Hastings line | |||
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A Southeastern electric multiple unit at Battle with a Hastings to London Charing Cross service in 2018 | |||
Overview | |||
Status | Operational | ||
Owner | Network Rail | ||
Locale | Kent East Sussex South East England | ||
Termini | |||
Stations | 13 | ||
Service | |||
Type | Suburban rail, Heavy rail | ||
System | National Rail | ||
Operator(s) | SE Trains Hastings area only: Southern | ||
Rolling stock | Class 375 "Electrostar" Hastings area only: Class 171 "Turbostar" Class 377 "Electrostar" | ||
History | |||
Opened | 1846–52 in stages | ||
Technical | |||
Line length | 32 miles 71 chains (32.89 mi; 52.93 km) | ||
Number of tracks | 2 (1 in some tunnels) | ||
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
Loading gauge | C1 | ||
Electrification | Third rail, 750 V DC | ||
Operating speed | 90 mph (140 km/h) | ||
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Mileage from London Charing Cross
via South Eastern Main Line[Note 1] |
The Hastings line is a secondary railway line in Kent and East Sussex, England, linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and London via Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. Although primarily carrying passengers, the railway also serves a gypsum mine which is a source of freight traffic. Southeastern Trains operates passenger trains on the line, and it is one of their busiest lines.
The railway was constructed by the South Eastern Railway in the early 1850s across the difficult terrain of the High Weald. Supervision of the building of the line was lax, enabling contractors to skimp on the lining of the tunnels. These deficiencies showed up after the railway had opened. Rectifications led to a restricted loading gauge along the line, requiring the use of dedicated rolling stock.
Served by steam locomotives from opening until the late 1950s, passenger services were then taken over by a fleet of diesel-electric multiple units built to the line's loading gauge. Diesel locomotives handled freight, also built to fit the loading gauge. The diesel-electric multiple units served on the line until 1986, when the line was electrified and the most severely affected tunnels were reduced from double track to single.
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