Footplate Experience and Run A Railway Experience

We are looking to offer two different types of experience in 2026 – the traditional Footplate Experience Course and the Run The Railway Experience. These are one-on-one experiences although you may have to share lunch with another participant(s). All participants will be able to bring additional guests who are picked up by train at Sittingbourne Viaduct station.

Footplate Experience

This will be a morning session or an afternoon session – participants can bring one guest at the beginning of the session with further guests being picked up later in the day from Sittingbourne Viaduct station.

On arrival at Kemsley Down the participant will be given coffee/tea whilst having a safety briefing and completing a day membership form. They will then be introduced to the locomotive crew and made familiar with the locomotive. During the course the participant should have the opportunity to drive the locomotive under supervision.

Run The Railway Experience

This is a full day course split into two parts – one is the Footplate Experience as shown above, the other shows you the roles of station master and guard.

You will be shown around Kemsley Down and given instruction in the signalling and use of the point levers, you will also be taught the relevant hand signals to shunt the locomotive  and how to signal the engine out of the station. When it returns, you will signal its arrival and couple the engine to the train.

The guard will then explain to you the operation of the brakes and the role of guard before showing you how to dispatch the train. You will ride with the guard, keeping a sharp lookout during the journey to Sittingbourne Viaduct (and back). You will work with the station master at Sittingbourne Viaduct on the uncoupling, running round and coupling up the train.

There will be a light lunch provided for both experiences. Participants will be given a commemorative certificate.

Bookings for participants will only be accepted for persons over the age of 18 and who have reasonable fitness and agility.

If you would like to do this in 2026, please email info@sklr.net and we’ll add you to the list, please tell us which experience you are interested in.