Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
12 December 2010
11:1184191 A steam special is booked down to Dover from London Victoria and return on 22nd of this month. The train is entitled `The Cathedrals Express` which will mean dropping off passenger`s at Canterbury. It will eventually work from Canterbury and through Dover, which usually works out late afternoon though I have no times at the moment. The locomotive above is booked to work it, if ready in time after an expensive overhaul, with possibly a second steam loco attached. You can always book a trip on the above and travel up to Victoria to catch it, for a nostalgic trip to sample how our parents/grandparents used to travel. News of all this is in the current issue of Steam Railway, and the above fine picture is by Eddie Bobrowski taken 9 November during test running after overhaul.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
12 December 2010
11:5284196"to sample how our parents/grandparents used to travel"
I used to like you Colin, I am not so sure now

.
I remember going on steam trains when I was a child, another chilhood memory was standing on a bridge watching them come towards me and having the smelly smoke enveloping me....................... I was extremely young of cause.

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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
12 December 2010
12:1284197me too
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
12 December 2010
13:2184201Ditto, fellow oldies-but-goodies!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
12 December 2010
15:2884203thanks for the tip off colin, should be some good photo opportunities there.
where would people recommend as a good vantage point?
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
13 December 2010
13:2184354There is a Romney Marsh luncheon circular trip headed by Tornado today. Coming up from Southampton to Ashford then Rye, Hastings, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, etc. Times on the UK Steam link below.
The Dover luncheon circular trip on 22nd looks at the moment as though it will be headed by Black Five 44932. A couple of good vantage points are the island platform at Dover Priory or the footbridge over the line just before the Shakespeare Tunnels, accessed from Aycliffe. Get there in good time as I missed the last one which passed through several minutes early. Times will eventually be on the UK Steam link below but may not appear until the last minute as they are the preserve of Network Rail.
http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs10.htmGuest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 December 2010
13:3284356Do any of you know the cost from London down to Dover on this trip please,I like the sound of that myself.

Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
13 December 2010
13:5384358Prices are on the Steam Dreams site below.
Not cheap but preserving steam locos and associated rolling stock is an expensive pastime.
http://tinyurl.com/399rcalJan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
13 December 2010
15:5384371I would have thought that the cost of the trip from Tonbridge would have been a liitle cheaper than the fare from London as the passenger gets 2hrs less on the train.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 December 2010
16:0284375Mr Connell. Thank you for that I am now looking at it,and have asked them if they can do just oneway from London to Dover and the cost per person.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
13 December 2010
19:0384426Thanks for that additional info Ed, and it does look like `Britannia` above won`t be ready in time.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 December 2010
19:3584439No it is not stoping at Dover,it is around trip,from London.never mind I have aske for all their trips around the UK for 2011.

Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
13 December 2010
20:1484454The Cathedrals Express tours stop at Canterbury to let passengers view the Cathedral.
They then pass through Dover on their way back to London and usually stop at Folkestone West to take on water.
This is Tangmere storming through Dover Priory:
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And this is Oliver Cromwell in the same location:
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This is Oliver Cromwell taking water at Folkestone West:
http://shipsintheportofdover.fotopic.net/c1731207.htmlhoward mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
13 December 2010
23:3484509fascinating stuff mr connell.
it is to our advantage to be insidious in our desire to bear witness to the forthcoming photogenic events.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
18 December 2010
18:3985323London Victoria 10:14 10:44
Grosvenor Bridge Jn 10:48
Voltaire Road Jn. 10:50
Brixton 10:52
Cambria Jn 10:54
Denmark Hill 10:55
Crofton Road Jn 10:57
Nunhead 11:00
Bellingham 11:09
Shortlands Jn 11:13
Bromley South 11:17 11:19 2
Bickley Jn 11:23
Petts Wood Jn 11:34
Orpington 11:36
Sevenoaks 11:44 11:46
Tonbridge 11:54 11:56 Platform3
Paddock Wood 12:04
Headcorn 12:16 12:31 Presumably water Stop
Ashford International 12:41
Saltwood Jn 12:51
Folkestone Central 12:59
Dover Priory 13:13
Buckland Jn 13:18
Deal 13:35
Sandwich 13:45
Minster South Jn. 13:55
Minster 14:12 14:25 Possible Water Stop
Canterbury West 14:42
Wye 14:56
Ashford International 15:07
Headcorn 15:21
Paddock Wood 15:34 15:44 Water ?
Tonbridge 15:52 15:54 2
Sevenoaks 16:01 16:03
Orpington 16:13
Petts Wood Jn 16:16
Bickley Jn 16:18
Bromley South 16:22 16:24 Platform 1
Shortlands Jn 16:26
Bellingham 16:29
Nunhead 16:36
Crofton Road Jn 16:40
Denmark Hill 16:41
Cambria Jn 16:42
Brixton 16:49
Voltaire Road Jn. 16:51
Grosvenor Bridge Jn 16:54
London Victoria 17:00 Platform 2
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
21 December 2010
21:4285983Just a freindly reminder folks. The route to be taken is different to the usual. The steam loco will be blasting up a gradient all the way to Guston tunnel after passing the Priory and a little beyond, so should be lots of smoke and steam about tomorrow. It`s usually booked the opposite way, coasting downhill towards the Priory. P.S. Thanks for those timings Paul.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
22 December 2010
17:4586088 THEN and NOW. I got the top image up Old Park Hill around 13.30 today where I used to live, and was able to view steam in it`s dying days in these parts, (1961). Below is one of my favourite steam picture`s from the camera of Roy Hobbs, and taken from one of Ian Allan`s superb colour albums. It shows the same location taken on 23 May 1959. Todays steam special consisted of Merchant Navy class `Clan Line` double heading a Stanier Black Five, which hopefully somebody else has captured. Back to the lower picture and I`m sure you`ll notice the signal box, telegraph poles, semaphore signal`s all gone. The lines bearing off to the right linked the Deal line with the Chatham line all long gone.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
22 December 2010
18:2786095both are excellent pictures colin, the snowed up line gives it a bit of extra atmosphere i think.