Lyminge railway station
# Lyminge railway station

Lyminge was a station on the Elham Valley Railway serving the village of the same name. It opened in 1887 and finally closed to passengers and freight in 1947.

## History

The station opened on 4 July 1887 with the opening of the Elham Valley Railway from Cheriton Junction, on the South Eastern Main Line as far as Barham. A 21-lever signal box was provided. Initially, there were six passenger trains per day. By 1906 there were nine trains a day, with five on Sunday. Between 1912 and 1916, a summer only railmotor service provided an additional four trains a day between Dover Priory and Elham. The service had been reduced to eight trains a day by 1922. The line north of Lyminge was reduced to five trains a day by 1937. The double track north of Lyminge was reduced to single track from 25 October 1931. The signal box was closed on 1 May 1937 as a cost-cutting measure. It was replaced by a ground frame located in the station building.

Passenger services between Canterbury West and Lyminge were withdrawn on 1 December 1940 and the line between Harbledown Junction and Lyminge was placed under military control. Passenger services to Folkestone continued until withdrawn on 3 May 1943. The station remained open to freight during the war. Military control was relinquished on 19 February 1945. On 7 October 1946, passenger services were reinstated on the southern section of the railway as far as Lyminge. Six trains a day were operated. This service ceased on 14 June 1947. The Elham Valley Railway closed on 1 October 1947. After closure, the goods yard used by the local coal merchant. In 1987, the station building was converted to serve as Lyminge's library.

| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station |
| - | - | - |
| Elham | Southern Railway Elham Valley Railway | Cheriton halt |
