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Alright so I needed a train trip. Strikes decided it's not be anything on the big boy railway. So the wife thought it'd be interesting to do something steam related.
Right off the bat we looked about for something and ended up heading to Kent and the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. I've never gone "Narrow Gauge" before so a trip to the darkside was on!
We decided that we'd go to one end of the line to start our trip and Dungeness was chosen for two reasons. First that the trip would take a little less time and it was less of a built up area to negotiate traffic lights etc. Secondly the parking at Dungeness appeared to be free and spacious.
The journey was nice and took a couple of hours as we decided to avoid motorways. This was because of the recent traffic jams in Kent for the ferries abroad. On the way we stopped at Lydd staton for about 5 minutes for me to gt a few Disused Station photos (I need another tip there with my 'proper camera' to get some better shot). Back on the road to Dungeness. I'm going to say here that you should use a Sat Nav or Google Maps (my choice) to get to the statin as it does involve a drive along a rather basic road. If you pass the Britannia Pub you're on the right road!
At Dungeness a quick look and photo of the old lighthouse before heading to the station. The station is modern and clean and the café looks really nice but as we didn't have long before the train but we had a very quick look in the shop. The tickets are well priced and the guide book is a steal at less than £4.00. It's a a lovely little book and comes with a DVD! Well worth the money in my eyes. Chris in the shop was polite, and friendly and a credit to the line. I've seen miniature/Narrow gauge railways before but the RHDR track looked tiny. It's a 15 inch (381mm) gauge track and travels for over 13 miles from Dungeness to Hythe.
Now the bit you 'spotters' and 'bashers' want to hear about. Our first train of the day was No.9 Winston Churchill in the lovely red livery. It's a 4-6-2 Pacific loco designed by Henry Greenly and A.L.S. Richardson and built by Yorkshire Engine Company in 1931.
The loco and very long train chuffed into the station to form the 11:00 service to Hythe. We boarded and off we went. This service went around the loop and re-joined the line at "Britannia Junction' and headed off to the first stop Romney Sands. The line cuts behind houses and you often see people looking over fences and waving much to the amusement of the children.
At Romney Sand the loco on the other platform was No.6 Samson. The stunning blue livery has made it a favourite of mine now. It is a 4-8-2 Mountain Class Locomotive built in 1927 by Davey Paxman & Co. and designed by Henry Greenly.
Off we went again and stopping at New Romney which is home to the railways depot, model railway exhibition and a lot more. on platform 4 was No.2 Northern Chief built in 1925 designed and built be the same as No.6 Samson. This was attached the the from after No.9 was taken off.
Through Warren Halt and St Mary's Sands we went over many bridges and level crossings to Dymchurch. This is where we alighted and decided to go get lunch. A short walk into town and a meal at the Ocean Inn before the wife headed in to the arcade and won £10.
No.2 Northern Chief
Back to the station for the 13:50 train to New Romney and good old Winston Churchill turned up. There was a Country Fayre on at New Romney so she went off to that while I had a look around the station, Model railway exhibition and took photos. I then wandered up to meet her and passed New Romney FC (non league football has always been an interest of mine). After a snack at the Fayre we went back to the station and waited for the 15:38 back to Dungeness.
This time it was a diesel loco. No.12 J B Snell is a Bo-Bo loco designed by the RH&DR and built in 198 by TMA Engineering. It does have a slight look of an American loco about it. This took us back to Dungeness.
Can I recommend the line? DEFINITELY!
Looking at the kids faces (and adults too) the line is lovely day out for families. The staff on the line are very friendly and helpful. I don't really have anything negative to say about it in all honesty.
As you may know my wife has back issues and getting in and out of the carriages was a little difficult but the seats were excellent and comfortable which I was a bit surprised at but quickly enjoyed my trip even more.
Go - Enjoy - Have Fun - Support this excellent little railway gem in Kent.