Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain. Julian Holland
day (Trains operate every day in August, but only on certain days for the rest of the year. See railway’s website for details.)
NB Tenterden can be reached by bus from Ashford
10½ MILES 50 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0
A vintage steam train approaches Northiam station on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.
HASTINGS TO RAMSGATE
The first half of this railway trip follows the Marshlink Line from Hastings to Ashford, which survived a threatened closure in the 1963 ‘Beeching Report’. From Hastings’ ultra modern station, diesel multiple units leave in a northeasterly direction, immediately passing through Mount Pleasant Tunnel to call at Ore. Here the third-rail double-track electrification ends and the single-track line begins, burrowing through Ore Tunnel before following the valley of the River Brede, calling at Three Oaks, Doleham and Winchelsea and arriving at Rye station, where there are staggered platforms and a passing loop. The most famous landmark here is the Grade II-listed white smock windmill that stands close to the railway. From Rye the railway heads across the Royal Military Canal to cross the vast expanse of Romney Marsh in a dead-straight line to Appledore station, where there is a freight-only branch line trailing in from Dungeness nuclear power station on the coast.
The single-track section ends at Appledore and trains soon cross the Royal Military Canal once more, calling at Ham Street, then paralleling the busy A4020 to the outskirts of Ashford. Passengers must change trains at Ashford International station to continue their journey to Ramsgate. From Ashford, electric trains head northeast along the Great Stour Valley, calling at Wye, Chilham and Chartham before diving under the Dover main line to arrive at Canterbury West. From here, the final part of this journey takes trains through Sturry to Minster, where the electrified line from Dover joins at a triangular junction. Ramsgate is but a short distance east of Minster and is also the end of the line for the Hitachi high-speed ‘Javelin’ service from London St Pancras. A regular Thanet Loop bus service links the 1920s Grade II-listed brick-built station with the town centre and harbour.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
Blue Flag beach; marina; seafront parade with bars and restaurants; maritime museum; motor museum; Regency and Victorian architecture; cliff-top promenades; street market (Friday and Saturday)
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
1 per hour
56¼ MILES 1 HOUR 37 MINUTES (Mon-Sat) 1 HOUR 55 MINUTES (Sun)
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 1
(Ashford International)
The busy Royal Harbour and marina at Ramsgate.
FOLKESTONE TO MARGATE
Trains for Ramsgate depart from Folkestone’s 1960s station and soon burrow through Martello Tunnel to start their scenic, coast-hugging journey to Dover. Set immediately below the world-famous White Cliffs, the railway passes through the long Abbotscliffe Tunnel, the shorter Shakespeare Tunnel and finally the even shorter Harbour Tunnel, to arrive at Dover Priory. This 1930s station is awkwardly sandwiched between two tunnels, and trains for Ramsgate head off through Priory Tunnel and Charlton Tunnel before branching off the Faversham line at Buckland Junction. From here, the railway follows a curving S-shape route to Guston Tunnel before heading off in a northeasterly direction through Martin Mill and Walmer to reach the seaside resort of Deal. Not far from the sea, the main station building here is the original structure built in 1847, while nearby Deal Castle was built for Henry VIII as an artillery fortress in the 16th century.
From Deal, trains head inland to the historic town of Sandwich. Located on the River Stour, Sandwich was made a Cinque Port in the 12th century but silting-up of the river and shifting sands have now left it two miles from the sea. Leaving Sandwich, trains head north to Minster Junction then turn east to Ramsgate. Here, passengers need to change trains for the short journey around the coast via the seaside resort of Broadstairs to Margate. The impressive 1920s Grade II-listed station building was designed by Edwin Maxwell Fry and is located just a short walk from the beach and Marine Terrace.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
harbour; beaches; amusement park; Shell Grotto; Turner Contemporary art gallery; Old Town
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
1 per hour
34½ MILES 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 1
(Ramsgate)
The modern Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate.
DAY TRIPS FROM LONDON
Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s magnificent Paddington station, the starting point for day trips to Oxford and Bath.
LONDON VICTORIA TO SHEFFIELD PARK
This day trip only became possible in March 2013 when the Bluebell Railway opened its extension northwards from Kingscote to East Grinstead, where it connects with the national rail network. The start of our journey is at London’s Victoria station, once the jumping-off point for cross-Channel services such as the ‘Golden Arrow’ and the ‘Night Ferry’ and now the capital’s second busiest station after Waterloo. Electric trains for East Grinstead thread their way through the South London suburbs en route for East Croydon and South Croydon. Trains diverge from the main line at South Croydon Junction to take the double-track Oxted line through Riddlesdown, Upper Warlingham and Woldingham before passing through the 1-mile 501-yd Oxted Tunnel to Oxted station. From here, trains pass through Limpsfield Tunnel before calling at Hurst Green station, the junction for the 25-mile branch line to Uckfield.
Heading due south, trains call at Lingfield and Dormans before terminating at East Grinstead, formerly known as Low Level station. The now-demolished High Level station was once served by trains on the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells route. The line westwards to Three Bridges is now a footpath and cycleway known as the Worth Way. Passengers change trains at East Grinstead to take an 11-mile steam-hauled trip along the Bluebell Railway to Sheffield Park, the railway’s headquarters, calling at Kingscote and Horsted Keynes en route. Sheffield Park National Trust house and gardens are but a 10-minute stroll from the station.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
trip on an 11-mile steam heritage railway; railway museum; visitor centre; Sheffield Park and Garden (NT)
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
Victoria to East Grinstead: 2 per hour East Grinstead to Sheffield Park: 3-7 trains per day (Sat-Sun all year; daily