Fawkham Junction
The history of the original ''Fawkham Junction'' can be found on the Gravesend West page
The original Fawkham
Junction for Gravesend West survived beyond the life of the whole branch line,
which closed totally to the remaining freight services bound for the Thames
Estuary town on 24th March 1968. The junction from the main ''Chatham'' line,
however, was left in situ due to a short section of the branch being retained
for rail access to a coal bunker at Southfleet. The Fawkham rail connection was
no longer required by 1976, but the track was left in place for over two
decades, only to be lifted when work began to transform part of the former
branch in connection with the Channel Tunnel.
On 28th September 1998 it was announced that Railtrack shareholders had voted
overwhelmingly to support a deal made between the company, Union Railways and
the ''Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions'' (DETR). As part
of the agreement, Union Railways would build a new link line between the
''Chatham'' main line at Fawkham (Longfield) and the Chunnel portal, then
subsequently sell it on to Railtrack when it was finished in 2003. Union
Railways was to receive Government assistance in raising the finance for the
line, it being unable to do this alone. The first signs of building work in
connection with this link line began on 5th October 1998. The new route would
form an integral part of the confirmed international route from North London,
under the Thames and via the to-be-christened ''Ebbsfleet'', which partly
explains the initial circuitous path it takes before assuming a south easterly
heading into Kent. Of course, the prospect of re-using an existing railway bed
originally built for double track also played a major part in the decision
making for where to put the line. On leaving the ''Chatham'' line at Fawkham (or
Longfield, as the parish is known), the line proceeds north east and continues
in this direction beyond Southfleet. It then begins curving approximately half a
mile from the A2 trunk road, the other side of which is the back of Gravesend,
and then assumes a south easterly heading parallel with it, the point at which
the line from Ebbsfleet joins. The first services between Fawkham and Ashford
ran on 28th September 2003, although the line through Ebbsfleet was not
scheduled for completion until 2007. Previously, on 30th July of the same year,
a test run with a Trans Manche Super Train over ''Section One'' saw a new
all-time British railway speed record reached: 208 MPH. Until then, the highest
British speed record on rails was held by the Advanced Passenger Train, this
having reached 162.2 MPH in 1979. A slower test run had taken place on 8th July.
The 13th November 2007 marked the final day of scheduled passenger operation
over the purpose-built connecting line between Fawkham and Southfleet Junctions;
thereafter, services were routed onto ''Section 2'' of the CTRL, running from St
Pancras and via Ebbsfleet International. With the complete closure of Waterloo
International, the Class 373 formations no longer venture onto the third rail
network, thus all sets are witnessing the removal of their shoe gear which,
reportedly, will reduce the costs of maintenance. The Fawkham to Southfleet link
line now faces an uncertain future; since Channel Tunnel freight is already
comfortably accommodated on the route via Maidstone East, uses for the spur are
hard to come by. This is compounded by the fact that the Class 92 fleet is not
yet compatible with the CTRL's signalling system.
Drawn by David Glasspool
A France-bound Eurostar is seen coming off the junction (that being hidden behind the trees in
the background) on 10th August 2005. Behind the formation is the former track bed of the
Gravesend West branch. A new track bed was laid parallel with it in order to slew the curve from
Fawkham Junction, to avoid a turn which was too tight. David Glasspool
The double-track spur is seen curving away sharply from the ''Chatham'' main line on 22nd
September 2005. David Glasspool
Drawn by David Glasspool
Return to the Kent Rail Homepage or alternatively, check for Updates.
Website & Copyright information - Links - Contact the Webmaster
All content is copyright © David Glasspool