Northfleet Cement Works: New Rail Connection

Northfleet Cement Works

New Rail Connection

Since August 2009, when the first photographs of the rail link were taken for the website, there has been considerable progress. In July 2011, it was announced that ‘’Balfour Beatty Rail’’ had been awarded a contract to re-lay new track on the 104-acre area of the former cement works, and provide a physical connection between the site and the North Kent Line. Unsurprisingly, the long-term future of the huge site along this bank of the Thames lies in new housing and commercial development, to go hand-in-hand with those projects planned around Ebbsfleet International. However, in the short term, French company ‘’Lafarge Cement’’ is to lease the site to ‘’Crossrail’’, to provide a materials base for the latter’s extensive tunnelling operations.

Nearly three miles of new track has been laid for the new link, which extends for 1.4 route miles, and two existing tunnel bores have been unblocked. It is envisaged that 1.5 million tonnes of material, excavated from the Crossrail tunnel boring exercises beneath London, will be handled here. The fact that these materials can be transported away by sea from deepwater wharves, after delivery by rail, was a major reason why the site was chosen by Crossrail. It is planned to formally commission the link on 1st February 2012.

With thanks to David Morgan for tracking down much of this information.

6th December 2011

A view from the North Kent Line towards Church Path Pit shows, in the immediate foreground, the CTRL sidings

fanning out. The single-track enclosed on both sides by fencing is that leading to the former site of the cement works.

By this time, the eastern tunnel had been unblocked, and track continued through to the riverside. The cleared track

bed on the left, curving under the footbridge, leads to the western tunnel. © David Glasspool

6th December 2011

Taken from the footbridge in the previous photograph, this is the western tunnel. This has also been unblocked

recently, affording a continuous passage through to the former cement works site. © David Glasspool

6th December 2011

We are now on the Thames side of the chalk ridge, where a double-track can be seen emerging from the eastern

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