Present-Day East Kent Railway
The East Kent Railway now operates diesel-hauled heritage trains over a 2-mile stretch between Shepherdswell and Eythorne. The site includes attractions such as mining heritage exhibits, a visitor centre, and woodland walks. It is run by volunteers and serves as a community-driven effort to preserve local railway and industrial history.
Preservation
After closure, railway enthusiasts formed a preservation society to restore part of the line as a heritage railway. The East Kent Railway Trust was established, focusing on preserving the line between Shepherdswell and Eythorne, which reopened to heritage train services in the 1990s.
History of the East Kent Railway
The original East Kent Railway was established in the early 20th century to serve the coalfields of East Kent, part of a broader industrial development during that period. Construction began in 1911, and the railway was intended to connect the collieries at Tilmanstone, Snowdown, and Betteshanger to ports and the national railway network. The line primarily carried coal and freight, with limited passenger services introduced later. The railway was renamed the East Kent Light Railway and extended to various local destinations, including Shepherdswell and Wingham. The decline of coal mining in the mid-20th century led to reduced traffic. Passenger services were discontinued in 1948, and the remaining freight operations ceased by 1984.