of the harbour. The route was reopened during both wars, and operated mainly by Royal Engineers to deploy mounted artillery on the cliff edge. During the Second World War, the branch served the many gun batteries along the white cliffs between Dover and St Margarets including the two 14 inch guns/cannons nicknamed Winnie (after Winston Churchill) and Pooh (after the fictional bear). The military railway was also used by three railway guns, Gladiator, Sceneshifter, and Piecemaker which were WW1 railway gun carriages bearing their original gun names but carrying 13.5" naval guns. There were three curved firing spurs on the military railway designed for use by the rail guns. During the war the batteries controlled the Dover Straits, but the larger guns fired into France, mainly at the numerous German gun batteries who were shelling the Dover area from August 1940. This line also ran down to Dover Harbour along a cliff road. References External links Dover District Railway stations in Kent DfT Category E stations Former Dover and Deal Joint Railway stations Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1881 Railway stations served by Southeastern 1881 establishments in England