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What a day!
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings.
The plan was to tick off a few line in Kent including a bit of a rare diversionary track. Although I got the lines ticked off, it didn't quite go to plan.
It started well with 2O09 Selhurst to East Croydon 377703 non winner [0m 77ch]. I thought I had missed it but it was late - bonus.
It got me to Croydon to effect a swift platform change to catch 9J12 East Croydon to St Pancras International 700127 non winner [13m 40ch]. On th way up I looked at Twitter or X as it's called now and Southeastern were reporting the Emergency Services in attendence at Faversham. Great! My plan was to get to St Pancras and grab a Greggs bacon roll then go upstairs and catch my train but with the disruption I just went straight upto the Southeastern platforms to get the latest news. The 07:37 hadn't left yet, another hadn't left and my one was due in shortly. I asked the guys at the station but they were at a loss too. I decided to risk it and got for my original planned train and it left on time.
1L14 St Pancras International to Ramsgate 395025 non winner [99m 78ch] It took the route to Ebbsfleet and then down to Ashford and on to Dover and Walmer. Previously I hadn't gone beyond there as the wife and I went to the castle iin Walmer.
Walmer to Ramsgate ✅
A switch of platforms and it was off on the next train 1J25 Ramsgate to Ashford International 395004, 395019 non winners [29m 58ch]
Ramsgate to Ashford International via Canterbury West ✅
Part of the plan was to cover the line through Canterbury East from Dover. I was sitting on the train passing through Minster when I realised that I'd already done the line back in 1992 and not ticked it off my list yet. I'd done it on a boat train way back in 1992. It was a memory of the trip and a recent conversation and posts on forums that made me realise that I'd not marked it off in my recent book (I checked when I got home and my old 1990s book has it marked off).
This relased a little extra time so I caught 2R33 Ashford Interntional to Ramsgate 376608, 375816 non winners [29m 58ch]. With such a large class 375 fleet you would think I'd be getting a few more winners than I do!
Lunch Time!
My choice for lunch was pretty much a forgone conclusion. The Royal Victoria Pavillion on the seafront ✅.
The food was really good and came quickly too. THe pint of cider went down very well. A selection of photos were also taken of the venueboth inside and out. A warning: If you decide to go to the 'Spoons from the station then be warned. THe harbourside is about a 25 minute walk from the staton and is all down hill. Allow 40 to walk back up to the station.
Ramsgate station is a mix of modern and traditional. Outside there is a modern interchange for buses, taxis and cars. The station is more traditional but inside there origianl Southern Railway friezes are high on the walls and it is bright and airy. Not elaborate but both traditional and functional.
Next on the plan was the bit of line between Ramsgate and Margate. I'd been to Margate way back in the late 1980s with a few mates to visit Benbom Brothers (Now Dreamland). I expected a pair of class 375s but when I arrived on the platform I was greeted with something else.
1G91 Ramsgate to London Bridge 465023, 465194 winners [76m 15ch]. This train would not oly take me over the Ramsgate to Margate line ✅ but would take me over the st Mary's Cray to Chislehurst junction divert line that I'd been after for a while if things went to plan.
It started well and as far as Faversham. The relief driver there wasn't cl.465 trained so it looked like we have to terminate there. Luckily there was another driver that was traction trained and on route learning with his instructor and off we went some 17 minutes late.
My original plan was to get back to London Bridge and see if any my missing 376s/465s/466s or 707s were floating about for me to get haulage a couple of stops. The delay meant that was out of the question. I'd also factored in the possibility to catch one of the Southern diesels to East Croydon but that was looking like a dud too.
Luckily the train made up time and a semi quick dash saw me actually catch 1E33 London Bridge to East Croydon 171810, 171812 winners [10m 28ch]. Sadly the doors at Croydon opened all too slowly which meant I missed my connection so ended up on 2J46 East Croydon to Selhurst 377320, 377304 [0m 77ch].
Despite the plan having a reworking of the plan it was a pretty good day