East Kent Railways

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East Kent Railways was born in great optimism as the only outcome of numerous plans for railways and collieries in the newly discovered Kent coalfield in the early 20th century. Conceived to carry coal it soon reverted to a truly rural railway with a heavy coal flow for a few miles at one end. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager. Running from Shepherdswell to Wingham with an intermittently operating branch to Richborough Port it opened in 1911 with a passenger service from 1916. Services ebbed away with the final passenger trains in 1948 with progressive closures back to Tilmanstone Colliery over the following 3 years. The line shut with the colliery in the 1980s. Enthusiasts have reopened the remaining line.