2 tph to Hastings (1 semi-fast, 1 stopping)

Additional services, including trains to and from and London Cannon Street and Ore call at the station in the peak hours.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
High Brooms		Southeastern Hastings Line		Frant
	Disused railways
High Brooms Line and station open		British Rail Southern Region Cuckoo Line		Tunbridge Wells West Line closed, station open (Spa Valley Railway)
Terminus		British Rail Southern Region Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line

External links

• Train times and station information for Tunbridge Wells railway station from National Rail