Pegwell Halt

Description
Pegwell Halt is a very small halt on the Medway Vale Line, located just east of Nydalen and Imblesbrook in the small village of Sandford & Pegwell. It is the penultimate stop before the line's southern terminus at Brackwell Common.

The station has two through platforms, both of which are original wooden structures from the early days of the railway. Insufficient usage and underfunding of the station has led to these being retained. Interestingly, the station still retains its 1980s NSE signage, unlike other stations on the line.

The platforms are only long enough for a two-car unit. Thus, services formed of 3, 4 or 6 car trains must use Selective Door Opening to lock the remaining doors on the coaches not able to serve the platform. It is primarily served by 2-car Class 466 units running off-peak services between Brackwell Common and Freyview.

There is a PERTIS Permit To Travel machine located on Platform 1.

History
The halt was opened in 1907 with the opening of The Medway Vale Line as part of an extension from the South London Suburban Railways towards the large town of Freyview. It was originally named Sandford Oak, but was renamed to Pegwell Oak in 1916, Sandford & Pegwell in 1924 and finally Pegwell Halt in 1927.

The wooden platforms were renewed once after a fire in 1926. However, they still remain in situ today; the wooden boards have been replaced and repaired over time.

The station was partially rebranded in 1986 after Network SouthEast took over the line. This branding remains today.

The level crossing was manned from a signal box at the north end of the station since the station was opened. When the signalling on The Medway Vale Line was redone south of South Kent International Airport in 1991, the signal box was downgraded to a gate box. Eventually, the level crossing was converted to an Automatic Half Barrier in 1997, rendering the gate box redundant.

Services
Due to it's low passenger volumes, the station has an hourly service in both directions towards Freyview and Brackwell Common, opposed to the half hourly services other stations on the line receive. 3 return services in the peak from London Charing Cross also serve this station, run by Class 395 EMUs.