RAMSGATE 1413/1/383 STATION APPROACH ROAD 04-FEB-88 (West side) Ramsgate Station (Bristish Rail) GV II Railway Station. 1924-6. The architect is thought to have been Edwin Maxwell Fry, chief assistant to J. R. Scott, Chief Architect to Southern Railways. Stock brick with terracotta details and tiled roof. Large central hall with flanking quadrant wings, each of 5 bays with glazing bar sashes and boarded doors. Centre block with projecting centrepiece with 3 full height semi-circular headed windows, with bolection moulded surround and console key stone. Dentilled moulded cornice and parapet to centre piece. Parapet gabled roof. Simple glazed canopy across whole of ground floor frontage with boarded doors in each arch and in flanking sections to main block. Canopy hung from iron ties with cross-scrolled centre pieces. Four escutcheons initialled "S" (for Southern Railway) between arches on main block. Interior: elliptically vaulted booking hall occupying main space, with ticket offices, canteen and toilets in ancillary wings (the Gentleman's at least with original fittings). Moulded window surrounds, door frames, wall panels and Railway and Town Coats of Arms. Ramsgate is one of a series of 3 similar stations (Margate and the demolished Dumpton Park) all 1924-6. In 1923 E Maxwell Fry joined the Architect's Department of the Southern Railway as its chief assistant. Margate reflects Fry's classical training under Charles Reilly at the Liverpool School of Architecture, and his absorption of classical detailing and planning is the clue to this station's special qualities. Fry went on to loudly embrace the international modern style, one of the first British-born architects to do so. He later became coy about his years with Southern Railways and the true significance of these buildings has only recently been recognised. Listing NGR: TR3732565718