14th – 16th April, Kent Rover
The
idea of this trip was to revisit my last few South Eastern
stations needed for photos in Kent, plus to revisit several where the photos I had
weren’t the best. Originally it was
going to be a 2-day trip but when I found a reasonably priced B&B in
Folkestone, I turned it into a 3-day trip, to make the most of a Kent Rover.
I also had a few ideas for nice walks if the weather was nice.
Thursday
The trip began with the 06:57 service from Grateley to London Waterloo, having secured a reasonably priced advance ticket to Swanley. This was reasonably busy after Basingstoke (where it runs nonstop to London), at Waterloo I headed towards the Bakerloo line for a trip to Elephant & Castle (featuring a 5 minute wait for a train), where after visiting a Sainsburys managed to locate the entrance (the last time I was here I used the old entrance via the shopping centre which has since been knocked down.)
Platforms at Elephant & Castle Station
Next train was an 8 coach 700 to take me towards Swanley via the Catford loop, where I exited the station to buy my 3-day Kent Rover using my railcard to bring the cost down to £30. The first train of the rover fell to a pair of 377s which originally I was going to take to Kemsing, but when I noticed the next London train being something like 25 minutes late due to signalling issues around Ashford I decided to stay on the 377s to East Malling, although I only noticed the footpath barrow crossing at the Maidstone end after walking the long way round between platforms.
One of my last trio of 375s I needed for mileage was up next (828), which I took back to Kemsing, the current least used station in Kent. Although there are some industrial units next to the station and smelt like someone was smoking something a bit strong (the wind was blowing from that direction). I was the only passenger around for the ~ 20 minutes I had on the station, before the next Ramsgate train arrived.
375828 departs Kent's least used station, Kemsing
This pair of 377s I took to Hollingbourne, for a short connection for a pair of 375s back towards West Malling, where I exited the station to head down to the town centre to visit Tesco for lunch before returning to the station to catch the Blackfriars train one stop to Borough Green & Wrotham. A short wait at this station before the next train (shockingly another pair of 377/5s) rolled in to take me to Bearsted (the station for Leeds Castle, because who doesn’t like a good castle?)
My next service took me back the other side of Maidstone to Barming for a short wait before heading to Harrietsham, where it was time for a walk. I took a footpath which went north from the station (which was quite pretty with the trees), before going via the village itself, foolishly going on an unpavemented country lane (rather than a pavement along the busy main road). Soon enough I had reached Lenham station with time to spare before the next train arrived. This is where my plan changed from originally heading back towards Maidstone, but due to that delayed train early on meant I had already ticked off Bearsted.
View from a footpath in the Harrietsham area
The next service arrived, another pair of 377s, but I was glad for the plug sockets in the declassified first-class areas, just to give my phone a boost of electricity. I took these to Wye with the short platforms (front 4 coaches, even though both sides could take 6 coaches I reckon). A short connection here before going back towards Ashford International, with a platform swap for the next Charing Cross service, for I got wind that this featured a low mileage 375.
I was in luck, as 375714 was indeed sandwiched in the middle of a /6 & a /9 of a 12-coach formation, which I took to Headcorn. During the 30-minute fester here I popped out to Sainsburys for dinner items, before heading back on the next train towards Ashford, changing over to a pair of 395s on a Dover High Speed service. I took this service to Folkestone Central, where I exited the station to head towards my B&B which was located reasonably close to the station (around a 5-minute walk).
A London bound 375923 departs Headcorn
After getting checked in, dropping off some bits from my bag, it was back out to the trains. The next train towards Ramsgate rolled in, a pair of 395s, but due to short platforms beyond Dover the rear unit was locked out of use at Folkestone Central (as surprisingly 395s don’t have SDO). It was onwards to Martin Mill for a short fester for the Sandwich terminator. I noticed in the waiting room at Martin Mill there was a couple stuffed toys on the windowsill and was wondering what the story behind them were. Anyhow the next service was another pair of 395s (with the rear unit locked out of use). I took this to Deal, where I had a sandwich (because I was hungry).
Big Train, Short Platform at Deal
I didn’t have long to wait at Deal before a pair of 375/9s returned from Ramsgate to take me to Walmer for another short wait. Next up was a triple 375 from London to take me to Sandwich, a station which can actually hold all 12 coaches due to having platform extensions due to a golfing event (also had a large footbridge at the Dover end which was blocked off, something I assume was down to crowd control when there was an event on. Anyhow darkness had fallen, so I stayed near the station before a single 375 rolled in from Ramsgate to take me back towards Folkestone West, as I was having a little gamble if the next Dover service would be a low mileage 395.
The gamble paid off with 395017 rolling in, which I took to Dover, remaining on the train for the return to Folkestone Central where I headed to the B&B for the night. The end of a successful first day on the Kent Rover, in terms of both stations visited and sub 10-mile units ticked off (2 more 375s and 2 more 395s). Although I didn’t have the best of sleeps due to some noisy neighbours banging around in the early hours, the marshmallow like pillow not helping.
395017 at Dover Priory
Friday
An early start for me this morning with the 06:00 service to Ashford International, followed by a pair of 375s to Tonbridge where I exited the station to go towards the Sainsburys to get items for breakfast. The reason for this early morning trip to Tonbridge was to do a slight novelty of a pair of 465s back towards Ashford International (The ‘Saturday’ only Sevenoaks – Ashford service). I was expecting a pair of 465/9s (the ones with first class and the original motors) so I was surprised when a pair of standard class only units popped up.
Still the motor noise was quite good (as I was the only passenger the windows were wide open!), especially on the fast nonstop run from Headcorn to Ashford. At Ashford I changed platforms to take a pair of 377s to Charing (which wasn’t Cross today) for some better photos (the station I gave up on the Thursday to get that 375/7 over ten miles). A short wait before the next pair of 377s rolled in to take me all the way to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West), along the way I got given news on the allocations of my last few South Eastern units so formed a little plan.
Networker on tour, with 465161 at Ashford International
I was surprised at how busy the platform was at Ramsgate, waiting for the next St Pancras service. Thankfully it was a pair of 395s where 395026 was one of them, originally I was going to take these to Ashford but when it rolled into Canterbury the next Ramsgate stopper was running a minute or so late, which allowed me to make the tight connection. Sadly, it was onto a pair of high density 375/9s, but never mind. I noticed the platforms at Thanet Parkway (on the outskirts of Ramsgate) are coming along well.
Another tight connection, this time onto another pair of 375s at Ramsgate which took me to Herne Bay for a short wait until low mileage 395009 rolled in (along with another 395). I took this pair of 395s back towards Margate making another tight connection to a pair of 375s to take me back one stop to Westgate on Sea. Another short wait before the next Ramsgate service took me to Dumpton Park, my last South Eastern station needed for a photo outright. During the fester at this basic island platform a 376 passed heading towards Ramsgate depot (looking out of place!), before the pair of 375s I alighted from earlier returned to take me to Birchington on Sea. Where it was time for a walk.
The Seaside specials look a bit different this year ;)
My walk took me towards a little Sainsburys Local to grab lunch, before following a footpath which went across a field, crossing over the railway at a foot crossing to reach the sea at Minnis Bay. I followed the sea front path, which mostly followed the sea front, other than a short section requiring a climb onto the cliffs near Epple Bay before returning to the sea front path near Westgate Bay.
This was an enjoyable walk, quite busy in places (for it was glorious weather on Easter weekend). I continued along the path reaching Margate, where I departed from the sea front to head towards the station. Walking from Birchington towards Whitstable (and Margate towards Ramsgate via the coast are on my list to do on another day). Anyhow it was back to playing with the trains with a pair of 395s taken to Whitstable, for a short wait for some 375s back one stop to the dump (sorry if anybody lives in that area!) of Chestfield & Swalecliffe.
Waterfront in the Birchington on Sea area
Thankfully my time at Chestfield & Swalecliffe wasn’t for long, it featured some local youths in the shelter playing some sort of noise out loud, and smoking something strong. A pair of 375s took me back to Whitstable for a short connection onto a pair of 395s, passing the local gang who were hanging around the station entrance trying to look menacing. This is one area I would hate to be around after dark, as it gives me anti-social behaviour hotspot feelings. Personally, I think South Eastern should deploy teams of revenue protection at the main stations on this line, just to catch those who think payment is optional out. Margate had a couple security staff, but it was still wide open in terms of no revenue checks.
Anyhow mini rant over, I was back at Ramsgate once more, and onto the Charing Cross train for a spin via the Kent Coast. I took these 375s for the run to Sevenoaks where I had 30 minutes to waste before a Hastings train, so I popped out of the station, noticing that where the barriers were in use on the main entrance, the barriers on the “car park” entrance were wide open. Seriously what is the point in only having half the station barriered? Any locals will soon wise on and will walk the extra couple minutes if it means a free journey.
Trains at Sevenoaks
My wait at Sevenoaks was worth it as my last 375 needed for mileage, 375917 rolled in on the next Hastings train. This was cleared for ten miles by High Brooms, where I made a connection over to the next Charing Cross train, positioning myself near the back to make a tight connection at Tonbridge to the next train towards Folkestone. I took this to Folkestone West to walk back to the accommodation going via the Morrisons to grab a late dinner.
Although when I got back to the B&B it wasn’t all good news as I noticed I had developed a blister on the base of my foot, so my idea of a long walk on the Saturday got put on hold (it was either going to be Canterbury to Whitstable along the old railway line, or Deal to Dover along the sea front). I used a plaster from my bag to try and heal it up. Other than the blister it was a good day, I had finished South Eastern for photos, had a nice seaside walk (one of my favourite smells is the smell of seawater).
395022 heading away from Birchington on Sea[
Saturday
After a slightly better night (no kids rushing around in the early hours), I checked out of the B&B, grabbing some breakfast from a nearby Co-Op before going for a little walk (taking care with my dodgy foot). My first destination was to try and get a photo of the “Foord Road” viaduct before heading towards the disused railway at Folkestone Harbour, now turned into a mixed-use path.
Folkestone Railway Viaduct
Once on the disused railway, I reached the former Folkestone Harbour station, restored to its former glory. I continued along the path to reach the end of the harbour arm, doubling back on myself back towards the sea front, following a marked path across the sands. Hats off to a few ladies who were out swimming in the sea, that must have been cold water!
Time to pretend I'm a train again! (Folkestone Harbour Station)
I continued along the beach, before climbing up the cliff path to reach the Lower Leas Coastal Park, passing a parkrun, before heading via the streets to reach the Kingsnorth gardens, which were very pretty. I continued via a small loop of Radnor Park to waste some time before heading to Folkestone Central to play with some trains. First up was a pair of busy 375s on a Charing Cross via Maidstone service (engineering works at Tonbridge), which I took to Ashford, changing over to a pair of 377s on the Victoria service, running fast to Bearsted before calling at all the stations.
Folkestone Beach under clear blue skies.
I took this service to Swanley where I changed over to board the Gillingham stopper, a single 465, to Chatham. Another station where the barriers were in use but there was a large side-gate wide open giving easy access to the platforms for those who think payment is optional. Anyhow next up was a pair of 375s to Faversham before some 395s to Whitstable (more as a time-wasting move). I returned to Faversham on the next St Pancras service, changing onto the next service from Dover to take me to Teynham, as I wanted to get some better photos.
375910 departs Teynham
After Teyham I returned once more to Faversham, with another pair of 375s to Gillingham, changing over to a 700 to Strood. The next Maidstone West service was delayed which meant my original idea of heading to Halling, instead jumping off at Cuxton. I returned to Strood remaining on the same 375 for the run to Maidstone Barracks, before having a short walk to Maidstone East going via a Tesco for a late lunch.
I’m surprised during the station rebuild at Maidstone East they didn’t fit ticket barriers to reduce ticketless travel. Next up for me was a pair of 377s to Swanley, the last train of my Kent Rover, as I switched to using Oyster for the next leg with a single 377 towards Denmark Hill, swapping over to an Overground service to Clapham Junction, where I touched out.
377503 departs Denmark Hill
Due to the reduced timetable, trains for Grateley were starting from Basingstoke, with the last connection being from the semi-fast Salisbury train (so a 30 minute wait at Basingstoke, woohoo!). However before that rolled in was a train for Weymouth which I took to Basingstoke (saved waiting around Clapham), swinging out of the station to grab a KFC before returning to the station for the triple 159 for the short hop to Andover. I prefer waiting at Andover for 30 minutes compared to Basingstoke as it’s more peaceful, the time flew by and the last train of my trip rolled in to take me the final 6 and a bit miles to Grateley.
All in all, a successful trip to Kent, sadly not so much walking on the Saturday due to my foot. Down to a single 395 needed for mileage, which can be done paying for the oyster premium on a St Pancras – Stratford leap.
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