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North Kent Line
ASoutheasternClass 466 passingMilton Range in 2011
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	Greater London South East England
Termini	Lewisham Rochester
Service
Type	Commuter rail,suburban rail
System	National Rail
Operator(s)	Southeastern Thameslink
Depot(s)	Slade Green Grove Park Gillingham
Rolling stock	Class 375 "Electrostar" Class 376 "Electrostar" Class 377 "Electrostar" Class 395 "Javelin" Class 465 "Networker" Class 466 "Networker" Class 700 "Desiro City" Class 707 "City Beam"
Technical
Line length	27mi 34ch (44.13 km)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge
Electrification	750VDCthird rail
Operating speed	70 mph (110 km/h)
Route map

TheNorth Kent Line^[1][2] is a railway line which branches off theSouth East Main Line at St Johns junction west ofLewisham station inGreater London and runs to Rochester Bridge Junction nearStrood,Medway where it links to theChatham Main Line.

The section from Charlton to Dartford is also referred to as the "Woolwich Line" in the context ofSoutheastern Metro services.

The North Kent Line was the means by which theSouth Eastern Railway (SER) was able to connect its system to London atLondon Bridge. In 1846 the SER purchased theThames and Medway Canal tunnel nearHigham and laid railway tracks through it; in 1847 trains were working through from theStrood terminus, on theRiver Medway toGravesend. From 30 July 1849 the line was extended, viaBlackheath, to a junction with theLondon and Greenwich Railway at North Kent East Junction, nearDeptford, and through trains were now able to operate.

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

From 1999 until 2002, there were semi-fast trains running from Plumstead toLondon Victoria, temporarily resuming a 1980s service pattern. This service was for theMillennium Dome; trains called at Woolwich Arsenal, Charlton, Blackheath, Lewisham, Peckham Rye, then ran non-stop to London Victoria. There was also an early morning semi-fast service toLondon Blackfriars from Dartford in the 1980s.

In 2003, there were plans to run a Plumstead to Clapham Junction service across South London which had never came to fruition.

Until May 2018, there were regular semi-fast services to Gillingham (Kent) from London Charing Cross via Lewisham (for DLR) and Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR) operated by Southeastern calling at Waterloo East, London Bridge then non-stop to Lewisham (for DLR), Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR), Abbey Wood (forElizabeth line), Dartford, Greenhithe (for Bluewater), Gravesend and then all stations to Gillingham (Kent). Since then, these services were replaced by the new Thameslink services from Luton calling at all but some stations to Rainham (Kent).

v t e North Kent Line
Legend
South Eastern Main Line toCharing Cross Greenwich Park branch line toNunhead St Johns Jn Lewisham Jn Docklands Light Railway toCanary Wharf andBank Lewisham Mid Kent Line toHayes South Eastern Main Line andDartford Loop Line Blackheath Bexleyheath Line 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 Elizabeth line toReading orHeathrow T4 Woolwich Arsenal Woolwich Docklands Light Railway toBank orStratford Plumstead (National Rail) Plumstead carriage sidings (Elizabeth line) Church Manor Way Halt Abbey Wood safeguarded route towardsGravesend Belvedere Erith Pier Erith Slade Green Bexleyheath Line Slade Green Depot Dartford Loop Line Dartford River Darent Dartford carriage sidings A282 Dartford Tunnel Approach Stone Crossing Greenhithe for Bluewater Greenhithe Tunnel 253 yd 231 m Swanscombe High Speed 1 toSt Pancras Northfleet Ebbsfleet International High Speed 1 toAshford andChannel Tunnel Gravesend West Line Gravesend Milton Road Halt Denton Halt Milton Range Halt Hoo Junction Staff Halt Hundred of Hoo Railway to theIsle of Grain Hoo Junction Freight Yard Higham Higham & Strood tunnel 3931 yd 3595 m Strood (terminus 1845–1856) Strood Chatham Main Line toLondon Victoria Medway Valley Line toPaddock Wood River Medway Chatham Extension Rochester Chatham Main Line toDover Priory andRamsgate

The line diverges from theSoutheastern Main Line at Lewisham Vale junction^[3][4] at the south-east end ofSt Johns railway station, and runs as far as Rochester Bridge junction^[5][6] beside theRiver Medway on the north coast of mid-Kent.

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, withLewisham having 14tph.

London Charing Cross toDartford 2tph, calling at Waterloo East,London Bridge fast to Lewisham (for DLR), Blackheath, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR),Plumstead, Abbey Wood (for Elizabeth Line) Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green and Dartford.

London Cannon Street toSlade Green all stations via Greenwich 4tph, of which 2tph continue back to Cannon Street via Bexleyheath and Lewisham on theBexleyheath line and 2tph to Cannon Street via Sidcup and Hither Green on theDartford Loop Line.

Luton toRainham 2tph, Semi Fast calling all stations to West Hampstead Thameslink,St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Bridge, Deptford, Greenwich (for DLR), Maze Hill, Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal (for DLR), Plumstead, Abbey Wood (for Elizabeth Line), Slade Green, Dartford, Stone Crossing, Greenhithe (for Bluewater), Swanscombe, Northfleet, Gravesend and all stations to Rainham.

This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2019)

As of May 2019^[update], the service pattern is:

Off-peak & Saturday:

• 2tph between Luton & Rainham via Greenwich (Semi-Fast)
• 2tph betweenLondon Cannon Street & Slade Green via Greenwich, continuing to London Cannon Street via the Bexleyheath Line (stopping service)(Also runs 2tph via Bexleyheath first and then via Greenwich)
• 2tph between London Cannon Street & Slade Green via Greenwich, continuing to London Cannon Street via the Dartford Loop Line (stopping service)(Also runs 2tph via the Dartford Loop Line first and then via Greenwich)
• 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford via Lewisham & Woolwich Arsenal
• 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford via Bexleyheath
• 2tph between London Charing Cross &Gravesend via Dartford Loop Line (Fast service)
• 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford via Dartford Loop Line (Semi-Fast)
• 2tph between St Pancras International &Ramsgate, continuing to St Pancras International via the Kent Coast Line and High Speed One, via High Speed One

Sunday:

• 2tph between London Cannon Street & Dartford via Greenwich (stopping service)
• 2tph between London Charing Cross & Dartford via Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal
• 2tph between Kentish Town & Rainham via Greenwich (Semi-Fast)

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

Abbey Wood station has been rebuilt to become the eastern terminus of the Elizabeth Line. However, a possible extension of the Elizabeth line toGravesend has been safeguarded.

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

• Lewisham
• Blackheath – here is the junction for theBexleyheath line
  • Blackheath Tunnel [1 mile (1.6 km) in length]
  • here is the freight branch toAngerstein Wharf
  • junction for the line fromGreenwich and the eastern connection with theLondon and Greenwich Railway, opened in 1878
• Charlton
  • 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
• Plumstead – here theRoyal Arsenal railway system connected with the main line
• Church Manor Way Halt – closed
• Abbey Wood
• Belvedere
• Erith
• Slade Green -includes the largecarriage-servicing depot
  • here is the triangular junction with theBexleyheath line
  • here is the triangular junction with theDartford Loop Line
• Dartford
• Stone Crossing
• Greenhithe, subtitled"forBluewater"
  • Greenhithe Tunnel [253 yd; 231 m]
• Swanscombe
• Northfleet – this station is only 305m or so fromEbbsfleet International c. 800m by foot.
• Gravesend: was originally namedGravesend Central to differentiate it from the ex-London, Chatham and Dover Railway station atGravesend West which closed in 1968
• Milton Road Halt-closed
• Denton Halt- closed
• Milton Range Halt-closed
• Hoo Junction Staff Halt, where the line branches ("The Hundred of Hoo Railway") toGrain. Currently for freight services (not electrified)
• Higham
  • Higham and Strood tunnel – actually two tunnels [total 3,931 yd; 3,595 m] with a gap of 100 yards (91 m) between.
• Strood – the junction for theMedway Valley Line.

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

• Transport in the London Borough of Bexley
• Transport in the Borough of Dartford
• Transport in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Rail transport in Kent
• Transport in the London Borough of Lewisham
• Railway lines in London
• Transport in Medway
• Railway lines in South East England
• Standard gauge railways in Kent
• Standard gauge railways in London

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