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The line from Faversham to Canterbury East was opened on 9th July 1860 by the London, Chatham & Dover Railway. On 22nd July 1861 this was extended from Canterbury East to Dover and Kearsney station was opened on 1st August 1862 The station was actually built as the station for Temple Ewell and the parish of River. The community of Kearsney grew around the Railway Bell Hotel which was on the main Dover to London road. The station had a small goods siding, and a siding for passenger trains. The next stop towards the coast was Dover, and there was also a loop that took the railway directly onto the Kent Coast Line line towards Margate, bypassing Dover. In the early days of the railway this meant trains did not always have to make the steep climb out of Dover. In practice the loop was little used for passenger trains, and was mainly used by freight. Latterly the line was used by coal trains to Richborough power station. This old bay platform is adjacent to the up platform heading towards Canterbury East and London.