Sheerness Line

The Sheerness Line connects Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent with Sittingbourne on the mainland, and with the Chatham Main Line for trains to London and elsewhere in Kent. It opened on 19 July 1860.

The line was electrified by British Railways as part of the "Kent Coast electrification" in the 1955 modernisation plan.

The connection to Sittingbourne faces away from London, and most trains on the line run as shuttles between the station and Sheerness - there are, however, a few through trains which run directly between Newington station and Kemsley.

Swale station is earmarked for closure. It currently receives an off-peak service of a train every thirty minutes in either direction, but this is due to be reduced to either one train a week or the station to be closed altogether.

Train services on the line are operated by Southeastern. The trains that run on the line are Class 466 EMUs which replaced the old Class 508s introduced as a stop gap to replace Mk1 Slam Door EMUs.

There was a branch line from Queenborough to Leysdown, opened in 1901 and closed 1950 - see the Sheppey Light Railway.