With a Ramsgate start I had hoped to travel by train on the morning of the tour. However, despite not having to travel to some far flung northern outpost for a change, a timetable check soon disabused me of that fanciful notion. [There were connections from London which were made.] So come the day I was to be found falling out of a hotel overlooking Ramsgate Harbour, a blue plaque on the wall commemorated the stay of novelist Wilkie Collins in the 1870s. After my own version of supermarket sweep (without the inflatable banana) to pick up provisions, I strolled into Ramsgate station.

The charter was boarded with five minutes to spare before the departure time of 08.32 deal or no Deal (no Sandwich either as, despite the tour name, neither town was served up on the final choice menu).

I confess that my railway interest does not include trying to travel over as many crossovers and track sections as possible. Fortunately, others take these things seriously as evidenced by the number of TRACKmaps being poured over by my fellow travellers. I was assured that there were many highlights for the microgricers and bidirectionalists onboard to make the tour a success. Having said that I will own up to acquiring a few noted bobbins myself. TRACKmaps 5 Aug 2019 has the new layouts.

The first occurred not long after our prompt departure from Ramsgate P1 as 1Z20. Although the destination of the first leg of the tour was Margate, the Class 375 headed south but not for long. We passed the carriage sidings (New Sidings) on the Ramsgate Town station line alignment - CP 2 Jul 1926 - (I do read our itineraries, but not necessarily during a tour; wouldn't want to miss anything out the train window). Then the tour crossed over the Up and Down Stour lines to come to a stand at the first reversal point (4-car) on the Depot Reception West line behind signal EK4983 (not to the buffer stops at 85m 27ch which, due to signal sighting and operating rules, requires a 12-Car set. Mind the gap!).

Now heading north on more non-passenger track the tour proceeded through the Carriage Washer and, while those onboard looked longingly at the empty roads between the depot sheds, along Depot Reception East between the Carriage Cleaning Shed and Ramsgate P4 to regain the Up Thanet and cross over Ramsgate Viaduct and on to Margate station. Being the BLS, terminating in Margate P3 would not be as much fun as continuing past the Javelin stabled in the Up Bay (P4) to reverse direction at signal EK5105 and terminate in the Down Passenger Loop (P2) - leading to a rare through traversal of P2 on departure. My highlight was being able to obtain breakfast and a coffee in the café in the architecturally impressive and lofty main station building. Others had a similar idea during the break for pathing though I suspect they were toasting the new track they had so far red penned. It was the first time I had alighted or joined a train at Margate (will it be another 60 years before I do so again?).

Now 1Z21 the tour set off on time for Ashford International completing Margate P2, which I am told is only normally used by trains turning back from the Faversham direction. The coffee tasted nice. After passing through Ramsgate P2, then taking the second crossover onto the Up Stour, a run to Sandwich and Deal was eschewed in favour of running directly to Canterbury West from Minster East Jn. The remains of Chislet (Colliery Halt) Southern Railway style concrete platforms (CP 4 Oct 1971) were noted at 74m 57ch. Some people had hoped to red pen the Up Siding at Canterbury West but this is out of use, so the main line was taken to Ashford International where this leg of the railtour finished.

Departing 10.43 from P2 as 1Z22, to the excitement of the bidirectionalists we were routed along the Up Slow to Ashford East then the Up Main in the Down direction and through Sevington Loop. The Down line was regained at Herringe (61m 65ch) to Saltwood 'E' Jn followed by the former Down Slow (now Down Dover). Some Class 92 electrics were to be seen at Dollands Moor. I was reminiscing about the times I used to pass through Folkestone West and Central when there were four tracks en route to/from either Dover Western Docks or Folkestone Harbour. At Folkestone East the tour even turned into Folkestone East Train Road 3 (the furthest from the main line) just as the boat trains of yore used to do to reverse for the Harbour station. Roads 1 & 2 were occupied by stabled stock at the weekend.

The three disused and overgrown Berthing Sidings (Call the Midwife?), only accessed off the closed Folkestone Harbour branch, were duly noted by those on board, while waiting for the road to clear for the Sandwich Deal to continue to Dover as 1Z23. Leaving Train Road 3 behind, the tour reversed at Folkestone East on the Up Main before taking the trailing crossover to the Down Main (another move for microgricers to savour). Older members like myself will recall the sidings at Archcliffe Jn and the lines to Dover Western Docks forming a triangle at Hawkesbury Street Jn and a tight curve on the line we took to Dover Priory P3. Continuing beyond the station a reversal at signal YE623 allowed the tour to gain access to Carriage Siding 1. A highlight [well above station level] for me. Many a time I used to pass through Dover to see a Class 419 motor luggage van stabled on that very road between duties.

Heading to the Maidstone East lunch break as 1Z24, we ran east to reverse at YE623 then west via Dover Priory P1 retracing the route to Ashford. At Herringe (Harringe is wrong on TRACKmaps) it was onto the Down in the Up direction. Expecting to gain the Up Main at Willesborough we continued on the Down Main and then the Down Fast (quickly) through Ashford station (not in the itinerary but no complaints) to Ashford 'B' Jn to join the Up Maidstone. The tour ran via Lenham Up Passenger Loop behind P1 at customer request and at Maidstone East crossed to the Down line before Wheeler Street Tunnel and the platform-less middle Reversible rusty line through the station. Ultra rare - even freight doesn't generally use it. After a reversal at signal 'ME9' bay P3 was reached which faces London. Tour participants scattered in all directions to the various attractions Maidstone has to offer (including two shops/cafés on P1). A well known very local member even had time to nip home and put the kettle on.

After the break and reversal out of Maidstone East bay as 1Z25 it was back to Ashford, through P2 and to East Berthing Sidings No2. Anyone might think this was deliberate - I was reliably informed that a previous Javelin tour did No1. Much to the delight of fellow passengers, Lenham Down Passenger loop featured en route (not in the itinerary either - you do need to pay very close attention on a BLS tour).

The pièce de résistance was up next. Ashford Down Yard Berthing Siding 12 gricing the Biohazard Cleaning Pit (56m 47ch from Charing Cross via Chelsfield) with a double reversal on Ashford Depot (washer) Bypass Road by the 4-car stop board and Road 12 itself. Having served up this choice offering, we headed back to Ramsgate as 1Z26, exiting Ashford Depot by the Canterbury end Down Yard East Jn. There was still time for a few more morsels, a run behind Canterbury West P2 along the Down Loop and a mazy weave through Minster to rake in the crossovers either side of bidirectional P2.

After 153 miles in Kent our tour arrived 6 mins early and lived up to expectations with Southeastern staff and Stewards playing their part in another successful and enjoyable Society offering. It was well worth a day on a 375. All that was left was going home, not helped by engineering work in various places (it is one thing controlling rail replacement services and another having to travel on them!).

Never mind, more time to read the excellent itinerary, eat the sandwich deal I bought before boarding the Sandwich Deal and wonder if my own blue plaque would one day adorn the hotel frontage. If so, I hope not for a while as there is still plenty of track to grice. Pleasingly, the tour raised over £6,000 including the raffle etc, shared between Railway Children and Dame Kelly Holmes Foundation. Particular thanks to our member Matthew Dodd for all his considerable time and effort on this tour.






















































Unless specified, all photos above are ©Geoff Plumb, our official Society Photographer, and taken by authorised personnel only from a place of safety. There are more of the tour and detailed informative captions at https://plumbloco.smugmug.com/ Geoff's website. There are many other interesting historical and modern pictures, it is well worth exploring.