Sittingbourne & Kemsley Lt Rly

[STEVIEBOY1]

All being well, this Saturday, I hope to visit the narrow gauge Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway that has thankfully reopened. I was wondering, if anyone knows if there are any photos of info about the Railways on Swale and the Isle of Sheppey which is nearby? There seemed to main line connections from Swale Halt to Ridham dock and also a connction I think to Queenborough Docks, but these lines looked very rusty when I saw them last week. There seems to be a triangle connection to Sheerness Dockyard, that appers to be in use, does much rail traffic use that these days, not sure what shipping services go into Sheerness, there used to be the Olau Line Ferry to Flushing in Southern Holland and also to Dunkirk for a short time, but I think these closed along time ago.

There used to be a long passenger branch line from 1900 to 1950from Queenborough to Leysdown too, but I have not seen any evidence of that.

I am surprised at the length of the platforms on the line from Sittingbourne to Sheerness and that both platforms at Sheerness seem to be used although the 3rd central line has been lifted,

 

[466.networkers]

I might be here sometime ... apologies in advance!

All being well, this Saturday, I hope to visit the narrow gauge Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway that has thankfully reopened.

Just so you know, Sittingbourne Viaduct station (by the retail park about 5 minutes walk from Sittingbourne railway station) is closed due to vandalism. Trains are leaving Milton Halt which can be accessed from the Asda supermarket car park along Mill Way, it is a 5 minute drive or a 15 minute walk. PM me if you want directions.

I was wondering, if anyone knows if there are any photos of info about the Railways on Swale and the Isle of Sheppey which is nearby? There seemed to main line connections from Swale Halt to Ridham dock and also a connction I think to Queenborough Docks, but these lines looked very rusty when I saw them last week.

In Sheerness town centre itself, there are historical information boards dotted about the place, IIRC one has a small bit about the railways of yesteryear.

There seems to be a triangle connection to Sheerness Dockyard, that appers to be in use, does much rail traffic use that these days, not sure what shipping services go into Sheerness, there used to be the Olau Line Ferry to Flushing in Southern Holland and also to Dunkirk for a short time, but I think these closed along time ago.

The triangle is for the Steelworks, there is a line that goes into the docks from the steelworks across Brielle Way.

With regards of freight traffic, only a pair of DRS Class 37s or more recently a single Class 66s have been used for the scrap steel trains bringing scrap steel for the steelworks. There was talk of cars from the docks and Lappel Bank being transported via rail, I think one or two trains left, but haven't seen or heard anything for over a year now.

There used to be a long passenger branch line from 1900 to 1950from Queenborough to Leysdown too, but I have not seen any evidence of that.

I am surprised at the length of the platforms on the line from Sittingbourne to Sheerness and that both platforms at Sheerness seem to be used although the 3rd central line has been lifted,

The passenger branch you are referring to was known as the Sheppey Light Railway, information about it can be found here.

As for the platforms at Sheerness and Sittingbourne being 10/12 coach lengths, they were extended upon part of the Kent Coast Electrification of 1959. In the past 10/12 coach trains ran to/from London and Dover and vice versa from Sheerness.
In 1971 a train from London failed to stop and crashed through the buffer stops at Sheerness station. There is a RAIB report about the rail accident that here and a thread on a local history forum incuding an eyewitness report and a newspaper article here.

Hope this is of some use to you!

Thanks
Ryan

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I might be here sometime ... apologies in advance!



Just so you know, Sittingbourne Viaduct station (by the retail park about 5 minutes walk from Sittingbourne railway station) is closed due to vandalism. Trains are leaving Milton Halt which can be accessed from the Asda supermarket car park along Mill Way, it is a 5 minute drive or a 15 minute walk. PM me if you want directions.



In Sheerness town centre itself, there are historical information boards dotted about the place, IIRC one has a small bit about the railways of yesteryear.



The triangle is for the Steelworks, there is a line that goes into the docks from the steelworks across Brielle Way.

With regards of freight traffic, only a pair of DRS Class 37s or more recently a single Class 66s have been used for the scrap steel trains bringing scrap steel for the steelworks. There was talk of cars from the docks and Lappel Bank being transported via rail, I think one or two trains left, but haven't seen or heard anything for over a year now.



The passenger branch you are referring to was known as the Sheppey Light Railway, information about it can be found here.

As for the platforms at Sheerness and Sittingbourne being 10/12 coach lengths, they were extended upon part of the Kent Coast Electrification of 1959. In the past 10/12 coach trains ran to/from London and Dover and vice versa from Sheerness.
In 1971 a train from London failed to stop and crashed through the buffer stops at Sheerness station. There is a RAIB report about the rail accident that here and a thread on a local history forum incuding an eyewitness report and a newspaper article here.

Hope this is of some use to you!

Thanks
Ryan

Very many thanks for all this information Ryan. (I will PM you in a minute) I do remember that accident, my grandfather used to work part time at the Sheerness Local newspaper office which in those days was almost opposite the station, they did a special edition I think. Rgds Stephen.

 

[Bungle73]

I live really close to the S&KLR, but I've never been on it.

I've seen the steam trains going along the viaduct when I've been going to/from the town centre, and come sometime hear the whistle from my house. The Asda it goes past is about a 10 walk away and where we do our shopping.

There's a book called "Lost Railways of Kent" which details the S&KLR and the lines on the Isle of Sheppey, and included pictures.

For what reason were the direct Sheerness trains to/from London withdrawn? One would be useful to me now as my nearest station is Kemsley, which atm means I have to change at Sittingbourne, or get a bus, when I go to London.

 

[466.networkers]

I don't know the exact reasoning but I think privatisation and also a lull in passenger numbers due to the cost difference between the train and coach are the most likely factors ...

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Good morning,

As planned I did go on the SKLR on Aug Bank Hol Saturday. It is certainly worth doing, the walk from Sittingbour BR Stn to the Milton Regis Asda Halt only took 12 mins or so, useful to do a bit of shopping as use the loos in Asda before the steam train departed, it was steam hauled from Milton Regis and diesel on the return from Kemsley Down, I presume the steam loco then followed behind to haul the train back upto Kemsley, it seems for some reasons as there were 4 (Very nice) coaches they can not top and tail. I do recommend this little railway, it is very historic and was forced to close for a couple of years, but now owing to a change of landlord, something to do with the paper mills and also redevelopment near Sittingbourne Town Centre, it looks like the line will get a new lease of life and better facilities at their Sittingbourne Viaduct Station which they hope to get back into later this year or early next. Do go if you can, it's not expensive and they need all the support they can get. I was surprised how big their works at Kemsley Downs is and how many people were working there. Rgds Steve.