You could be right on customs and immigration, as the Golden Arrow and the other boat trains had their formalities at Dover Marine or Folkestone Harbour.     First post - welcome to the Coffee Shop! 

 
I remember the Night Ferry using Platform 1 at Victoria. in the early 1970's
At that time there were folding screens between the canopy supports along the platform which I was led to believe was to isolate the platform for Customs and Immigration purposes.  Was this pre EEC ? as I do not see then in the picture of Victoria posted in this thread or were they nearer the stops.

 

From 1961 to 1976, I commuted in multiple directions - to Sydenham Hill, then to Sevenoaks, then into Central London (Holborn Viaduct and Charing Cross mostly) from Petts Wood. Looking at dates, though I didn't realise it at the time, that was just after the demise of steam, and every passenger train with the exception of the Golden Arrow and Night Ferry were units - electic on most services and narrow bodied DEMUs on Hastings services. Local trains all EPBs, semifsats HAPs and expresses CEPs with the continental trains all 12 carriages long plus an MLV and with a BEP in there. So the Arrow and the Ferry were special - what becase known as "Class 71" 3rd rail electrics with a pantograph to pick up power in Hither Green yard when on freight duty.

Pictured in the 1980 runs are a class 33 (pure diesel) and a class 73 (electric and diesel). You will find a number of members of both of these classes still around, including class 73 on day to day operations but the class 71 had a short life and had all gone before the demise of the night ferry which could be seen on the up fast at Petts Wood on mornings it was delayed as it slowed down to turn left onto the line towards Victoria.

I understood the Night Ferry to use platform 1 at Victoria as it was out of the way - quiet for passengers and otherwise scarcely used that it was available all evening for people to join it early, and in the morning rush hour too for people arriving to be able to stay on board until a civil time.

 
Curious. Happening to pass through London Victoria on the evening of its last departure, which seemed to be without ceremony, I remember thinking 'What's that funny set of carriages over there?'

Many photos and much information from the shipping point of view here:

https://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/the-night-ferry/

I'm not sure the timings for the inward run into London Victoria, but I'm told that even with diesel haulage, the passing of the night ferry across the commuter network was an *event* in people's lives and for some, a bit of a memory-jog for recollections of the 'Golden Arrow' (ditto).

Mark

 
from Paul Harris



Ah yes - the Golden Arrow left in full pomp from platform 9, but the night ferry crept into platform 1.

 
Was the Western Docks arm third-rail electrified?

 
From Southern Electric Group on Facebook - hauled (!!) by a diesel ...

 

...and Reading!

 
From Wikipedia


I remember seeing this exotic train going through Petts Wood in the morning ...

Long since gone and past its time - and yet - just last year I caught the sleeper train from Palermo to Milan, which included a ferry crossing from Messina.  And I would seriously look at a Swansea to Paris service (pick up Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and Bath) with a 5 car 8xx sleeper ... joining a Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham sleeper to make 10 cars from London.