Loose End.

I'm at a bit of a loose end, and was thinking, should I visit any museums or heritage railways?

I'm free from the 6th for a week, I want to go to the RHDR for a start, where next?

 

Living where you do, the RHDR is an easy day trip. Would suggest you spend a week in Wales with a GLTW rover ticket. Tripadvisor virtues are not necessarily those of the enthusiast but a disproportionate number of the highest rated lines are members of the G.L.T.W.

PH

 

I'm spending 2 weeks in wales next year with the wife.

 

Anywhere that you think "Oh, that's just down the road, I can go there any time"… & you've never been to.

I live in London - never done the Tower, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge, Tate etc.
Used to live in Poole, so naturally I've never been to Brownsea Island, Swanage, or the IOW.
Lived in Bristol for 3 months, did I go & see SS Great Britain? The Maritime Museum? Of course not, because… "Oh, that's just down the road, I can go there any time"

P.

 

The Kent & East Sussex at Tenterden is well worth a visit, then on to robertsbridge for the Rother Valley Railway onto the Bluebell Railway then the Mid-Hants.
All within a reasonable distance from dover, not forgetting the East Kent Railway at Sheperdswell [mainly weekends] and the Bredgar & Wormshill narrow gauge line near Hollingbourne in Kent [check their website for opening times] the same for the Sittingbourne narrow gauge line, so a few to get on with.

 

A warm welcome will be found at the Lavender Line.

 

6th may, we have our mini gala with gervase and Marcia, if repaired in time. we are running 7-8th blue and green timetable, 4&5 round trips per day so visit tenterden on either of those days, east grinstead is i believe week end only?

 

Im an active volunteer on the KESR. Might pay a visit to the Bluebell Railway though

 

We'll be running the Mets and 4 wheelers as one of the trains on the bank holiday Monday (the "B" train - 11am / 1.30pm / 4.00pm departure from SP). I should be on the footplate that day - say hi if you are around. the LNWR Observation Car will be on the other - see the Northern Extension in close up!

Mid week, we are back to running the full length of the extension to East Grinstead.

The following weekend (11/12 May) is our Southern at War event, with Spitfire flypast both days

As usual, access to working timetables and carriage and loco allocations is available here: http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pti/

Edit: Looks like the carriage stock has changed; now it is the Southern pre-group coaches and Maunsells, plus the GNR saloon serving cream teas on the "B" train. Even better...

Tom

 

Be adventurous- go north! Through the Dartford Tunnel, turn left and go to Mangapps. That way you get both a big museum and a (smaller) heritage railway and you won't be disappointed. They're only open on weekends and B.H. Monday, though.

 

Yes Mangapps at Burnham on Crouch is well worth a visit its got a fantastic museum so much in it lots of totems and signal equipment.
Theres also lots of locomotives from class 03 shunters to class 47 big uns plus steam, plus a nice restaurant inside a southern buffet coach and a demonstration line with a footpath, my wife and i walked the footpath and got the train back, one of the few Rail centers my wife actually liked.

 

Swanage diesel gala and beer festival is on the 10th - 12th of May, definitely worth a visit. There's 50 beers and 10 ciders if you don't like diesels....

 

IOWSR beer festival this coming weekend, you could be really daring and have an overseas trip!

 

Or go via the Mid Hants (to/from the IOWSR) this Sunday, the Freight is out, and if you do - break a journey at Medstead - and ask the station staff if you can see what the wagon group are up to, I shall be down there..................................................................

 

St Albans South signal box is open 2-5pm on Sunday 12th May. See www.sigbox.co.uk for details. We're free entry as well!

 

ooooh ya bitch

 

You could always come and restart your footplate career at Rolvenden, as you sometimes suggest you might!

 

I'm might have to..