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 towards London Victoria, St Pancras International, Ramsgate or Dover Priory. It opened on 19 July 1860.

Electrification
The line was electrified by British Railways on 15 June 1959 as part of the "Kent Coast electrification" in the 1955 Modernisation Plan. In conjunction with electrification double track was introduced between the junction with the main line and near Swale Halt. In 1960 the bridge over the Swale estuary was rebuilt when a slight deviation of the line was built requiring a new platform at Swale Halt on a different alignment.

Train services
The connection to Sittingbourne faces away from London (Coast Bound), 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 via a connecting loop.

Recently, Swale station was earmarked for closure, with the Strategic Rail Authority proposing either a Parliamentary train or complete closure. This plan was eventually rejected, and the station retains a regular service.

Train services on the line are operated by Southeastern. There is only a Standard Class Service on this line. The typical trains that run on the line are 2-car Class 466 Networker EMUs which replaced the old 3-car Class 508 EMUs introduced as a stop gap to replace the Mk1 Slam Door EMUs. Usually in the case of bad winter weather or operational problems, the Class 466 units can sometimes be doubled up, or a 4-car Class 465 can occasionally be seen operating on this line. In December 2010, as a one-off, a Class 375/3 "Electrostar" was spotted operating on this line.

150th anniversary
During July 2010 there were events celebrating 150 years of trains to Sheppey, with a plaque on display at Queenborough Station.

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