This week (11-17th March 2024)

This weekend is the last Work Weekend before the Season

This is the last chance to work during a formal Work Weekend until October. We will be working from 10am until about 4pm both days.

If you require picking up from Sittingbourne National Rail station, Sittingbourne Viaduct station or Kemsley Paper Mill car park, please email info@sklr.net to arrange a lift as there will not be a Works Train.

Full information can be found here and you are reminded that you will need to bring your own food as there are no shops close by when we are working at Kemsley Down.

Work Weekend dates are as follows:

  • Saturday 16th March – Kemsley Down
  • Sunday 17th March – Kemsley Down

Our volunteers are feverishly working at the Railway outside the  Work Weekends. Typically, different teams work on regular days:

Other teams work as necessary, usually on a Wednesday or weekend.

If you are interested in volunteering with one of the teams mentioned above please email info@sklr.net and we’ll put you in contact with that team.

We reopen on Good Friday

Trains will be running all four days of Easter Weekend – that’s Four Days of Steam!

Trains will be departing Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12,30pm then 2pm, 3pm & 4pm. Fares are shown below. We recommend a two hour visit if you would like to get involved in the Good Friday Flowers, Easter Egg Hunt (Sunday only) or Wheels of Time activities.

What’s happening?

This month

  • Saturday 16th – Work Weekend – Kemsley Down
  • Sunday 17th – Work Weekend – Kemsley Down
  • Friday 29th – Good Friday – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm then 2pm, 3pm & 4pm – Good Friday Flowers, pot a plant and take it home with you – free event
  • Saturday 30th – Easter Saturday – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm then 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 31st – Easter Sunday – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm then 2pm, 3pm & 4pm – Easter Egg Hunt – free event

Next month

  • Monday 1st – Easter Monday – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm then 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Wednesday 3rd – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 7th – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Wednesday 10th – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 14th – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm then 2pm, 3pm & 4pm – Behind the Scenes Day, have a look around and find out what it takes to keep the Railway running
  • Sunday 21st – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 28th – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm – Jack the Station Cat Day, we will be launching the latest book of the series – ‘Jack the Station Cat Sorts it Out’ – with readings and book signing by illustrator Roger Dilley.

On days in bold underline, ‘Premier’ is scheduled to be the locomotive of the day.

On days in bold italics, ‘Melior’ is scheduled to be the locomotive of the day.

Fares

Fares have been frozen so you will be paying the same as last year for the regular fares. Here are the return fares:

A limited number of tickets are available for pre-booking on each train from Sittingbourne Viaduct – click on the button below or call the TicketSource hotline on 0333 663366. There is no need to pre-book, this option is for those who feel more secure having done so. There is a small booking fee for booking through TicketSource.

Photo of the Week

First ‘Leader’ went to Margate and then ‘Bear’ left for Quainton Road at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. After 50 years on display, the engine has gone to join other Peckett locomotives and to receive some TLC.

Meanwhile, No.1 has taken the prime spot on the display track and been turned around and ‘Barton Hall’ has also been turned around to make shunting easier. It has been a really busy few weeks at the Railway! A massive thank you to Lynne R for her excellent photo of a flying Bear!

Find out more…

To find out more about the Railway – visit our website (www.sklr.net), see our page on Facebook, or find us on X (formerly known as Twitter), Threads or Instagram or Tumblr as @SandKLR. To contact us, email info@sklr.net