The imposing front of the station photographed on 28th July 2007. One advantage of TOC franchises that frequently change hands is the stations seem be repainted for more often than in previous days. Inside the booking hall has been fitted with entry/exit barriers to impede your progress if arriving at the last minute to catch a train!

photograph by Neil Walkling

Canterbury West was opened by the South Eastern Railway (SER) on 2nd February 1846 to provide a direct link from Ashford to the Kent coast. It was originally opened as plain Canterbury and the LC&DR also had the same name for their station until the establishment of the SE&CR in 1899 when the former SER station became Canterbury West and the former LC&DR station became Canterbury East.

The platform side of the main building, platformNº1. The crowd of people on the platform is there to see º850 Lord Nelson visit the station with a railtour.

photograph by Neil Walkling

PlatformNº2 was not so well patronised. Note the big gap between the running lines where the station layout has been rationalised over the years.

photograph by Neil Walkling

What the crowd was waiting for!

photograph by Neil Walkling

The imposing Signalbox set on a gantry across the tracks. Once upon a time it had 72 levers, but today the working levers in the frame are only a fraction of this. Popular myth has it that this Signalbox used to be at Blackfriars Junction and was moved here by the Southern Railway in 1928. It is more likely, however, that it was simply built to the same design. Stabled on the left is some of the stock for the railtour.

photograph by Neil Walkling

The imposing The former goods shed which has not been used by the railway for many years and is now enjoying life as a restaurant.

photograph by Neil Walkling

This house is a bit special. It is the Canterbury & Whitstable Railway's weighbridge cottage, and is believed to be one of only three C&W buildings to survive, the others being the Stationmaster's house in North Lane and the stables. A short distance from Canterbury West station, the weighbridge cottage is in use today as a private residence.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft