Dartford Loop Line

Dartford Loop Line

Stations (Stations from Charing Cross and Cannon Street) Lewisham (for North Kent Line, Hayes Line and Bexleyheath Line) Hither Green (for Orpington via Grove Park Line and London-Dover via Ashford Line) Lee Mottingham New Eltham Sidcup Albany Park Bexley Crayford Dartford (for North Kent Line and Bexleyheath Line)

The Dartford Loop Line is one of three lines linking London with Dartford in Kent, England. It lies to the south of the other two: the North Kent Line and the Bexleyheath Line. It was opened by the South Eastern Railway on 1 September 1866: because there are no major engineering works on the route it took a mere four years to build.

The line was electrified with the other SECR local routes to Dartford on 6th June 1926 by Southern Railway.

The line is a little over 9 miles (14km) in length: the following are the stations served:

• Hither Green - the station lies on the main line from London to Kent: there are separate platforms for the Loop Line
  • here there is a triangular junction for freight traffic going to the extensive Hither Green freight sidings
• Lee
• Mottingham - named Eltham until 1927
• New Eltham - built in 1878 to serve a growing suburban area; originally named Pope Street
• Sidcup
• Albany Park - opened 7 July 1935 to serve a new housing development
• Bexley (the scene of the Bexley derailment)
• Crayford
  • here there is a triangular junction with the North Kent Line providing access to the Slade Green carriage sidings and to Dartford.

Trains run from London (Charing Cross and/or Cannon Street): most terminate at Dartford, although two trains an hour serve the line to Gravesend also.

See also

• Bexley derailment