View source for London, Chatham and Dover Railway

{{Short description|British pre-grouping railway company (1859–1899/1922)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2013}}

[[File:London Chatham and Dover Railway Badge.jpg|thumb|Badge of the LCDR from the first [[Blackfriars Railway Bridge]]]]

The '''London, Chatham and Dover Railway''' ('''LCDR''' or '''LC&DR''') was a railway company in south-eastern [[England]]. It was created on 1 August 1859, when the  [[East Kent Railway]] was given parliamentary approval to change its name. Its lines ran through [[London]], and northern and eastern [[Kent]], to form a significant part of the Greater London commuter network. The company existed until 31 December 1922, when its assets were merged with those of other companies to form the [[Southern Railway (Great Britain)|Southern Railway]] as a result of the [[Big Four (British railway companies)|grouping]] determined by the [[Railways Act 1921]].

The LCDR was always in a difficult financial situation and went bankrupt in 1867, although it was able to continue to operate. Many of the difficulties were caused by the intense competition and duplication of services with the [[South Eastern Railway, UK|South Eastern Railway]] (SER). In 1898, the LCDR agreed with the SER to share the operation of the two railways, working them as a single system, known as the [[South Eastern and Chatham Railway]], and pooling receipts, but it was not a full amalgamation. The SER and LCDR remained separate companies, with separate shareholders, until both became constituents of the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923.

"The Chatham", as it was sometimes known, was often criticised for its lamentable carriage stock and poor punctuality, something which [[Somerset Maugham]] refers to in the novel [[Mrs Craddock]]: "Suddenly she thought of going away there and then... But there were no trains: the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway has perhaps saved many an elopement".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Maugham |first=W. Somerset (William Somerset) |url=http://archive.org/details/mrscraddock00mauguoft |title=Mrs. Craddock |date=1902 |publisher=New York G.H. Doran |others=Robarts - University of Toronto |pages=200}}</ref> However, in two respects the LCDR was very enterprising: it used the highly effective [[Westinghouse Air Brake Company|Westinghouse]] [[Railway air brake|air brake]] on its passenger stock, and the Sykes "Lock and Block" system of signalling. As a result, it had an excellent safety record.

==History==
===East Kent Railway===
{{Main|East Kent Railway}}
[[File:Pissarro lordship.jpg|thumb|''[[Lordship Lane railway station|Lordship Lane Station]]'', an intermediate station on the [[Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway]], a LCDR branch line in London, by [[Camille Pissarro]] (1871)]]

The LCDR originated through the dissatisfaction felt by the inhabitants and businesses of towns in north and east Kent with the services provided by the SER, resulting in the formation of the [[East Kent Railway]] (EKR). Permission to build a new [[Chatham Main Line|line]] from [[Strood]] near [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] to [[Faversham]] was granted by Parliament in 1853, but the SER successfully fought off an attempt by the new company to secure [[trackage rights|running powers]] on its tracks.<ref>{{cite book |last =Nock |first=O.S. |title=The South Eastern and Chatham Railway |publisher=Ian Allan |date=1961 |location=London |pages=40–5}}</ref> In return, the SER agreed not to oppose any future application for an extension of the line to Dover, which was granted in 1855.

It took the EKR several years to raise the necessary finance and it was not until 25 January 1858 that the first section of the line from {{stnlnk|Chatham|Medway}} to [[Faversham railway station|Faversham]] was opened, with stations at [[Rainham (Kent) railway station|Rainham]], [[Sittingbourne railway station|Sittingbourne]], [[Teynham railway station|Teynham]], and [[Faversham railway station|Faversham]]. On 29 March 1858, a second section opened, from [[Strood railway station|Strood]] to Chatham. Around July 1858, a station opened at ''New Brompton'' (renamed ''New Brompton (Gillingham)'' in May 1886 and [[Gillingham (Kent) railway station|Gillingham]] from 1 October 1912).  Rochester station opened after the rival SER opened Chatham Central station.

On 3 March 1858, the [[West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway]] (WELCPR) opened the extension of its line from Norwood (Crystal Palace) to Beckenham Junction (opened as Beckenham) and Shortlands  (opened as Bromley).

On 22 November 1858, the [[Mid-Kent Railway]] constructed a line from New Beckenham to Beckenham Junction station and obtained running rights over the WELCPR to Bromley (Shortlands). From there [[Mid-Kent Railway#The Crays Company|the Crays Company]] was building a line on to Bromley South (opened as Bromley Common) and [[Bickley railway station|Bickley]] (opened as Southborough Road). The Mid Kent line connected with the WELCPR that later provided the essential access to London. After absorbing the Crays Company and gaining running rights over the Mid Kent metals to Beckenham Junction, the LCDR later bought the track between Beckenham Junction, Birkbeck and Bromley Junction, while the LBSCR absorbed the rest of the WELCPR.

In 1859, the EKR changed its name to the LCDR, although Dover had not then been reached, coinciding with the Western Extension via Longfield to join the Crays Company rails at Southborough Road (now Bickley).<ref>{{cite book |last= Gray |first= Adrian |title= The London, Chatham & Dover Railway |year= 1984 |at= p. 44 |publisher= Meresford Books |location= Rainham, Kent }}</ref><!--  {{#tag:ref|See Adrian Gray's London Chatham & Dover Railway book (page 44) for more details|group="note"}}.  -->

===London, Chatham and Dover Railway===
[[File:Kent Railways.svg|thumb|Railway lines in Kent. LCDR lines can be seen alongside SER and other railway companies lines.]]

{{Metropolitan Extensions RDT|collapse=1}}
* 1860 openings:
** 9 July 1860: Faversham – [[Canterbury East railway station|Canterbury]] (now the East station) – [[Whitstable railway station|Whitstable]] (old station)
** 19 July 1860: ''Sittingbourne & Sheerness Railway'', which became part of LCDR from 1866), including [[Queenborough railway station|Queenborough]]. [[Sheerness-on-Sea railway station]] dates from 1883: the original terminus became the freight depot. There are branch lines to Queenborough Pier and Sheerness Dockyard. See [[Sheerness Line]].
** 3 December 1860: opening of line between Bickley and Rochester, connecting the two parts of the network; opening of [[St Mary Cray railway station|St Mary Cray]], [[Farningham Road railway station|Farningham Road]] and [[Rochester Bridge railway station|Rochester Bridge]] stations (the latter being closed in 1917)
* 1861 openings:
** [[Meopham railway station|Meopham]] and [[Sole Street railway station|Sole Street]] stations.
** 22 July 1861: extension from Canterbury East to [[Dover Priory railway station|Dover]], with [[Bekesbourne railway station|Bekesbourne]], [[Adisham railway station|Adisham]], [[Shepherd's Well railway station|Shepherd's Well]] and Dover Priory stations opening with the line.
** 31 July 1861: Whitstable to [[Herne Bay railway station|Herne Bay]].
** 1 November 1861: Route to Victoria station opened: LCDR first access to London.
* 1862 openings:
** 2 June 1862: the ''Sevenoaks'' Railway opened from Sevenoaks Junction (later resited further west and called Swanley Junction, now [[Swanley railway station|Swanley station]]) to [[Sevenoaks railway station|Sevenoaks]]. Worked by LCDR, with stations at [[Eynsford railway station|Eynsford]], [[Shoreham railway station|Shoreham]], [[Otford railway station|Otford]], and [[Bat & Ball railway station|Sevenoaks Bat & Ball]]. See [[Maidstone East Line]]
** 1 July 1862: [[Swanley railway station|Swanley]] station (then named Sevenoaks Junction)
** 6 October 1862: stations along the Metropolitan Extension line towards Victoria opened: including [[Penge East railway station|Penge East]], [[Sydenham Hill railway station|Sydenham Hill]], [[Herne Hill railway station|Herne Hill]], and [[Clapham High Street railway station|Clapham]]. Knight's Hill, now [[West Dulwich railway station|West Dulwich]] was also opened.
* 1863 openings:
** Wandsworth Road station
** 5 October 1863: Herne Bay to [[Ramsgate Harbour railway station|Ramsgate]].  [[Birchington-on-Sea railway station|Birchington-on-Sea]], [[Margate railway station|Margate]], and [[Broadstairs railway station|Broadstairs]] stations all opening with the line.
** 6 October 1863: [[Holborn Viaduct–Herne Hill line|City Branch]] – Diverges from the Metropolitan Extension of the Chatham main line at Herne Hill. Opened as far as [[Elephant & Castle railway station|Elephant & Castle]].
* 1864 openings:
** 1 June 1864: City Branch extended to [[Blackfriars Bridge railway station|Blackfriars Bridge]]
* 1865 openings:
** 1 June 1865: City Branch extended to [[Ludgate Hill railway station|Ludgate Hill]]
** 1 August 1865: [[Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway]] – Diverges from the LCDR mainline at [[Brixton railway station|Brixton]] to [[Crystal Palace High Level railway station|Crystal Palace High Level]] via [[Nunhead railway station|Nunhead]]
* 1866 openings:
** 1 January 1866: [[Snow Hill Tunnel (London)|Snow Hill tunnel]] connecting the City Branch with the [[Metropolitan Railway]]{{sfn|"Fowler's Ghost"|1962|p=304}}
* 1872 openings:
** [[Longfield railway station|Longfield]]  opened as Fawkham for Longfield and Hartley
** Loughborough Road (the first station at what is now [[Loughborough Junction railway station|Loughborough Junction station]])
** City Branch extended to [[Holborn Viaduct railway station|Holborn Viaduct]]
* 1 June 1874: Otford to [[Maidstone]] East line, with [[Kemsing railway station|Kemsing]], [[Borough Green & Wrotham railway station|Borough Green]], [[West Malling railway station|West Malling]], [[Barming railway station|Barming]] and [[Maidstone East railway station|Maidstone East stations]] opening with the line. See [[Maidstone East Line]].
* 1886: '''Gravesend Railway''' branch line to Gravesend (Gravesend West) was constructed from the Chatham Main Line at Fawkham Junction (just before Longfield station).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kentrail.org.uk/Rosherville.htm|title=Rosherville|website=www.kentrail.org.uk}}</ref>
* 15 June 1881: Dover Priory to [[Deal railway station|Deal]], ''Dover & Deal Joint Railway'' (LCDR/[[South Eastern Railway (UK)|South Eastern Railway]]). See [[Kent Coast Line]].
* 1 July 1884: Maidstone East to {{rws|Ashford West}} with intermediate stations opening at [[Bearsted]], [[Hollingbourne]], [[Harrietsham]], [[Lenham]], and [[Charing]]. See [[Maidstone East Line]]
* 1 October 1884: [[Kent House railway station|Kent House]], west of Beckenham Junction
* 1 July 1892: [[Catford Loop Line]] – The [[Shortlands and Nunhead Railway]] (constructed 1889) was incorporated with the [[Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway]] to form a loop, effectively quadrupling the LCDR main line. This date also saw the bay platforms at [[Kent House railway station|Kent House]] opening.

Authorised from the future site of Nunhead on 28 July 1863; Nunhead opened 1 September 1871; Greenwich Park branch opened from Nunhead to Blackheath Hill on 18 September 1871; opened through to Greenwich Park on 1 October 1888.

* [[Greenwich Park branch]] – [[Nunhead railway station|Nunhead]] to [[Greenwich Park railway station|Greenwich Park]], closed by Southern on 1 January 1926, although a section was kept in use, and is used to this day as a link between Nunhead and Lewisham

Stations on the '''Greenwich Branch''' were
*[[Brockley Lane railway station|Brockley Lane]] (opened 1872: shut to passengers 1917: closed 1970)
*[[Lewisham Road railway station|Lewisham Road]] (opened 1871: closed 1917)
*[[Blackheath Hill railway station|Blackheath Hill]] (opened 1871: closed 1917)
*[[Greenwich Park railway station|Greenwich Park]] (opened 1888: closed 1917)

==Insolvency==
===Background===
Parliament had established standard clauses that were included in the authorising [[act of Parliament|acts of Parliament]] for all railway companies that specifically limited the borrowing powers of the company to one-third of its authorised share capital to ensure there was a proper balance between share capital and loans. These standard clauses also required that before any loans could be taken, all of the share capital must have been subscribed for, at least 50% paid for and the payment proved to the satisfaction of a [[justice of the peace]].<ref name=LM1>''The Liverpool Mercury'', 27 October 1866; page 6, columns b and c.</ref>

The railway construction partnership [[Peto and Betts]] had done a lot of work already for the LCDR, some of it via a close but separate partnership between Sir [[Morton Peto]], [[Edward Betts]], and [[Thomas Russell Crampton]], the engineer for the LCDR. This new partnership, Peto, Betts and Crampton, in conjunction with the original partnership, Peto and Betts, agreed to build a line between London Bridge and Victoria for the LCDR and to be paid entirely in the company's shares and debentures.

===Immediate cause of the insolvency===
From its inception, the LCDR was known to be under capitalized. With the collapse of the bank [[Overend, Gurney and Company]] in May 1866, it became apparent that the LCDR had been funding its construction by operating a series of schemes to evade the loan restriction requirements and borrow money that was not secured in the way the law required.

Shares had been issued in the names of Peto, Betts, Crampton and their acquaintances, and the LCDR accounts written up to make it look as though either the associated cash payment had been made directly to Peto and Betts to fund the construction of the line, or the money, having been paid to the railway company, had temporarily been lent back to the new shareholders. In fact, no cash had changed hands at all, but on the strength of these fictitious entries, the statutory declaration was made before a justice of the peace and authority given to raise loans.<ref name=PM1>''The Pall Mall Gazette'', 17 July 1868, page 203.</ref>

Once these major irregularities were exposed, the financial markets refused to continue lending to the LCDR and it became insolvent.

===Samuel Morton Peto===
In December 1863 [[Samuel Morton Peto]], a partner in Peto and Betts, had joined the board of the LCDR as financial advisor. With the collapse of the company the accusation was made that Peto was party to the scheme to circumvent the loan restrictions.<ref name=LM1/><ref name=WDP1>''The Western Daily Press'', 24 October 1866</ref>

At the time of the LCDR insolvency Peto was the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament]] for Bristol, and on 22 October 1866 addressed a meeting in Bristol to explain his involvement with the LCDR. Although reports of the meeting are very complimentary and sympathetic to Peto, further contemporary analysis was less so.<ref name=LM1/><ref name=WDP1/>

At the Bristol meeting, Peto was quite open with his admission that his business, Peto and Betts, was party to a scheme where they would give the LCDR a receipt for money paid to them as contractors, and the LCDR gave Peto and Betts a counter-receipt for money paid "for deposit, and in anticipation of calls." It was made to appear that share capital had been paid which had not been paid. On the strength of these fictitious receipts, again, the statutory declaration was made before a justice of the peace and authority given to raise loans.<ref name=LM1/>

However, Peto did not consider himself in any way to be at any fault. In his view, as it was the LCDR company solicitors that had suggested this course of action, and had drawn up the fraudulent statutory declaration and the loan documentation papers, he did not think that he should shoulder any of the blame.<ref name=LM1/> When they heard how Peto had implicated them, the company solicitors retorted that they had never done anything of the kind, and that they regarded any attempt to borrow money, except on the basis of "a bona fide subscription and a bona fide payment of half the capital," as "utterly indefensible."<ref name=LM1/>

Peto's attitudes were not unique. One of his supporters (and himself a railway director and deputy chairman) made a statement to the meeting to the effect that railway boards of directors cannot afford to be too nice, "It is very difficult to make a railway out of nothing … Parliamentary requirements almost necessitate the doing of things which are not strictly right and proper."<ref name=LM1/>

===Financial market reaction===
Financial commentators were scandalised. Typical of the comments published were:

<blockquote>Of course, we may expect to hear more about this part of the question; but even supposing Sir Morton Peto's apology to be true in point of fact, what a pitiful apology it is! He, an experienced man of business, and the regular financial adviser to the company, disclaims all responsibility for unjustifiable financial actions, if only the company's solicitors tell hint that it is all right. Surely it is not a legal question, but a moral question, whether it is permissible to concoct fictitious documents for the purpose of evading the provisions of an Act of Parliament.<ref name=LM1/></blockquote>

<blockquote>Whom shall we in future trust? Here is Sir Morton Peto, saying expressly, ‘These debentures are not debentures; I do not know what they are, but debentures they are not. I got money on them, it is true, but they are not worth anything. They are only quasi things, and the good debentures are elsewhere.’ We have never seen the whole basis of railway credit so rudely shaken. We could not have believed that such a defence could have been offered. How is Lombard-street ever to rely on having good debentures, when it finds men of the greatest repute and the highest standing offering it documents so very like debentures, but after all not real? ... Of course the company was primarily responsible; but Sir Morton Peto was acting as their trusted financial agent, ... and therefore he must be held responsible, not of course exclusively, but conjointly with those with whom he acted."<ref>''The Economist'' as quoted in ''The Taunton Courier'', 7 November 1866.</ref></blockquote>

===Aftermath===
The LCDR was refinanced. The original shareholders lost their investment and the board of directors and company solicitors replaced. The new board resolved to pursue Peto, Betts and Crampton and made a "staggering"<ref name=WC1>''Worcester Chronicle'', 16 October 1867</ref> claim against them personally for £6,661,941 19s 1d.<ref name=WC1/> (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|6661942|1866|{{Inflation-year|UK}}|r=-4}}}} as of {{Inflation-year|UK}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK}}

Peto, Betts and Crampton admitted to owing the LCDR £365,000 and eventually the railway acquiesced to this figure. The railway's new solicitors declared, "Whether my clients had a proof upon the proceedings for £360,000 or for £6,600,000, the result would, unfortunately be the same – in neither case would there be any dividend."<ref name=PM1/> The Pall Mall Gazette commented, "… the chase was costly and the game worthless."<ref name=PM1/>

The personal reputations of Peto and Betts were destroyed and never recovered. Although also made personally bankrupt, Crampton came out of the episode with his reputation intact and continued in business.

==Formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway==
{{Main|South Eastern and Chatham Railway}}

On 1 January 1899, the ''South Eastern and Chatham Railways Joint Management Committee'' was formed to oversee joint working. On 5 August 1899, the [[South Eastern and London, Chatham and Dover Railways Act 1899]] ([[62 & 63 Vict.]] c. clxviii) was passed, which resulted in the formation of the [[South Eastern and Chatham Railway]] (SE&CR). This was not a true merger since each company kept its individual board of directors within the organisation.

The rolling stock and steamboats of the two companies were thereafter worked as one concern. Some rationalisation of competing stations occurred but it was not fully resolved. Between 1902 and 1904, connections were built to allow LCDR trains through running on ex-SER lines, notably in the Bickley area where the two main lines crossed. The rationalisation of the lines in Thanet to create a line which ran through from Margate via Ramsgate to Minster did not take place until after the [[Railways Act 1921|grouping]]. In 1936 the former tunnel to Ramsgate Harbour became part of the [[Tunnel Railway]] underground railway system linking Ramsgate beach to Hereson Road, near {{stnlnk|Dumpton Park}} mainline station.

In 1923, the LCDR and the [[South Eastern Railway (England)|South Eastern Railway]] (SER), the [[London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]] (LBSCR), and the [[London and South Western Railway]] (LSWR) were joined to form the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]].

==Line details==
;Principal engineering works
* [[Blackfriars Railway Bridge|Blackfriars Bridge]]: {{convert|933|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} long
* [[Grosvenor Bridge]]: {{convert|930|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}
* Viaduct carrying extension to Blackfriars: 742 brick arches, 94 girder bridges

;Steepest gradient
* [[Rochester Bridge]]&nbsp;— Sole Street: {{convert|5|mi|km}} at 1:100 (1%)

;Tunnels
* Lydden, or Shepherd's Well Tunnel: {{convert|2376|yd|m|0|abbr=on}}
* Penge Tunnel, adjacent to Sydenham Hill: {{convert|2141|yd|m|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Yonge |first=John |editor-last=Jacobs |editor-first=Gerald |title=Railway Track Diagrams 5: Southern & TfL |edition=3rd |date=November 2008 |orig-year=1994 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Bradford on Avon |isbn=978-0-9549866-4-3 |at=map 4 }}</ref> – this was allegedly Queen Victoria's least favourite tunnel

;Locomotive Works
* The locomotive works were at [[Longhedge Railway Works (Battersea)|Longhedge]], in [[Battersea]], and the old erecting shop can still be seen. The former SER works at [[Ashford railway works|Ashford]] took over locomotive building for the joint concern, but some building work at Longhedge continued in use for a few years. The London, Chatham and Dover Railway Tavern, in nearby Cabul Road, is widely regarded as having the longest traditional pub name in Britain.{{citation needed |date=February 2010}}

==Rolling stock==
{{Main|Locomotives of the Southern Railway}}

Both the South Eastern and London, Chatham and Dover Railway companies' locomotives were painted black each with their own style of lining but, when taken over by the South Eastern and Chatham Railways Managing Committee (SE&CR), dark green was adopted with an elaborate lining scheme. After some trials with a hybrid colour scheme (SER maroon on the upper parts and LC&DR teak on the lower), the SE&CR adopted the dark maroon/lake livery for passenger stock. Ex-LC&DR locomotives were renumbered by adding 459 to the running numbers (i.e. locomotive No 1 became No 460, etc.); SER locomotives retained their existing numbers.

For a small and indigent company the Chatham was lucky in its locomotive engineers. After a very patchy start, with a miscellany of [[Crampton locomotive|Cramptons]] and other oddities, it had two very competent engineers.{{clarify|date=May 2012}}

[[William Martley]] was appointed in 1860, and commissioned some very effective performers, notably the 0-4-2 well tanks of the 'Scotchmen' (1866) and 'Large Scotchmen' (1873) classes for the suburban services; and the '[[LCDR Europa class|Europa]]' class (1873) of 2-4-0s, which ran the mail trains to and from Dover, the Chatham's crack service.

[[William Kirtley (railway engineer)|William Kirtley]] came from the Midland Railway in 1874, following the death of Martley. He was the nephew of [[Matthew Kirtley]], the Midland's famous locomotive superintendent. Kirtley produced a series of excellent designs, robust and good performers&nbsp;— the [[LCDR A class|A series]] of 0-4-4 tanks for suburban services, the [[LCDR B class|B series]] of 0-6-0 goods engines; the [[LCDR T class|T class]] of shunting engines; the [[LCDR M class|M series]] of 4-4-0 express passenger engines; and a final [[LCDR R class|R series]] of enlarged 0-4-4 tanks.

These rather than Stirling's Ashford products formed the basis for SE&CR development under Wainwright, not least because it was Robert Surtees from [[Longhedge Railway Works (Battersea)|Longhedge]] who led design work for the successor organisation. The R series led to the SE&CR's [[LCDR R1 class|R1]] and subsequent [[SECR H class|H class]]; the [[LCDR B class|Bs]] to the famous [[SECR C class|C class]]; and the [[LCDR M class|Ms]] to the [[SECR D class|D]] and [[SECR E class|E classes]], which in their rebuilt Maunsell form may have been the best British inside-cylinder 4-4-0s.

==Ships==
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway operated a number of steamships from 1864, when they took over Jenkins & Churchward's fleet.<ref name=List/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ship
! Launched
! Tonnage (GRT)
! Notes
|-
| {{SS|Bessemer||2}}
| 1875<ref name=List/>
| 1,886<ref name=List/>
| Owned by the Bessemer Steamship Co Ltd. Operated by LCDR for a period in 1875 then returned to her owners.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Breeze|1863|2}}
| 1863<ref name=List>{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/feederswest.html |title=London, Chatham & Dover Railway Company |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=5 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616103216/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/feederswest.html |archive-date=16 June 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
| 385<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1899.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Calais|1896|2}}
| 1896<ref name=List/>
| 979<ref name=List/>
| Sold in 1911 to Hater, [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]], renamed ''Au Revoir''.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Calais-Douvres|1878|2}}
| 1878<ref name=List/>
| 1,924<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1878 from English Channel Steamship Co Ltd. Previously named ''Express''. Sold in 1891.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Calais-Douvres|1889|2}}
| 1889<ref name=List/>
| 1,212<ref name=List/>
| Sold in 1900 to Liverpool & Douglas Steamers.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{PS|Castalia||2}}
| 1874<ref name=List/>
| 1,533<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1878 from English Channel Steamship Co Ltd. Sold in 1883 to Metropolitan Asylums Board for use as a [[hospital ship]].<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Dover|1896|2}}
| 1896<ref name=List/>
| 979<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1911.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Empress|1854|2}}
| 1854<ref name=List/>
| 196<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1864, scrapped in 1878.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{PS|Empress|1887|2}}
| 1887<ref name=List/>
| 1,213<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1906<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Etoile du Nord||2}}
| 1862<ref name=List/>
| 503<ref name=List/>
| Renamed ''Petrel'' in 1880. Scrapped in 1899.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Foam|1862|2}}
| 1862<ref name=List/>
| 495<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1901.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|France|1864 LCDR ship|2}}
| 1864<ref name=List/>
| 365<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1899.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Invicta|1882|2}}
| 1882<ref name=List/>
| 1,282<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1899.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|John Penn||2}}
| 1860<ref name=List/>
| 220<ref name=List/>
| Sold in 1863 to [[Belgian State Railways]], renamed ''Perle''.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Lord Warden||2}}
| 1896<ref name=List/>
| 979<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1911.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Maid of Kent||2}}
| 1861<ref name=List/>
| 364<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1864, scrapped in 1898.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Pioneer||2}}
| 1854<ref name=List/>
| 196<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1864, previously named ''Queen''. Sold in 1878 to Potter, London.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Prince|1864|2}}
| 1864<ref name=List/>
| 338<ref name=List/>
| Renamed ''Prince Imperial'' in 1891. Scrapped in 1899.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Prince Frederick William||2}}
| 1857<ref name=List/>
| 219<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1864, sold in 1874 to Potter, [[Liverpool]].<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Samphire||2}}
| 1861<ref name=List/>
| 336<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1899.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Scud||2}}
| 1862<ref name=List/>
| 495<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1864, sold c1867.<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{PS|Victoria|Fairfield, 1886|2}}
| 1886<ref name=List/>
| 1,042<ref name=List/>
| Scrapped in 1904<ref name=List/>
|-
| {{SS|Wave|1863|2}}
| 1863<ref name=List/>
| 385<ref name=List/>
| Acquired in 1864, scrapped in 1899<ref name=List/>
|}

==See also==
* [[Edward Chapman (politician)|Edward Chapman]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book|last=Body|first=Geoffrey |title=Railways of the Southern Region|publisher=PSL Field Guide|year=1989}}
*{{cite book|last=Bradley|first=D. L.|title=The Locomotives of the London Chatham and Dover Railway|publisher=Railway Correspondence and Travel Society|year=1960}}
*{{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 }}
* {{cite magazine |author="Fowler's Ghost"<!-- a pseudonym --> |title=Railway connections at King's Cross (part one) |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |date=May 1962 |editor-first=B.W.C. |editor-last=Cooke |publisher=Tothill Press |volume=108 |issue=733 }}
*{{cite book |last=Gray |first=Adrian |year=1985 <!-- 1984? --> |title=The London Chatham & Dover Railway |publisher=Meresborough Books |location=Rainham |isbn=0-905270-88-6 }}
*{{cite book|last=Nock|first=O. S.|title=The South Eastern & Chatham Railway|publisher=Ian Allan Ltd|year=1961}} – particularly for the EKR history
*{{cite book|title=Railway Year Book 1912|publisher=Railway Publishing Company}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://www.southeasternandchathamrailway.org.uk The South Eastern & Chatham Railway Society (SECSOC)]

{{Big Four pre-nationalisation British railway companies}}

[[Category:London, Chatham and Dover Railway| ]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1859]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1860]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1923]]
[[Category:Pre-grouping British railway companies]]
[[Category:History of Kent]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Kent]]
[[Category:History of rail transport in London]]
[[Category:1859 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1923 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1859]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 1923]]