Bexleyheath line
| Bexleyheath Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Operating | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Network Rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Greater London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Heavy rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | National Rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Southeastern | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | British Rail Class 376 British Rail Class 465 British Rail Class 466 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Bexleyheath Line runs for 8 miles (13 km) from Lewisham to Dartford in Kent. It separates from the North Kent Line just to the East of Blackheath Station, and rejoins the same line just South of Slade Green in Dartford.
History
The Bexley Heath Railway company, led by railway engineer Alfred Bean (owner of Danson House),[1] secured the necessary Act of Parliament to build the line in 1883,[2] but it was not until 1 May 1895 that the Bexleyheath Line was finally opened.[3] The company soon went into bankruptcy. South Eastern Railway - who had previously refused to build a line to serve the area between the two lines - was then forced to take over.[4]
The line was electrified with the other South Eastern and Chatham Railway local routes to Dartford on 6 June 1926 by Southern Railway.[5]
In 1985 the new Eltham railway station replaced two nearby stations Well Hall station and Shooters Hill & Eltham Park station.[6] The change coincided with the opening of the Rochester Relief Road which forms part of the A2 road.[7]
Service patterns
December 2010
Off-peak & Saturday:
- 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford (not calling at New Cross)
- 2tph between London Cannon Street & Barnehurst (calling at New Cross)
- 2tph between London Victoria & Dartford
From 11 December 2011 the Barnehurst service continued to Slade Green and returned to London Cannon Street.[8]
Evenings & Sunday:
- 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford (calling at New Cross)
From January 2015
Due to the Thameslink Programme causing Southeastern to make modifications to its timetable, it has been proposed that the following service pattern will operate.[9]
Off-peak & Saturday
- 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford
- 2tph between London Cannon Street & Slade Green (calling at New Cross)
- 2tph between London Victoria & Dartford
Evenings:
- 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford
- 2tph between London Victoria & Dartford
Sundays:
- 2tph between London Victoria & Dartford
From August 2016
Due to the Thameslink Programme causing Southeastern to make more modifications to its timetable, the line is expected to have some minor changes.[citation needed]
Events
The Eltham Well Hall rail crash took place close to at Eltham Well Hall station in 1972 and resulted in 5 deaths and 126 injuries.[10]
References
- ^ "Danson House". Bexley.gov.uk.
- ^ "The Bexleyheath Line". Bexley.gov.uk.
- ^ "Bexleyheath Line". Bexley Historical Society.
- ^ "Bexley Heath Railway". National Archives.
- ^ "The Growth of the Southern Electric Group". Southern Electric Group.
- ^ "Domesday Reloaded". BBC.
- ^ "Station Name: ELTHAM PARK".
- ^ "December 2011 timetable changes" (Press release). Southeastern Railways. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ "January 2015 Draft Timetable" (Press release). Southeastern Railways. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ "Report on the Derailment that occurred on 11 June 1972 at Eltham (Well Hall) Station" (PDF).
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