Maidstone line

The Maidstone line is a railway line in Kent, England.[1][2] It diverges from the Chatham main line at Swanley Junction and proceeds down the Darenth valley to Otford junction[3] (where the Bat & Ball line[3] divides towards Sevenoaks). It continues via Borough Green & Wrotham and Maidstone East to Ashford, where it joins the South Eastern Main Line.[4]

Maidstone line
Looking west along the railway near Lenham
Overview
Type	Suburban rail, Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Kent South East England
Termini	Swanley Ashford international Sevenoaks
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Southeastern Thameslink
Rolling stock	Class 375 "Electrostar" Class 465 "Networker" Class 466 "Networker" Class 700 "Desiro City"
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Route map (Click to expand)

Maidstone line
Chatham Main Line to London Victoria Swanley Swanley Junction Chatham Main Line to Faversham A20 M25 18 mi 60 ch 30.18 km Eynsford Tunnel ( 828 yd 757 m ) Lullingstone (never opened) 19 mi 39 ch 31.36 km Lullingstone Airfield (never opened) Eynsford Viaduct over River Darent Eynsford 20 mi 32 ch 32.83 km Shoreham 22 mi 52 ch 36.45 km Otford 24 mi 06 ch 38.74 km M26 24 mi 53 ch 39.69 km South Eastern main line to London Charing Cross Otford (1874–1880) Bat & Ball Sevenoaks South Eastern main line to Tonbridge Kemsing 26 mi 79 ch 43.43 km Borough Green & Wrotham 29 mi 52 ch 47.72 km Offham Siding West Malling 34 mi 61 ch 55.94 km East Malling 35 mi 64 ch 57.61 km Barming 37 mi 43 ch 60.41 km former Preston Hall Tunnels ( 33 yd 30 m & 54 yd 49 m ) Medway Valley Line River Medway Maidstone East 39 mi 76 ch 64.29 km Week Street Tunnel ( 98 yd 90 m ) Wheeler Street Tunnel ( 358 yd 327 m ) Bearsted 42 mi 59 ch 68.78 km M20 High Speed 1 Hollingbourne 45 mi 02 ch 72.46 km Harrietsham 47 mi 36 ch 76.36 km Lenham 49 mi 11 ch 79.08 km Charing 53 mi 11 ch 85.52 km M20 Hothfield Halt 55 mi 61 ch 89.74 km Ashford West High Speed 1 South Eastern main line Ashford International 59 mi 19 ch 95.33 km Marshlink line Ashford to Ramsgate line Ashford Steam Centre High Speed 1 South Eastern main line
Mileage from London Victoria

History

The line was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway from their first line (the Chatham main line). Upon the creation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway the original Ashford terminus was closed in 1899 and services diverted to the South Eastern Railway's Ashford station. The line was electrified in 1939 (750 V DC third rail) to Maidstone East by the Southern Railway prior to World War Two. Electrification between Maidstone East and Ashford was completed in 1961 under the BR 1955 Modernisation Plan.

Infrastructure

Traction current is supplied at 750 volts DC via the Third Rail. The supply for this is overseen by Paddock Wood Electrical Control Room.[3] Signalling is Track Circuit Block with multiple aspect colour light signals throughout, controlled by Ashford IECC.[3] The line is double track throughout.

Services

Services on the line are run by Southeastern. Services run to London Victoria and Ashford, or Canterbury West with some peak services to London Blackfriars.

In the off-peak, there are two trains per hour to Ashford International from London Victoria via Bromley South and Swanley with one train per hour continuing to Cantebury West via the Ashford to Ramsgate line.[5] These services are done using either Class 375 or Class 377 trains.

Thameslink utilizes the route between Swanley and Otford on their London Blackfriars to Sevenoaks metro services via the Catford Loop and Elephant and Castle with two trains per hour running. Additional services through London will be introduced as part of the Thameslink Programme between Cambridge and Maidstone East. As of September 2019, these services haven't been introduced with no news about its future.[6]

References

1. Network Rail (Apr 2001). Southern Appendix. Module SO. p. 1/12. A0260A03. Retrieved 2012-01-12
2. Quail Map 5 - England South & London Underground [pages 6,7 & 11A ] February 1998 (Retrieved 2012-01-12)
3. Network Rail (Apr 2001). Southern Appendix. Module SO. p. 1/64. A0260A03. Retrieved 2012-01-12
4. Network Rail (Apr 2001). Southern Appendix. Module SO. p. 1/54. A0260A03. Retrieved 2012-01-12
5. "Southeastern Timetable - London to: Ashford International and Canterbury West via Maidstone East, Maidstone West, Paddock Wood and Tonbridge" (PDF). Southeastern.
6. "Further delay for 'long-suffering' rail users". BBC News. 2019-09-20. Retrieved 2020-07-30.

• Yonge, John (October 1994). Gerald Jacobs (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams – Volume 5 England, South and London Underground (1st ed.). Exeter: Quail Map Co. ISBN 1-8983-1907-3.