Marshlink Line
| Marshlink line | |
|---|---|
Two trains stand in the station and passing loop at Rye at the mid point of the single track section of the line
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| Overview | |
| Type | Heavy rail |
| System | National Rail |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale |
Kent East Sussex South East England |
| Termini |
Ashford International Hastings |
| Stations | 9 |
| Services |
Ashford International – Hastings Branch line to Dungeness (freight only) |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 13 February 1851 |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Operator(s) | Southern |
| Character | Rural |
| Depot(s) | Ashford International |
| Rolling stock | Class 171 "Turbostar" (2003–) |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 26 miles 21 chains (42.27 km) |
| Number of tracks | 2 (Ashford International – Appledore) 1 (Appledore – Rye) 2 (Passing loop at Rye) 1 (Rye – Ore) 2 (Ore – Hastings) (Branch line to Dungeness also has 1 track) |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrification | None (Ashford International to Ore) 750V DC third rail (Ore to Hastings) |
| Operating speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) maximum |
The Marshlink line is a railway line in South East England. It runs from Ashford, Kent via Romney Marsh, Rye and the Ore Tunnel to Hastings, connecting to the East Coastway line towards Brighton.
The line was constructed by the South Eastern Railway, settling a rivalry with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway that led to disputes over the route and planning. It opened in 1851 after several false starts, followed by branch lines to Rye Harbour in 1854, Dungeness in 1881 and New Romney in 1884. The line struggled to be profitable and it seemed likely that it would close following the Beeching Report. All the branch lines were closed by 1967 but the main line was kept open because of poor road connections in the area. Services are currently being provided by Southern.
The Marshlink line is one of the few in South East England that has not been electrified, and uses the British Rail Class 171 diesel rolling stock. Despite its relative unimportance in the national rail network, it is now considered politically significant as electrification of the line could allow High Speed 1 to be extended to Hastings and Eastbourne.
The line starts at Ashford International, a major interchange in Kent connecting it to High Speed 1 and the South Eastern main line. Services run from Platform 1 southwards on double-track towards Ham Street (previously Ham Street & Orlsetone) and Appledore where a freight-only branch line operated by Direct Rail Services diverges to serve Dungeness nuclear power station. The branch originally served New Romney, Brookland Halt, Lydd Town, Lydd-on-Sea Halt, Greatstone-on-Sea Halt, New Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea and Dungeness.
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