NORTH KENT LINE

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The 'North Kent Line' is a railway line which connects central and south east London with Dartford and Medway.
The North Kent Line was the means by which the South Eastern Railway (SER) were able to connect its system to London at London Bridge. In 1846 the SER purchased the Thames and Medway Canal tunnel near Higham and laid railway tracks through it; in 1847 trains were working through from Strood, on the River Medway to Gravesend. From 30 July 1849 the line was extended, via Blackheath, to a junction with the London and Greenwich Railway at North Kent East Junction, near Deptford, and through trains were now working.
The line is electrified (750v DC third rail). Electrification was initially to Dartford (6th June 1926) and was extended to Gillingham by World War Two.
Train services working the Line today take the following route; the first ten miles passes through many tunnels, included on the list:

★ Lewisham

★ Blackheath - here is the junction for the Bexleyheath Line

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★ ''Blackheath Tunnel'' [1 mile (1.6 km) in length]

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★ here is the freight branch to Angerstein Wharf

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★ junction for the line from Greenwich and the eastern connection with the ''London and Greenwich Railway'', opened in 1878

★ Charlton

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★ ''Charlton Tunnel'' [154 yd (138 m)]

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★ ''Mount Street Tunnel'' [121 yd (108 m)]

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★ ''Dockyard Tunnel'' [121 yd (108 m)]

★ Woolwich Dockyard

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★ ''Coleman Street Tunnel'' [89 yd(80 m)]

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★ ''George IV Tunnel'' [238 yd (214 m]

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★ ''Calderwood Street Tunnel'' [58 yd (52 m)]

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★ ''Cross Street Tunnel'' [134 yd (120 m)]

★ Woolwich Arsenal

★ Plumstead - here the Royal Arsenal railway system connected with the main line

★ Church Manor Way Halt - closed

★ Abbey Wood

★ Belvedere

★ Erith

★ Slade Green -includes the large carriage-servicing depot

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★ here is the triangular junction with the Bexleyheath Line

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★ here is the triangular junction with the Dartford Loop Line

★ Dartford

★ Stone Crossing

★ Greenhithe - to which has been added ''"for Bluewater"''

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★ ''Greenhithe Tunnel [253 yd (228 m)]

★ Swanscombe

★ Northfleet - here the connection with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is being constructed (due to open in 2007)

★ Gravesend: was originally named ''Gravesend Central'' to differentiate it from the ex-London, Chatham and Dover Railway station at Gravesend West which closed in 1968

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★ here stood ''Denton Halt'' serving the west of Gravesend; and ''Milton Range Halt'' serving a military rifle range

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★ ''Hoo Junction Railway Staff Halt'', where the line branches ("The Hundred of Hoo Railway") to Grain. Currently for freight services (not electrified)

★ Higham

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★ ''Higham and Strood tunnel'' - actually two tunnels [total 3931 yd (3595 m)] with a gap of 100 yards between.

★ Strood - the junction for the Medway Valley Line.
With the exception of a few trains, the majority of services via Blackheath are fast or semi-fast services that travel beyond Dartford. The vast majority of suburban stopping services travel between London Bridge and Charlton via Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park instead.
The North Kent Line connects with the LCDR Chatham Main Line at Rochester Bridge Junction, about 200 m beyond Strood station. It totals some 30 miles (48 km) in length.