2nd September 2007

Shepherd Neame
The Spitfire
(Hop Pickers Steam Trains for the Faversham Hop Festival)

Locos Used 37248 & steam : 34067 'Tangmere'
Stock Used 35518+5237+5249+5236+13440+9392+5216+1840+5222+5200

Route:
1Z92 : Brighton to Faversham
1Z82 : Faversham to Sheerness-on-Sea
1Z83 : Sheerness-on-Sea to Faversham
1Z93 : Faversham to Brighton

Loco(s) Route
34067 (1) Brighton - Lewes - Polegate - Eastbourne
37248 (2) Eastbourne - Bexhill Central - Hastings - Rye - Ashford International
34067 (1) Ashford International - Canterbury West - Ramsgate - Margate - Herne Bay - Faversham - Sittingbourne - Queenborough - Sheerness-on-Sea
37248 (2) Sheerness-on-Sea - Queenborough - Gillingham
34067 (1) Gillingham - Sittingbourne - Faversham - (reverse of outward route) - Ashford International
37248 (2) Ashford International - (reverse of outward route) - Eastbourne
34067 (1) Eastbourne - (reverse of outward route) - Brighton

This was the second of two trips on this weekend run by Shepherd Neame to Faversham for their Hop Festival.

Notes :
(1) 37248 on rear.
(2) 34067 on rear.

Source : John Clifford (on the train Brighton to Ashford International via Gillingham)

Tour Review
(by John Clifford)

The Sheerness trip for the train was originally advertised as being steam Faversham - Gillingham, diesel Gillingham - Sheerness & steam Sheerness - Faversham. This would have meant the first steam leaving Sheerness for many years. In the event the trip was done the other way round. A similar situation happened in 2006 when it advertised as steam from Sheerness & we got steam to there. The only other comment to make is that insufficient time had been allowed for the Hastings - Ashford part as there is a speed restriction when towing steam tender first which seemed not to have been allowed for. Apart from this the train ran well.

John Clifford
Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Brighton 09.00d 09.02   22.07a ?
Lewes 09.18a ~ 09.21d 09.18 ~ 09.22   21.49a ~ 21.51d ?? ~ ??
Southerham Jn 09/24 09/26   21/45 ?
Polegate 09/36 09/41   21/28 ?
Willingdon Jn 09/46 09/46   21/22 ?
Eastbourne 09.51a ~ 10.06d 09.54 ~ 10.06   21.11a ~ 21.17d ?? ~ ??
Willingdon Jn 10/11 10/12   21/06 ?
Pevensey 10/21 10/17   20/59 ?
Bexhill Central 10/32 10/30   20/46 ?
Bo-Peep Jn 10/39 10/36   20/41 ?
Hastings 10.44a ~ 11.02d 10.42 ~ 11.03   20.32a ~ 20.35d ?? ~ ??
Ore 11/08 11/07   20/27 ?
Rye 11/23 11/28   20/09 ?
Appledore 11/33 11/42   19/58 ?
Ashford International 11.49a ~ 12.00d 12.02 ~ 12.14   19.40a ~ 19.45d 19.34 ~ 19.41
Wye 12/10 12/22   19/32 19/25
Chilham 12w18 ~ 12w35 12.29 ~ 12.45   ? ?
Chartham 12/40 12/50   ? ?
Canterbury West 12/47 12/57   19w07 ~ 19w17 19.06 ~ 19.11
Minster 13/00 13/11   18/48 18/42
Minster East Jn 13/01 13/12   18/45 18/41
Ramsgate 13/07 13/19   18/35 18/37
Margate 13/19 13/29   18/24 18/26
Herne Bay 13/32 13/42   18/10 18/14
Faversham 13.46a ~ 14.30d 13.58 ~ 14.29   16.34a ~ 17.55d 16.25 ~ 18.00
Sittingbourne 14/43 14/41   16/23 16/16
Eastern Jn 14/46 14/43  
Kemsley Halt 14/49 14/45  
Swale Halt 14/55 14/56  
Queenborough 15/00 15/02  
Sheerness-on-Sea 15.06a ~ 15.12d 15.08 ~ 15.12  
Queenborough 15/18 15/18  
Swale Halt 15/25 15/23  
Kemsley Halt 15/30 15/27  
Western Jn 15/35 15/32  
Gillingham 15.55a 15.50   16.04d 16.03


Back to "The Railtour Files"