The Anonymous Widower

Thanet Parkway Station – 31st July 2023

Thanet Parkway station opened yesterday, so I went to have a look.

I took these pictures.

Note.

1. I arrived in a twelve-car Class 395 train and the platforms handled it with ease.
2. Both platforms are served by steep stairs and a lift.
3. There seems to be 293 car parking spaces and 16 accessible spaces according to the National Rail information page.
4. The only worthwhile architectural feature is the use of the existing tunnel to cross under the tracks.

But this station seems to be defined more by what it doesn’t have.

• No cafe or pub within walking distance.
• No convenience store to pick up a few supplies on the way home.
• No chargers for electric vehicles.
• No toilets.
• No staff.

It is a rather underwhelming station.

I have some further thoughts.

Last Train Home

In the early years of this century, C and myself would often spend a day in London, shopping, watching a show and probably having a meal.

• We generally used to drive up from Suffolk and would park near King’s Cross.
• Although, sometimes we would take the train from Whittlesford Parkway station to the South of Cambridge.

So out of curiosity, I looked at the last train to Thanet Parkway yesterday.

It had these times.

• St. Pancras International – 22:37
• Stratford International – 22:44
• Thanet Parkway – 23:50
• Ramsgate – 23:57
• Broadstairs – 00:02
• Margate – 00:07

It could enable long days out or late working in London.

Not Enough Trains

I believe that one train per hour (tph) is not a frequent enough service to London for this station.

Other nearby stations have the following HighSpeed services to St. Pancras International.

• Ramsgate – 3 tph
• Broadstairs – 2 tph
• Margate – 2 tph

In addition, these three stations get a 1 tph stopping service to Victoria.

Perhaps there could be a Thanet Loop service from St. Pancras International.

• It would run via Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Gravesend, Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Birchington-on-Sea, Margate, Broadstairs. Ramsgate, Thanet Parkway, Canterbury West, Ashford International, Ebbsfleet International and Stratford International.
• It would also run both ways at a frequency of 1 tph.
• I estimate that a train to go round the loop would take three hours and thirteen minutes.

This would probably mean fourteen trains would be needed to run the service.

I don’t think they probably have enough.

August 1, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Architecture, Broadstairs Station, Class 395 Train, Manston Airport, Margate Station, New Stations, Parkway Station, Ramsgate Station, Southeastern HighSpeed, Thanet Parkway Station, Whittlesford Parkway Station