This week ( 19-25th June 2023)

It’s Steam & Beer Weekend!

Steam & Beer returns this weekend (Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th June) and it’s better than ever! Even the weather looks good!

There will be a selection of 18 real ales (two are stouts) and 9 ciders, other drinks and barbecued hot dogs and burgers will be available (subject to availability).

Tickets are on sale now at TicketSource and close the day before the event.

Saturday

We have live music from midday until 10pm featuring local bands performing a 2-hour set on the DS Smith Stage (the shortcuts take you to their Facebook page):

12-2pm: DILLEY LIVE!

2-4pm: Cover2Cover

4-6pm: Rock of Aged

6-8pm: Get Carter

8-10pm: Stoned

Trains will be hauled by steam locomotives ‘Premier‘ and ‘Melior‘.

Saturday departures from Sittingbourne Viaduct: 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm, 1.15pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm & 9pm

Saturday departures from Kemsley Down: 12.05pm, 12.50pm, 1.35pm, 2.35pm, 3.35pm, 4.35pm, 5.35pm, 6.35pm, 7.35pm, 8.35pm & 10pm

Sunday

We have a more relaxed day planned for Sunday 26th June, Family Day, with Captain Jack Sparrow joining us again this year and the BRFM Roadshow who will be playing music to keep everyone entertained into the evening.

Trains will be hauled by steam locomotive ‘Premier‘ and diesel locomotive ‘Victor‘ – both original to our line.

Sunday departures from Sittingbourne Viaduct: 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm, 1.15pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm & 5pm

Sunday departures from Kemsley Down: 11.20am, 12.05pm, 12.50pm, 1.35pm, 2.35pm, 3.35pm, 4.35pm & 6pm

Both days

Special fares apply:

  • £11 for adults
  • £10 for senior citizens
  • £7 for children (3-15)
  • Under 3s go free
  • £3 for SKLR Adult members
  • Please note: if you are booking online, there will be a booking fee applied by TicketSource.

Online bookings close the day before the event. Tickets will be available on the day of the event.

The fare includes the return trip on the train and entrance to the event at Kemsley Down. There will be no access to the Saxon Shore Way/Coastal Path during this event.

  • Real ales are £4 or £4.50 per pint and ciders are £4.50 per pint. That’s £2 or £2.25 per half-pint. They will be cooled using professional chiller units. Cards accepted
  • Burgers and hot dogs will be available from the barbecue – please bring cash (see below)
  • Footplate Café will be open all day serving hot & cold drinks, sausage rolls etc. Cards accepted
  • Railway Shop will be open during the day, both days but will not have a card machine
  • When paying by card at the shop or BBQ, you will have to place your order and then take a transaction card to the Footplate Café to pay, you then return to the shop or BBQ with the completed card to receive your goods (we only have two card machines at Kemsley Down).

Full details of the bands, provisional beer list, timetable and how to book your tickets can be found here.

Please check our website, Facebook Page or Twitter (@SandKLR) before you leave home to make sure everything’s going to plan. Also, please note that there are roadworks on the A249/M2 interchange which often closes the A249 between the M2/A249 roundabout and Sittingbourne – use real time journey planners, such as Google Maps, to check your route – our car park is at ME10 2XD or on what3words we are: format.fits.trains

Love Your Railway

This week is #LoveYourRailway #Community week so our graphic shows some of the ways we are working with the local community:

  • we are promoting local bands, beers and ciders this weekend
  • working with community groups, such as SFM Radio & BRFM
  • working with Swale Vehicle Enthusiasts Club, who are showing their vehicles at the Railway in September
  • we also work with local schools

In the wider railway community, we work a lot with the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, the Heritage Railway Association and other heritage railways.

Give us your time or money!

  • Money can be donated via our fundraising page – we are currently raising funds to put the Boiler back in Superb, reconstruction of the platform at Sittingbourne Viaduct station, cosmetic restoration of Alpha and of course Milton Regis Viaduct maintenance. Please add your preference or general in the text field when making your donation
  • Time can be donated by emailing us at volunteer@sklr.net
  • You can also buy items from our Amazon Wishlist which will be delivered to one of our members – in most cases there is a little bit of text explaining what we use the item for – it may not be as you expect! The list has been refreshed with some new items added, such as cat food (it’s for the cats!)
  • For more information visit our Donate & Support page.

This month (June)

  • Saturday 24th – Steam & Beer – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm, 1.15pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm & 9pm – live music from midday until 10pm. Steam locomotives Premier and Melior will haul the trains – more info on the Steam & Beer page or above.
  • Sunday 25th – Steam & Beer – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm, 1.15pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm & 5pm – family fun with Captain Jack Sparrow and the BRFM Roadshow. Premier will be hauling all trains EXCEPT the 11.45am and 1.15pm trains will be hauled by diesel locomotive Victor. 

Next month (July)

  • Sunday 2nd – Green Timetable – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 9th – Green Timetable – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 16th – Green Timetable – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Sunday 23rd – Green Timetable – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Wednesday 26th – Green Timetable – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
  • Saturday 29th – Wild West Weekend – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm (please note there is no 1pm train)
  • Sunday 30th – Wild West Weekend – trains depart Sittingbourne Viaduct station at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm (please note there is no 1pm train)

On dates shown in Bold Underlined: trains will be hauled by steam locomotive Premier*

On dates shown in Bold Italics: trains will be hauled by steam locomotive Melior*

On dates shown in just Bold: trains will be hauled by two or more locomotives

On dates shown in plain text: we’re not sure which locomotive will be operating today

* subject to availability, may be changed at short notice.