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The Kentish Maiden


Saturday 29th March 2025

Tradition has it that if you originate from the West of the Medway, you are a Kentish Man or Maid. It follows that at least one of our key highlights today meets that criteria but not wishing to deprive our customers of more of the delights of Kent in early spring, we also travel down to the rarely visited freight branch to Cliffe and a special visit to the GBRf facility at Tonbridge.

Today’s tour starts in the East Midlands with familiar pick-ups along the East Coast Main Line and, after a pause to attach our class 66 locomotive, we diverge onto the North London line so as to make our way to our final pick up at Kensington Olympia. From here we move onto Southern metals which is the theme of our day. After negotiating the South London suburbs, we emerge into Kent and soon arrive at Hoo Junction where we move onto the Grain branch.  Just two miles along the branch we will arrive at Brett Aggregate’s North Sea Terminal (also known as the Cliffe terminal) which is our first destination today. As well as being a major source of aggregates, the site has been landscaped to complement a neighbouring 236 hectare RSPB conservation site.

With the very rare visit to this terminal completed, we then head back to Gravesend where we reverse so as to make our way onto the Medway line through Maidstone West and onto Tonbridge where, with thanks to GBRf, we expect to visit at least one of the more sought-after lines in the freight yard.

We then continue our journey south towards Ashford International where we join the line towards Hastings. This route is characterised by long single line stretches, but before we reach the first of these, we come across the village of Appledore on the northern edge of the Romney Marsh. The village features in the TV series ‘Darling Buds of May’ but more importantly for us it is the gateway to the 8 mile long freight branch to Dungeness Nuclear Power Station.  Progress along the branch is notoriously slow with nearly 30 crossings of various types for trains to negotiate. Nevertheless, this area of Kent presents a quite unique vista which rarely ceases to be a source of conversation.

The branch successfully negotiated, we turn for home. Our return route takes us back to Tonbridge and then into London by the alternative route via Redhill and East Croydon.

Please note that whilst we are confident that all necessary arrangements for our visit to the Cliffe terminal will be concluded, this remains to be finally confirmed. In the event arrangements cannot be concluded we will traverse the Grain branch to the NR boundary. The tour will be hauled by a GBRf class 57/3 locomotive with GBRf class 66 assisting in the Kent area. The itinerary for the day is expected to include at least one opportunity for an off train leg stretch. Our train includes a buffet car with plenty to eat and drink on offer. The menu is currently being finalised and will be shared with all those booked when tickets are despatched.

All timings are provisional and intended only as a guide.

StationDepartArrive
Nottingham06.0023.00
Grantham06.4022.20
Peterborough07.1021.30
Stevenage08.0021.00
Potters Bar08.2020.40
Kensington Olympia10.1519.30

First Class Dining is not available on this train.  A well stocked buffet car will be available.

ClassFareAvailability
Standard Class Adult£139Good
Standard Class Junior£119Good
First Class Non Dining£199Good

 

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