25th February 1962

The Locomotive Club of Great Britain
The Kentish Venturer Rail Tour
(Farewell To Steam)

Locos Used 30782 'Sir Brian', 30926 'Repton', 31263 & 31690
Stock Used booked for load 9: Bullied semi-open brake second, 3x BR SO's, Restaurant Buffet Car, 3x BR SO's & Bullied semi-open brake second

Route :

Loco(s) Route
30782 (2) London Victoria - Brixton - Penge East - Bromley South - Swanley - Sole Street - Chatham - Sittingbourne - Faversham - Margate - Ramsgate - Deal - Dover Priory - Folkestone Central - Ashford (for visit to Ashford works)
31263 + 31690 Ashford - Appledore - Lydd Town - New Romney
31263 + 31690 New Romney - Lydd Town - Appledore
30926 Appledore - Ashford - Headcorn - Tonbridge - Sevenoaks - Orpington - Bromley South - Beckenham Junction - New Beckenham - Parks Bridge Jn - London Bridge - London Charing Cross

Notes :
(1) John Clifford comments : The was only my second rail tour. It was run to commemorate the end of steam in Kent. Phase I of the Kent Coast electrification (Victoria - Ramsgate & Dover via Chatham plus the Sheerness branch) had been completed in June 1959 & phase II was due for completion in June 1962 (Charing Cross to Ramsgate via Dover (Canterbury West plus Paddock Wood - Maidstone West). However, some electric trains had been running in steam timings since the previous year & any non-electric trains were worked by diesels. Hence there was virtually no steam in Kent by this time. I remember that it was snowing heavily as we arrived at Deal & the snow continued on & off for much of the day.
(2) Banked out of Victoria station by 30926 'Repton' (which had been used to bring in the tour stock).

Sources : John Clifford (on the train throughout), The Bluebell Railway Museum
& Dr Christopher Fifield

Photo Review


30926 arrives into Victoria with the stock (photo: Dr Christopher Fifield)


30782 waiting to leave London Victoria (photo: David Pearson)


30926 drops off the rear at London Victoria (photo: Dr Christopher Fifield)


30782 pauses at Margate (photo: David Pearson)


30782 at Ramsgate (photo : John Broderick - courtesy of www.30937.co.uk)


31263+31690 at Lydd Town en-route to New Ronmey (photo: David Pearson)


30926 backing onto the train at Appledore (photo: David Pearson)


Doug Lindsay provided this scan of his ticket from the tour


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Terry Jackson/John Clifford & John Debens)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Victoria 09.30d 09.30
3.16 Brixton 09/37 09/39
3.77 Herne Hill 09/38½ 09/40
8.52 Beckenham Junction 09/46 09/47½
10.02 Shortlands 09/47½ [FL] 09/49½
12.38 Bickley Jn 09/51 [FL] 09/53
17.31 Swanley 09/56½ 09/58½
26.71 Sole Street 10/06½ 10/13
33.00 Rochester Bridge Jn 10/13½ 10/20½
34.23 Chatham 10/16½ 10/22½
38.72 Rainham [end of PL] 10/23 [FL] 10/29
44.57 Sittingbourne 10/28 10/35½
51.77 Faversham 10/35½ 10/46
62.59 Herne Bay 10/47 10/59½
73.70 Margate 11w00 ~ 11w12 11.15½ ~ 11.25½
79.21 Ramsgate 11p26a ~ 11p36d 11.38 ~ 11.46½
91.38 Deal 11*56 ~ 12*01 12.07 ~ 12.08
99.66 Buckland Jn 12/20 12/29
100.62 Dover Priory 12/22 12/31
107.13 Folkestone Jn 12/33 12/44½
109.07 Shorncliffe 12p37a ~ 12p48d 12.48 ~ 12.55½
121.79 Ashford 13L03a ~ 14L16d 13.17 ~ 14.26
130.40 Appledore 14/28 14/41
133.06 Brookland Halt 14*33 ~ 14*37 14/48½
137.46 Lydd Town 14p45a ~ 14p55d 14.58½ ~ 14.55
144.06 New Romney 15.10a ~ 15.20d 15.23 ~ 15.33½
150.46 Lydd Town 15/33 15/55
155.06 Brookland Halt 15*41 ~ 15*45 16/04
157.52 Appledore 15p50a ~ 16p00d 16.09½ ~ 16.24½
166.13 Ashford 16/12 16/41
187.36 Paddock Wood 16/31 17/02½
192.59 Tonbridge 16/36 17/09½
200.12 Sevenoaks 16/48 17/27
208.37 Orpington 16/57 [FL] 17/38
209.77 Petts Wood Jn 16/59 17/40
210.77 Bickley Jn 17/00½ [FL] 17/42
213.26 Shortlands 17/04 17/45½
214.56 Beckenham Junction 17/05½ 17/48
215.27 New Beckenham 17/09 17/50
218.46 Parks Bridge Jn 17/15 [TL] 17/57
219.71 New Cross 17/17 17/59½
222.70 London Bridge 17/21½ [P7] 18/05½
223.28 Metropolitan Jn 17/22½ [TL] 18/08½
224.59 Charing Cross 17.26a 18.17½


Associated Light Engine Moves
(from John Debens)

Light Engine: 30926;

Location Booked
After banking 09.30 to Ashford
Victoria

09.42d
Brixton

09/49
Herne Hill

09/51
Beckenham Junction

10/00
Shortlands

10/02 [FL]
Bickley Jn

10/08
Swanley

10/16
Otford

10/28
Maidstone East

10/55
Ashford Station

11/27
Ashford Shed

11.30a
To work 15.00 light-engine to Appledore

 

Location Booked
After working 09.42 Light Engine ex-Victoria
Ashford Shed 15.00d
Ashford station 15c05
Appledore 15.17a
To work 16.00 to Charing Cross

Light Engine: 30782;

Location Booked
After banking 09.30 to ex-Victoria
Ashford Shed

14.00d
Maidstone East

14/33
Otford

14/58
Swanley

15/11 [FL]
Bickley Jn

15/19 [FL]
Shortlands

15/25
Beckenham Junction

15/27
Herne Hill

15/36
Brixton

15/38
Stewarts Lane

15.48a
To work: Shed

Light Engines: 31690 & 31263 coupled;

Location Booked
After working 14.16 to Ashford
Appledore 16.20d
Ashford station 16c34
Ashford Shed 16.37a
To work: Shed


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