 By this time the railway was the last industrial narrow gauge railway in Britain operating steam locomotives and, until withdrawn from 30 September 1968, had operated a scheduled passenger service for its employees between the Sittingbourne mill and Ridham Dock.Bowaters had a "handing over" ceremony to the news lessees, the Locomotive Club of Great Britain (LCGB), on 4 October 1969 but continued running its goods trains until the final one on 25 October 1969.The LCGB was granted a lease of the southern portion of the railway between Sittingbourne and Kemsley Down in 1970.