The ferry running from Tilbury to Gravesend was first recorded in the 1300’s, predating Tilbury Fort.

As result of the 19th century British colonial expansion, the early 20th century saw significant increases in long distance passenger travel by sea. By 1922 this increased demand, and a lack of centralised facilities for passengers, led to the passing of the 1922 Port of London and Midland Railway Act, which gave powers for the building of a Cruise Terminal and Passenger Landing Stage.

On 16th May 1930 Ramsay MacDonald officially opened the Landing Stage and Cruise Terminal.

By the 1930’s, by virtue of its accessibility for large liners and good links to London, Tilbury had become the centre of passenger of operations for the Port of London Authority.

Previously passengers were conveyed between ship and shore by private vessels, however the new Landing Stage was constructed as a floating platform, projecting out 370 feet from the riverbank. This enabled direct passenger transfer via elevated gantries.

The design and construction of the Landing Stage allowed it to rise and fall with the tide (during spring tide this could be a rise and fall of 21 feet). At the western end of the stage a two storey wooden building 500 feet long was constructed with offices for customs, immigration, and waiting rooms.

Four bridges connected the floating stage to the land / baggage hall. A fifth bridge was constructed for vehicles.

Interior of Baggage Hall at Tilbury Landing stage c. 1950
A new 295 feet long baggage hall was constructed (Architect E. Cooper). Due to the unstable nature of the riverbank, this was constructed on top of a 600 feet long concrete platform.

The Riverside Station was also enlarged with a new station building, added lines, and platforms, making the journey time to central London forty-five minutes. By 1929 passenger numbers for the year had reached 306,000.

Until World War Two the Cruise Terminal was in high demand, and served ships sailing to India, the Far East, Australia and New Zealand. During the summer months there were also pleasure cruises to the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Scandinavia, and the Baltic.

World War Two diverted the work of the Cruise Terminal, and after the war, return to normal operations were slow. By the end of the 1940’s the passenger trade had revived, and was once again thriving.

On 22 June 1948 the Empire Windrush docked with five hundred men and women from the Caribbean. Responding to advertised job vacancies, and escaping economic depression in Caribbean, these men and women were the first significant group of Caribbean migrants to travel to Britain after the Second World War. As such they are regarded as founders of Britain’s black community.

In 1953 another cargo and passenger terminal was planned, but by 1957 just after the new terminal completion, air travel expanded and sea travel went into rapid decline.

Twelve years later the terminal closed and the buildings are now used for storage.

Today, the direct rail links to the Riverside Station have been severed, and the station is closed and semi-derelict. However the original Cruise Terminal and Landing Stage are still in use, in a reduced way – the ferry service is still running to Gravesend from the Eastern End of the landing stage, and there are pleasure cruises during the summer months.