Bat & Ball: Friendless no more
The Friends of Bat and Ball group met for the first time on 4 November at Sevenoaks Town Council. Tony Clayton represented Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association. Cathy Baker and Paul Towell were there as local councillors.
Discussion focused mainly on the station building, which is listed but neglected. It still has much of its original interior, and could be used for a cafe, a local history centre, or some sort of retail. But it has been on the market to rent for years and nobody has yet tried to make a go of it. It was agreed to see how similar stations elsewhere had been revived for new uses. Local groups could be a source of good ideas. but getting the building used will reduce the sense of isolation round the station which makes some people feel unsafe.
Keith Alderman’s idea to cut back the undergrowth and open up the station will be pursued by the Town Council, and so will the request for signs – unbelievably there are none! The Town Council is also looking to create a pedestrian access from the Community Centre side, to save people walking over the bridge, and to meet disabled access standards
Better train information will be followed up by the Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association, talking to the new Thameslink train operator as well as to South Eastern Railway who continue to run the station.
However most people in Sevenoaks are still unaware that in three years there will be a better service into the heart of London from Bat and Ball – with one change at Otford. And during the London Bridge rebuild from 2015 to 2018 an alternative route to London will be very useful. The rail operators need to be convinced that, in the short term, during the rebuild disruption, a slow train will be better than no train, and that after it they should be able to cash in with more customers.
Bob Ogley gave us a potted history of Bat and Ball as Sevenoaks’ first railway station – and its only station for at least ten years. If we are successful much better days could lie ahead.
If you’d like to join the Friends of Bat and Ball group, please contact Bonnie Tarling at Sevenoaks Town Council.
My address is Bat and Ball Station House and I think some of the areas you have covered may be wrongly informed.
The unsocial behaviour at the station was mainly 3 years ago when it was very bad and of course the police never attended or were far too late. But recently there has been a big improvement.
As for business to be opened in the station up until last year the Sevenoaks Players rented the station.
I think facts should be investigated more before being reported as true
Thanks. We have passed this on to the Friend of Bat & Ball group for their attention.
Tony Clayton, SRTA Chairman, has written to you inviting you to become involved in the Friends of Bat & Ball group. We do hope that you can participate.
Hello,
I have been using Bat and Ball station for more than 4 years now..Where to start…
There have been improvements but the station and the whole end of the road needs a good clean first of all, there’s rubbish everywhere, a couple of trollies ungracefully thrown in the grass
. Access from the community centre seems to be a no brainer too , I regularly see mothers carrying their prams by hand to access the other platform.
The “permit to travel” machine works half the time and has gobbled up some of my change regularly, but then it’s operated by Southeastern so that’s expected I suppose.
Good luck to everyone involved
I am interested in becoming a Friend of Bat and Ball Station having read the inf. on the noticeboard at the station. The station was being painted and the hanging baskets have improved the appearance! Can you tell me how to support further improvements at this station please .
Are there no updates on the station development?
@Barbara The station building is being taken over by Sevenoaks Town Council – see https://srta.org.uk/wp/posts/2736
Barbara – the good news is that Sevenoaks Town Council has signed the lease for the station, and South Eastern have made it weatherproof. Last month the Town Council put in a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money to put in a cafe and community rooms, to put back toilets, and to create a level access for disabled people from the Community Centre.
The bad news is that Govia Thameslink are putting back to 2019 the fast trains from Otford which will make Bat & Ball a more useful commuter station – see https://srta.org.uk/wp/posts/2813 . We’re trying to make sure it doesn’t slip any further!