Fawkham Junction

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Fawkham Junction to Gravesend West Line

		Chatham Main Line
		To London Victoria and other London termini
		Fawkham Junction
		Longfield
		Chatham Main Line
		To Chatham and Kent Coast
		Longfield Halt Closed 3rd August 1953
		Channel Tunnel Rail Link
		To Channel Tunnel
		A2
		North Kent Line
		A226
		Rosherville Closed 3rd August 1953
		Gravesend West (LCDR Gravesend) Closed 3rd August 1953

Fawkham Junction (51.399495° N 0.285419° E) is a railway junction that currently connects the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) with the Kent Rail Network.

Originally the Junction was a branch line from the London, Chatham and Dover Railway main line to Gravesend (which was already served by the South Eastern Railway's North Kent Line). Stations were; Longfield Halt, Southfleet and Gravesend West.

With the amalgamation of the two competing rail companies into the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in 1899 the line's future was doomed. Passenger services were curtailed and the line was not electrified, it eventual succumbed to the Beeching Axe after freight services ceased. Preservation attempts failed.

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link gave part of the line a new lease of life, as the rural section south of Gravesend was rebuilt as a linking line between the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and the Chatham Main Line. Much of the original route was followed but the initial Fawkham Junction was repositioned slightly to allow for higher speeds. Several bridges were also rebuilt alongside/in place of their originals. No stations were reopened. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link was built in two stages and the initial stage (phase 1) was connected to the rail network via this rebuilt line. Upon completion of phase 2, this section will be little used.

The line is the changeover between the third rail (750V DC) and overhead (25kV AC) systems of electrification.

The route of the northern section of the line though urban Gravesend / Northfleet has been used for a new road to the centre of Gravesend.