Bowaters Paper Mill
An industrial railway serving Kemsley Paper Mill
Bowaters operated two paper mills in Kent from 1924 to 1969, one in Sittingbourne and one at Kemsley. A steam railway transported wood pulp to them from Ridham dock on the Swale estuary. It was one of the last privately owned industrial steam railways in the UK.
The layout features the north-west corner of Kemsley mill and its associated outbuildings. The railway operated 24 hours a day, so the layout has day and night lighting. All the buildings are lit and have interior detailing. Trains are seen delivering wagons of wood pulp and china clay to the mill, and staff to work in converted flat wagons.
This layout was judged best in show at Chatham & District MRC Exhibition July 2025
Technical Specifications
Track & Gauge
Control Systems
Peco code 100 O-16.5 track is used throughout.
Control of locos and turnouts is DCC, and route selection is via a mimic diagram on touchscreens, phones or tablets.
Scenery & Landscaping
All buildings are scratch built.
Rolling Stock
All locos are scratch built or modified brass kits, and all rolling stock is 3D printed.
The Build Process
A visual look into the planning, construction, and detailing of the Bowaters Paper Mill layout, showcasing our methods from baseboard to finishing touches.
Meet the Locos
These are all the locomotives that ran the line. Only the narrow-gauge ones have been modelled, including three 0-4-2 saddle tanks and the diesel. Three 0-6-2 side tanks are under construction.
Basis Reference Photos
Here are a few photos of the mill that we used to help build the layout and get the right feel of the site.
