Rye railway station

train at Platform 2]] A station at Rye was proposed in April 1840, when the Tenterden, Rye & Hastings Branch Railway planned a line from the South Eastern Main Line near Smarden to Hastings via Tenterden and Rye. At the time, harbour duties were not charged at Rye, making it a suitable port for goods traffic. The following year, it was estimated that a single-track line from the South Eastern Main Line to Hastings via Rye could be built for £250,000 (£ in ). The company attempted to negotiate construction with the South Eastern Railway (SER), who thought the route was a poor choice and preferred to reach Hastings from via . In 1844, the SER became concerned that the Brighton, Lewes &…

, opposite Platform 2]] Construction of the station building began in 1847. It was designed by William Tress in symmetric Italianate style of two storeys with an attic in red brick with a slate roof and set of gateless gate pillars. In 2019, it was repainted and refurbished.

The first train to Rye ran on 28 October 1850, before the line had been fully completed. The Mayor of London travelled from to Rye via Ashford and gave a short speech at the station. It opened on 13 February 1851, along with stations at , Appledore and . A coal stage opened in 1854, and new goods sidings were added in 1874. In 1859, a proposal was made to link Rye with Folkestone via Lydd and Dymchurch. The SER declined to finance the line. In 1864, the Weald of Kent Railway proposed building a line from to (and hence to Rye) via Tenterden. The scheme was cancelled two years later.