Deal and Sandwich Mileage

[Doomotron]

The Wikipedia page for Deal station says this:
"Mileage on the line is measured from Charing Cross via Chelsfield and Canterbury West; on this basis, Deal is 90 miles 56 chains (146.0 km) from Charing Cross. Hence the milepost on the 'up' platform at Deal says 90¾ (via Canterbury) but Deal is actually only 86¾ miles from Charing Cross (via Dover)."

Is this true?

 

[Gloster]

The Wikipedia page for Deal station says this:
"Mileage on the line is measured from Charing Cross via Chelsfield and Canterbury West; on this basis, Deal is 90 miles 56 chains (146.0 km) from Charing Cross. Hence the milepost on the 'up' platform at Deal says 90¾ (via Canterbury) but Deal is actually only 86¾ miles from Charing Cross (via Dover)."

Is this true?

The Quail Track Diagram, 2002 edition, which I believe had official backing, has Deal station as 90.56 (miles and chains), with the box as 90.43. These distances are given as from Charing Cross via Chelsfield and Canterbury West (and presumably the Minster West Curve). Distance to the former Archcliffe Junction at Dover are also from Charing Cross via Chelsfield. They then zero and count up to the former Hawkesbury Steet Junction and then count down from there to Buckland Junction, this time from Victoria via Herne Hill. From Buckland Junction they count down the same as Deal. If my maths is correct (far from guaranteed nowadays) that makes Deal station the equivalent of 86.43; the box would be 86.56 (there may be the odd chain inconsistency due to rounding).

 

[zwk500]

It's not unusual for a later line to be built taking a more direct route but for the original mileage to be retained.

 

[steamybrian]

It's not unusual for a later line to be built taking a more direct route but for the original mileage to be retained.

I agree.
On the Spa Valley Railway at Tunbridge Wells West station and along the line to Groombridge the original mileposts between of 49 and 46 miles are preserved from when the line was closed by BR in 1985. They were measured from London Bridge via Three Bridges and East Grinstead over a line closed in 1967. It was the LB&SCR first line to Tunbridge Wells long before a more direct line was built via Oxted and Edenbridge Town and Ashurst spur.

 

[paul1609]

It's not unusual for a later line to be built taking a more direct route but for the original mileage to be retained.

In this case its really complicated because of the history but the original route would have been Charing Cross, East Croydon, Redhill, Tonbridge, Canterbury W Minster W Curve to Deal. The shortest route is now actually via Gravesend and Margate!

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Well maybe London Bridge rather than Charing Cross. I think Charing Cross opened before the Elmstead Woods cut-off, so there might have been a short period when one went from Charing Cross via Redhill to Ashford and Dover.