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
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Network Rail
Locale	Kent East Sussex South East England
Termini	Ashford International Hastings
Stations	9
Service
Type	Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Services	Ashford International–Hastings branch line to Dungeness (freight only)
Operator(s)	Southern
Depot(s)	Ashford International Selhurst
Rolling stock	Class 171 "Turbostar" (2003–)
History
Opened	13 February 1851 (1851-02-13)
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)
Character	Rural
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	None (Ashford International to Ore) 750 V DC third rail (Ore to Hastings)
Operating speed	60 mph (97 km/h) maximum
Route map (Click to expand)

v t e Marshlink line
Legend
High Speed 1 to St Pancras International South Eastern Main Line to Charing Cross & Cannon Street Maidstone line to Swanley Ashford International 56 mi 12 ch 90.36 km Ashford to Ramsgate line to Canterbury West Ashford Steam Centre High Speed 1 to Channel Tunnel South Eastern Main Line to Dover Priory Newtown Sidings A2070 Park Farm (proposed) Ham Street 61 mi 51 ch 99.2 km A2070 Royal Military Canal 62 mi 77 ch 101.33 km Appledore 64 mi 50 ch 104 km Brookland Halt A259 Brookland Level Crossing (AOCL) 67 mi 20 ch 108.23 km Lydd Town 71 mi 55 ch 115.37 km New Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea Original alignment directly to New Romney Greatstone-on-Sea Halt Lydd-on-Sea Halt Dungeness Nuclear Fuel Transfer Lydd Camp Dungeness A259 Star Level Crossing (AHBC) 69 mi 40 ch 111.85 km A259 East Guldeford Level Crossing (AHBC) 70 mi 19 ch 113.04 km River Rother 71 mi 15 ch 114.57 km Rye 71 mi 36 ch 114.99 km River Tillingham Rye Harbour Winchelsea 73 mi 22 ch 117.92 km River Brede Snailham Halt Doleham 77 mi 43 ch 124.78 km Three Oaks 78 mi 65 ch 126.84 km Ore Tunnel ( 1042 yd 953 m ) Ore Carriage Sidings Ore 81 mi 42 ch 131.2 km Mount Pleasant Tunnel ( 230 yd 210 m ) Park Sidings 82 mi 8 ch 132.13 km Hastings 82 mi 33 ch 132.63 km East Coastway line to Eastbourne & Hastings line to Tonbridge
Mileage from Charing Cross via South Eastern Main Line

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 where it connects to the East Coastway line towards Eastbourne and Brighton.

The line was constructed by the South Eastern Railway (SER) in the late 1840s as a priority for military traffic. The SER clashed with the rival London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, leading to disputes over the route, planning and operation. After delays, the line opened in February 1851, 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 as recommended by the Beeching Report. All branch lines were closed to passengers by 1967 but the main line was kept open because of poor road connections in the area, and the branch to Dungeness remained open for freight. Though the line has been partially single-tracked and was slow to be modernised, it has survived into the 21st century.

The Marshlink line is one of the few in South East England that has not been electrified, despite regular proposals to do so, and uses the British Rail Class 171 diesel rolling stock. Electrification and other improvements could allow High Speed 1 services to be extended to Hastings and Eastbourne.