Headcorn station footbridge

[0nlySam]

Potentially a bit of a niche query, but I am very curious if anyone happens to know anything about the history of Headcorn station in relation to the footbridge access from the south side of the railway? My partner recently ended up completely stranded in the area and trying to get to the station on foot approaching from the south - there is no safe walking route along the A274 Biddenden Road, so she attempted to follow a path marked on Google Maps, via the nearby Bletchenden Road, through the fields adjacent to the nearby industrial site. While you can, eventually, reach the footbridge this way, it apparently involved hopping several locked gates, walking straight through fields of crops and livestock, and scrabbling up an embankment! Surely this is not an actual public right of way - OpenStreetMap for example just shows a path to nowhere in the nearby trees.

Is there any story or history behind this bizarre station access? Obviously it came in handy in this case (though it doesn't sound like something to be repeating any time soon), but I can't help but think she must have been the only person to use that particular entrance to the station in a very long time!

 

[yorksrob]

That will be the old Kent and East Sussex railway trackbed by the looks of it.

 

[zwk500]

The loop behind the Northbound platform is a 1990s addition for the Channel Tunnel freight, and there was a previously existing footpath to what had previously been a single-sided platform, so when the loop was added the footbridge needed to be extended to maintain the public footpath:

This excellent site has some more detail: https://www.kentrail.org.uk/headcorn_2.htm

At Headcorn, the former site of the K&ESR track bed on the station’s ‘’up’’ side was chosen for the electrified freight loop. The infrastructure works were completed in time for the first Eurostar services, which commenced on 14th November 1994, and the Headcorn project had also included the replacement of the SR footbridge of 1930. In its place, a larger two-span structure, some 120-feet in length, was brought into use, and this stretched both the quadruple-track in-between the platforms and the freight loop. This ensured that access to a public footpath was retained

 

[0nlySam]

That will be the old Kent and East Sussex railway trackbed by the looks of it.

So it is! I wasn't familiar with that line but now having a look at it on the wonderful "Disused Stations" site. What a strange quirk that the footbridge from that side is still open and accessible when the track was apparently lifted back in 1954! Would love to hear if anyone knows of a less used / less useful station entrance anywhere...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jun 2022 ==

The loop behind the Northbound platform is a 1990s addition for the Channel Tunnel freight, and there was a previously existing footpath to what had previously been a single-sided platform, so when the loop was added the footbridge needed to be extended to maintain the public footpath:

This excellent site has some more detail: https://www.kentrail.org.uk/headcorn_2.htm

Ah more interesting context! I have it on good authority that it is very much not a "maintained" public footpath these days, if it even still is one

 

[pdeaves]

if anyone knows of a less used ... station entrance anywhere

I'll start bidding with Stanlow & Thornton. The barely-used entrance bridge was closed recently for safety reasons. There is no other access the station.

 

[yorksrob]

The loop behind the Northbound platform is a 1990s addition for the Channel Tunnel freight, and there was a previously existing footpath to what had previously been a single-sided platform, so when the loop was added the footbridge needed to be extended to maintain the public footpath:

This excellent site has some more detail: https://www.kentrail.org.uk/headcorn_2.htm

I remember exploring the old curved platform before the loop was put through it

 

[30907]

I don't have a recent map, but older onesone eg
https://maps.nls.uk/view/189261497
show a footpath crossing the railway not far west of the Biddenden Road bridge and passing through what is now housing (60s bungalows?). I suspect this was diverted (with electrification rather than the Tunnel?) to run parallel to the railway and use the footbridge. The route shown by Googlemaps fits with that (and crosses the river by a bridge!).

 

[Man of Kent]

Kent County Council public rights of way mapping https://webapps.kent.gov.uk/countrysideaccesscams/standardmap.aspx shows that the official path is not on the line of the KESR.

 

[paul1609]

The loop behind the Northbound platform is a 1990s addition for the Channel Tunnel freight, and there was a previously existing footpath to what had previously been a single-sided platform, so when the loop was added the footbridge needed to be extended to maintain the public footpath:

This excellent site has some more detail: https://www.kentrail.org.uk/headcorn_2.htm

Its actually more complicated than that!
Until 1930 Headcorn was only a 2 platform station with no through lines and staggered platforms. The K & ESR had their own platform which was on the curve that the line made away from the main line. The footpath gave access from Station Rd via the footbridge to the K & ESR Station and beyond to United Dairies (which is now an industrial area as stated by the OP.)
In 1930 increasing Channel Traffic meant that Headcorn station was rebuilt in that the down main became the down loop, 2 new through lines were built and a new up loop platform was built. A consequence of this was that most of the K&esr platform was demolished and the line realigned to serve the back edge of the up loop platform. At this time the footpath was realigned along the up platform to where it followed the K&esr fence line to the dairy. The K&ESR line was closed in 1954 with the track lifted including the back side of the Up platform.
As others have said with the opening of the channel tunnel an up freight loop was added a new footbridge was provided which has an additional span to take the footpath over the loop from where it goes along the boundary fence crosses the old kesr route and then to the old dairy. The route is actually distinct on the ground though very muddy in winter. I suspect it actually gets a fair bit of use as a short cut from the station to Headcorn Aerodrome whic has a lot of events in summer.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jun 2022 ==

I remember exploring the old curved platform before the loop was put through it

A bit of it still exists in the trees to the right of the current footpath.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Kent County Council public rights of way mapping https://webapps.kent.gov.uk/countrysideaccesscams/standardmap.aspx shows that the official path is not on the line of the KESR.

Ditto on the OS maps.

 

[Mikey C]

Kent County Council public rights of way mapping https://webapps.kent.gov.uk/countrysideaccesscams/standardmap.aspx shows that the official path is not on the line of the KESR.

Indeed in the Google Maps satellite imagery, the path is highlighted and doesn't go through the woods along the old railway line, plus the bridge over the River Sherway can be seen. I will go into OpenStreetMap to correct the path!