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The Rural Community Council for Kent and Medway

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SwaleRail

The SwaleRail branch line connects to the main line at Sittingbourne and then runs via Kemsley, Swale Halt and Queenborough to Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey. The line provides a valuable public transport link from the island to the mainland and runs over Kingsferry Bridge, a combined road and rail lifting bridge that spansThe Swale. This bridge has been the only link for many years and traffic has often been delayed when the bridge has had to lift to allow shipping to pass underneath. Now a new, higher road bridge has been built and there should be far fewer delays to road traffic.

                                                      Kingsferry Bridge

As well as being an important service for passengers, the line probably sees more rail freight than most lines covered by Community Rail Partnerships. Kemsley boasts a paper mill; there is a connection to Ridham Dock on the south side of The Swale; car traffic is despatched from Queenborough and there is a steel mill at Sheerness.

Sheerness Station      Kemsley Halt      Class 466 unit arriving at Queenborough from Sittingbourne

Both Sheerness and Queenborough have ticket offices that are staffed during the mornings, but Kemsley and Swale Halt are unstaffed. As the junction and an important commuter station, Sittingbourne is staffed throughout the hours of traffic.

Since December 2006 all passenger services on the line are worked by more modern 2 car Class 466 electric units fitted with a toilet. For most of the day the service consists of two trains per hour. Click here for the full timetable.

Swale Tourism

For local tourist information please go to the Swale Tourism website. This contains information on attractions in Sittingbourne, Faversham, The Isle of Sheppey and surrounding areas.

Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway Loco

One of the main attractions in the area is the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway - a unique, preserved industrial narrow gauge line. Information on this line can be obtained at www.sklr.net

The RSPB reserve at Elmley Marshes is a great place to see birds of prey in winter or breeding wading birds in the spring. The reserve can be reached via Swale Halt and more details of the reserve can be obtained by clicking on the RSPB logo.

RSPB


SwaleRail Line Partnership

The SwaleRail Partnership was set up in late 2003 and a Partnership Officer was employed from early 2004. For more information on the SwaleRail Partnership and it's activities you can download copies of all the newsletters that have been produced so far.

SwaleRail Newsletters

Download copies of our newsletters as "pdf" files by clicking on the dates.

December 2005 - Kemsley CCTV; New Faces; Possible use for Queenborough Station building.

April 2005         - Integrated Kent Franchise; Achievements so far.

August 2004     - Sheerness Gateway; Hanging baskets.

June 2004         - First newsletter; Introduction.

 

Bus Connections

Most bus services in the area are operated by either Arriva Buses or Chalkwell coaches. The table below lists the routes that provide connections at Swalerail stations and an indication of how near the bus stops are.

For details of each companies services, please click on the appropriate logo.

Arriva Buses Logo               Chalkwell Coaches Logo

For more details of public transport throughout Kent click on the Kent County Council logo

KCC Logo

Station

Arriva

Chalkwell

 

Sittingbourne

333,334,341,347,349,

351

322,326,327,343,

344,345,346,348,

Services 322,343,344,345,346,347 & 348 stop on the staton forecourt. Other services have stops in St Michaels Road between 100 and 200 metres from the station.

Kemsley

    No nearby bus services

Swale

334,336,338,341 322 Bus stops immediately outside station.

Queenborough

360,362   Bus stops on Main Road @ 50 metres from station.

Sheerness on Sea

334,341,360,361,362 364,367 Bus stops on Bridge Road immediately outside station.

For more information about SwaleRail, please contact Nigel Whitburn on 01303 850816.

Back to Kent Community Rail Partnership page.