The Palmerstone forts built to defend Chatham Dockyard from a landward attack were connected via an Inter-fort military light railway. This carried construction materials to each fort.
Barges would unload materials at a wharf on the River Medway, at Borstal, then the materials were transported up the hill to the start of the railway line near Fort Borstal. The line then went on to the other forts: Fort Bridgewoods, Fort Horsted and then on to Fort Luton where the line terminated.
There was also planned to be another railway line from the Convict Prison, near Chatham Dockyard, to the School of Military Engineering at Brompton, then across the Chatham Lines and on to Fort Darland. This line was first proposed in 1872. The track was to cross Brompton Road just west of it's junction with Prince Arthur Road, and at the summit of the lines one branch would cross the top of Windmill Road over Watling street, near Rock Avenue, going towards Fort Darland. From here it would cross the modern golf course at Woodlands Road to Woodlands Redoubt to link up with the main line. The other branch was to cross Windmill Road and Watling Street and follow the line of the Upper Luton Road to connect to Fort Luton, and the railway between the other Forts. Work on the railway Didn't start untill 1900. The embankment to make a Bridge over Watling Street was raised near the end of Windmill Road.
The report of an accident in 1906 was made concerning, Bertie Carron, a young boy who lived in the R.E. Park. While playing with other youngsters on the partly constructed railway between the R.E. Barracks and the Great Lines he removed blocks from the wheels of Trucks, crushing one of his legs. It was decided to abandon the line from the R.E. Park to Fort Darland, so the railway was never built.
The bridge over Brompton Road was started using Portland Stone, but when work ceased most of the Stone was used to build the memorial at Fort Pitt Cemetary, to those Soldiers who had died in the Fort Pitt Hospital as a result of fighting in the Crimean War. However, the footings of the Bridge were left in place and were visible for many years.
