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The East Kent Railway was constructed between 1911 and 1917 to serve the growth of the Kent Coalfield that was being developed in East Kent. The consortium of Kent colliery and landowners envisaged a line that would link the collieries with the mainline and a new port at Richborough.
Although Richborough became an important port during WWI, the line did not cross the River Stour until after the war, by which time the port was in decline. Branch lines to Canterbury, Deal, and Birchington were planned but never completed.
The line was built to light railway standards by the engineer, Colonel H .F. Stephens. The first passengers were carried in 1916, with just a few facilities being provided for them. Passenger services between Eastry and Sandwich Road Halts were withdrawn on 31st October 1928. When the railways were Nationalised, the line became part of the British Railways Southern Region and all passenger services were completely withdrawn on 1st November 1948.