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North Kent Line

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North Kent Line
The North Kent Line, shown with other railway lines in Kent.
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerNetwork Rail
LocaleGreater London
South East England
Termini
Service
TypeCommuter rail, Suburban rail
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)Southeastern
Thameslink
Depot(s)Slade Green
Grove Park
Gillingham
Rolling stockClass 375 "Electrostar"
Class 376 "Electrostar"
Class 395 "Javelin"
Class 465 "Networker"
Class 466 "Networker"
Class 700 "Desiro City"
Technical
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 DC third rail
North Kent Line
St Johns Jn
Lewisham Jn
Lewisham Docklands Light Railway
Blackheath
Blackheath Tunnel
1681 yd
1537 m
Greenwich Line
to North Kent East Jn
Angerstein Wharf
Charlton Jn
Charlton
Charlton Lane Crossing
Charlton Tunnel
154 yd
141 m
Mount Street Tunnel
121 yd
111 m
Dockyard Tunnel
121 yd
111 m
Woolwich Dockyard
Coleman Street Tunnel
89 yd
81 m
George IV Tunnel
238 yd
218 m
Calderwood Street Tunnel
58 yd
53 m
Cross Street Tunnel
134 yd
123 m
Woolwich Arsenal Docklands Light Railway
Plumstead
Plumstead carriage sidings
Church Manor Way Halt
Abbey Wood Elizabeth Line
safeguarded route
towards Gravesend
Belvedere
Erith Pier
Erith
Slade Green
Dartford
Dartford carriage sidings
A282 Dartford Tunnel Approach
Stone Crossing
Greenhithe for Bluewater
Greenhithe Tunnel
253 yd
231 m
Swanscombe
Northfleet
Ebbsfleet International Eurostar
Gravesend
Milton Road Halt
Denton Halt
Milton Range Halt
Hoo Junction Freight Yard
Higham
3931 yd
3595 m
Strood
(terminus 1845–1856)
Strood
Rochester

The North Kent Line[1][2] is a railway which runs from a junction of Britain's South East Main Line, east of St Johns railway station, Greater London to a point south-west of Strood station by the River Medway in Medway where it links to the Chatham Main Line. The London terminus is Charing Cross station.

History

Construction

The North Kent Line was the means by which the South Eastern Railway (SER) was able to connect its system to London at London Bridge. In 1846 the SER purchased the Thames and Medway Canal tunnel near Higham and laid railway tracks through it; in 1847 trains were working through from the Strood terminus, on the River Medway to Gravesend. From 30 July 1849 the line was extended, via Blackheath, to a junction with the London and Greenwich Railway at North Kent East Junction, near Deptford, and through trains were now able to operate.

Electrification

The line is electrified (750 V DC third rail). Electrification was initially to Dartford (6 June 1926) and was extended to Gillingham by World War Two.

Former services

From 1999–2002 there were semi-fast trains starting from Plumstead to London Victoria briefly resuming a 1980s service pattern. This service was for the Millennium Dome, the service called at, Woolwich Arsenal, Charlton, Blackheath, Lewisham, Peckham Rye then non-stop to London Victoria, there was also an early morning semi fast service to London Blackfriars from Dartford in the 1980s.

There were plans in 2003 to have a Plumstead to Clapham Junction cross south London service but it never came to fruition.

Route

The line diverges from the Southeastern Main Line at Lewisham Vale junction[3][4] at the country end of St John's station at the edge of Inner London, and runs as far as Rochester Bridge junction[5][6] beside the River Medway by the north coast of historic mid-Kent.

Services

The North Kent Line is a high-frequency line, with all stations in the London area being served by at least 4 trains per hour, with Lewisham 14tph.

London Charing Cross to Gillingham 2tph fast, calling at Waterloo East, London Bridge fast to Lewisham (for Docklands Light Railway), Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal (for the Docklands Light Railway), Abbey Wood (Future interchange with Crossrail) fast to Dartford, then Greenhithe (for Bluewater), Gravesend then all stations to Gillingham.

London Cannon Street to Slade Green all stations via Greenwich 6tph, of which 2tph continue to Dartford, 2tph continue back to Cannon Street via Bexleyheath and Lewisham on the Bexleyheath line and 2tph to Cannon Street via Sidcup and Hither Green on the Dartford Loop Line.

London Cannon Street to Plumstead 2tph, Semi Fast calling at London Bridge, New Cross, Lewisham, Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal and Plumstead, this service does not call at St. Johns and Woolwich Dockyard.

Service patterns

As of July 2015, the service pattern is:

Off-peak & Saturday:

Sunday:

Peak hour frequencies vary, with services from the Bexleyheath and Dartford loop lines also running to and from stations to Gillingham.

Future

Abbey Wood is to become the eastern terminal for Crossrail. A possible extension of Crossrail to Gravesend has been safeguarded.

Thameslink services commenced from 2018, from Rainham, Kent to Luton via Greenwich, calling at all stations except for Erith, Belvedere and Woolwich Dockyard, this is to compensate for the loss of Charing Cross trains (With the exception of Abbey Wood, Woolwich Arsenal and Charlton, which are still served by Charing Cross trains from Gillingham and these services run via Lewisham).

Stations

Train services working the Line today take the following route; the first ten miles (16 km) passes through many tunnels, included on the list:

The North Kent Line connects with the LCDR Chatham Main Line at Rochester Bridge Junction, about 200 m beyond Strood station. It totals some 30 miles (48 km) in length.

References

  1. ^ Quail Maps. Map#5 - Southern & TFL. Vol. [page 5] Feb 1998 (Retrieved 2018-01-14).
  2. ^ "KSW2 Kent Sussex Wessex Routes Sectional Appendix; LOR SO290 Seq003 to 009" (pdf). Network Rail. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  3. ^ Quail Map 5 – England South [page 7] Sept 2002 (Retrieved 25 December 2011)
  4. ^ Network Rail (April 2001). Southern Zone Sectional Appendix. Vol. Module SO. p. 1/15 SO130. (Retrieved 25 December 2011)
  5. ^ Quail Map 5 – England South [page 3] Sept 2002 (Retrieved 25 December 2011)
  6. ^ Network Rail (April 2001). Southern Zone Sectional Appendix. Vol. Module SO. p. 1/37 SO130. (Retrieved 25 December 2011)