Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line

Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line
The Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line, shown with other railway lines in Kent.
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Kent, South East England
Stations	11
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Southeastern
Rolling stock	Class 375 "Electrostar"
Technical
No. of tracks	2
Track gauge	Standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line
Legend
Chatham Main Line (Ramsgate Branch) Margate Sands(SER) Margate Margate East Broadstairs Tivoli Dumpton Park Ramsgate Harbour Tunnel 1,124 yards (1,028 m) Ramsgate Harbour(LCDR) Ramsgate Town(SER) x20px Depot & Ramsgate St Lawrence for Pegwell Bay Ebbsfleet and Cliffsend Halt Kent Coast Line to Dover Minster Grove Ferry and Upstreet Chislet Colliery Halt Sturry x20px Canterbury North Lane Canterbury & Whitstable Rly Canterbury West Curve closed 1953 Chatham Main Line (Dover Branch) Elham Valley Line A2 Chartham Chilham Wye Ashford Steam Centre Depot High Speed 1 to the Channel Tunnel Depot South Eastern Main Line Marshlink Line x20px Ashford International Maidstone East Line to Swanley High Speed 1 to St Pancras Depot South Eastern Main Line

The Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line is the railway that runs from Ashford to Ramsgate via Canterbury West. The same termini can be reached by the Kent Coast Line

The line is electrified (750 V DC third rail).

Services

Services are operated by Southeastern.

Typical service is hourly from Charing Cross to Ashford, dividing there into a part to Ramsgate via Canterbury West, and a part via the Kent Coast Line.

History

The line was built by South Eastern Railway (SER) as a branch from its main line. Their rival London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) had already built to Canterbury and Ramsgate.

Upon the merging of the SER and LCDR into the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) the track layout and stations were rationalised at Ashford and on Thanet. In Thanet the SER branch to Margate Sands was closed.

The line was electrified in 1961 under the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan.

Accidents and incidents

• On 11 August 1858, an excursion train was derailed near Chilham. Three people were killed.
• On 15 July 1970, an electric multiple unit was in collision with a lorry on an occupation crossing between Chartham and Chilham due to an error by the crossing keeper. The driver of the lorry and the guard of the train were killed.
• On 26 July 2015, electric multiple unit 375 703 was in collision with a herd of cattle on the line at Chilham and was derailed. There were no injuries amongst the 70 passengers. The line was closed until 30 July.