Holman F Stephens was the engineer of this railway from its inception
in 1896 through authorisation in 1899 to opening in 1901. Ownership and
control passed to the SECR in 1905. It was in every way typical of his
construction methods but operation was in the hands of the South East
and Chatham railway, and subsequently the Southern Railway and British
Railways, thereby losing much of the special light railway character.
At first moderately successful it lost out to electric tram and other
road competition and closed completely in 1950.
Further reading:
The Sheppey Light Railway. Brian Hart. Wild Swan Publications. 1992.
