Authorised by Act of Parliament in 1856 the Sittingbourne to Sheerness Dockyard section of the London, Chatham & Dover Railway was opened on 19th July 1860 with the terminus at Sheerness (in Blue Town, close to the Pier and the South Gate to the Dockyard) and with a branch from Queenborough to Queenborough Pier  opened to goods in 1863 and to passengers in 1876.  A "trailing branch" to Sheerness-on-Sea (the present station - also called "Mile Town" station) was opened in 1883.  The Sheppey Light Railway from Queenborough to Leysdown was opened on 1st August 1901, starting with four trains daily increasing to seven daily by 1908.  These trains passed through Sheerness East, East Minster-on-Sea, Minster-on-Sea, Brambledown Halt,  Eastchurch, Harty Road Halt en route to Leysdown.   Eleven stations in all!  It may be pretentious to call some of these "stations", but all, including the remote Harty Road Halt,had a platform and a waiting room.  In addition Eastchurch Camp had its own siding, as did the Dockyard, and a number of industries in Rushenden including the Queenborough Cement Company in 1904.