Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line

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) 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 Canterbury North Lane Canterbury and Whitstable Railway Canterbury West Curve closed 1953 Chatham Main Line (Dover Branch) Elham Valley Railway A2 Chartham Chilham Wye Ashford Steam Centre Depot High Speed 1 to the Channel Tunnel Depot South Eastern Main Line Marshlink Line Ashford International Maidstone 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.^[1]
• 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.^[2]
• 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.^[3][4] The line was closed until 30 July.^[5]

References

Railway lines in the South East
Primary	International High Speed 1 (Ashford • Ebbsfleet) National Great Western Main Line (Slough • Maidenhead • Reading • Didcot Parkway) West Coast Main Line (Watford Junction • Milton Keynes Central)
Secondary	Berks/Bucks/Oxon to London Aylesbury Line Chiltern Main Line Waterloo to Reading Line (and in Surrey) Windsor & Eton Riverside Line (and in Surrey) Crossrail (under construction) (and past London to Essex) Kent to London Bexleyheath Line Chatham Main Line Dartford Loop Line Kent Coast Line Maidstone Line Medway Valley Line North Kent Line Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line Sheerness Line South Eastern Main Line Tonbridge Line (and in Surrey) Surrey/Sussex/Hants to London Ascot to Guildford Line Alton Line Arun Valley Line Brighton Main Line Caterham Line Fareham Line Hampton Court Branch Line Hastings Line (and in Kent) Chertsey Branch Line Epsom Downs Branch New Guildford Line Oxted Line (and in Kent) Portsmouth Direct Line Shepperton Branch Line South Western Main Line Sutton and Mole Valley Lines Tattenham Corner Line Thameslink (and past London to Beds/Herts) West of England Main Line Others Cherwell Valley Line Cotswold Line Eastleigh to Romsey Line East Coastway Line (inc Marshlink Line) Henley Branch Line Island Line Lymington Branch Line Marlow Branch Line Marston Vale Line North Downs Line Oxford to Bicester Line Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line Reading to Taunton Line West Coastway Line Wessex Main Line Slough to Windsor & Eton Line Reading to Basingstoke Line Seaford Branch Line
Heritage	Bluebell Railway Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway Cholsey & Wallingford Railway East Kent Railway Isle of Wight Steam Railway Kent and East Sussex Railway Lavender Line Spa Valley Railway Watercress Line
Non-passenger/ Defunct	Hundred of Hoo Railway Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway

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