Public conveniences, Harbour Street

Image: © John Baker Taken: 24 Nov 2013

The public conveniences were built on the site of the first station at Whitstable Harbour, which was the terminus of the Canterbury to Whitstable Railway (nicknamed The Crab and Winkle). This station was very basic as it only consisted of a shed acting as a booking office and a platform for passengers. Between 1845 and 1846, a larger station was constructed with a booking office, waiting rooms and accommodation for the station clerk. The first train ran from the rebuilt station on 6 April 1846 and the last on 2 June 1895, after which the station on the southern side of the road came into use, where the Image is now. The building remained in situ until it was demolished in 1957. The Canterbury to Whitstable Railway was opened on 3 May 1830 with stations at Canterbury West and Whitstable Harbour only. Three further stations were opened during the 20th century at Blean and Tyler Hill Halt on 13 June 1908, South Street Halt on 1 July 1911 and Tankerton Halt on 1 July 1914. The railway was closed to passengers on 31 December 1930 and to all traffic on 1 December 1952. However, the following year it was reopened from 6-28 February to carry essential services from Canterbury to Whitstable, as a result of the severe coastal flooding that occurred along the east coast of the UK early in 1953.

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