Strood

One of the final acts of the SE&CR, just after World War I, was to completely rebuild both platform canopies. New steel frames were erected and frescoed with the familiar attractive clover-patterned timber valances; the existing timber offices on the island platform were retained. Thereafter, it was left to the 1923-formed Southern Railway to make further improvements. The SR was quick to electrify South East London suburban lines which, although planned by the SE&CR, finance had not until this time been available. The first milestone, at least for the North Kent Line, came on 12th July 1926, when the full electric timetable between the ex-SER London termini and Dartford came into use. Beyond, steam still reigned supreme, and engine sheds remained in use at Strood, Gillingham, and Maidstone West. The 660-volt third rail pushed further east, Gravesend Central being reached by public electric trains on 6th July 1930.
 
Finally, on 2nd July 1939, public electric trains were extended to Maidstone and Gillingham, as part of a £1,750,000 scheme to bring these towns within the third rail sphere. The lines electrified were:
 

·         Gravesend Central to Maidstone West

·         Swanley to Gillingham

·         Otford to Maidstone East 

Third rail was also laid on the double-track connecting spur between North Kent and ‘’Chatham’’ lines at Strood. At the latter, re-signalling took place, and two new cabins were brought into use. These were of the SR ‘’Glasshouse’’ design, of brown-brick construction, and housed mechanical locking frames. The first of these signal boxes was positioned just south of the tunnel portal, sandwiched in-between the running lines and engine shed site. Known as ‘’Strood Tunnel’’, this cabin comprised a 40-lever frame. The second, called ‘’Strood Junction’’, was constructed within the fork of the diverging Maidstone line and Gillingham spur, and housed a 70-lever frame. The layout was track circuited throughout and signals and points (bar the goods yard) were worked electronically. To accommodate the Junction cabin, those sidings which were remnants of the ‘’Toomer Loop’’ were lifted. The new signalling came into use on 29th January 1939, and allowed the timber signal box at Rochester Bridge Junction to close. The latter had controlled the divergence of North Kent and ‘’Chatham’’ lines on the north side of the Medway – this short section of the ex-LC&DR line was subsequently brought under control of ‘’Strood Junction’’ signal box.
 
Up until this time, the station had been called ‘’Strood Junction’’, but it appears the suffix was dropped at the time of electrification. The northern ends of the station’s platforms were rebuilt and extended in prefabricated concrete around the curve. Thereafter, the station was used to divide electric services from London – half of a formation carried onto Maidstone West, whilst the second portion branched off for the Medway Towns. The pair of sidings which flanked the ‘’down’’ side of the departing Medway Valley Line, south of the platforms, were electrified. The steam shed at Strood became obsolete and subsequently found a new life as a ‘’goods store’’. The turntable was, naturally, removed, and the layout simplified to leave just a single-track entering the former shed building. The continuation of steam haulage beyond Gillingham saw the depot there survive the 1939 works.
 
For long, the freight interest in the Medway Towns was considerable, with large goods yards at both Strood and Rochester, not to mention the operation at Chatham Dockyard. For Strood, rationalisation of these lines started with the closure of Strood Dock on 1st November 1962. The lines around the basin remained in situ until around 1969/1970, when those tracks east of it were cleared. The extensive sidings sandwiched in-between the basin and station remained in use for general goods traffic until 16th August 1971. Beyond this date, most of the yard was leased by William Cory & Sons Ltd, who operated it as a Coal Concentration Depot. They also handled bulk china clay here for the local paper industry.

A notable demolition in early 1970 was that of the former engine shed, which had survived in a goods capacity since closure to steam in 1939. It was followed at about the same time by aesthetic changes to the nearby tunnel portal, which received a new brick fascia. Up until then, the curved bore just emerged from the chalk ridge without any surround/façade.

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