1 and 2 Station Cottages (formerly known as 119 High Street) Benfleet.
My father was a relief signalman on the Fenchurch Street railway line. He and his family, a wife and five children, lived in a two up two down cottage beside the crossing at Benfleet station. This cottage was rented from the railway company.
Dennis describes the cramped living conditions. The cottage was so close to the train tracks that from an upstairs window he remembers being almost able to touch the engines when they went past. The cottage was at the entrance to what is now the station car park, just past the station underpass. It was unoccupied for many years before it was pulled down some time in the 1980’s.
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Nice to see the photo of the Leigh signal box, memories of crossing the line here to spend the day at the old Hadleigh Jetty in the 1920-30’s
If you have any memories or pictures you would like share, please contact The Benfleet Community Archive by e mail, details on web site.
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