Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line

Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line
The Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line, shown with other railway lines in Kent.
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Kent, South East England
Stations	11
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Southeastern
Rolling stock	Class 375 "Electrostar"
Technical
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	Standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

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 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.

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.