Accordingly, the direct route was chosen, with three steep gradients, two of them to be worked by ropes from stationary steam engines at Clowes Wood and Tyler Hill. From Canterbury North Lane station, the line climbed for at 1 in 46 to Tyler's Hill, where there were two winding engines. At Tyler Hill, there was an tunnel. The gradient eased to 1 in 750 for a further to the summit of the line at Clowes Wood, where there was a winding engine. The line descended for at 1 in 31, followed by a level stretch of before another descent at 1 in 53 for and a final level section of into Whitstable, giving a total length of .