Swindon Panel Society is delighted to announce its autumn trip which, this year, is to the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway!
The visit will take place on Saturday 26 September, during the RHDR’s Heritage Weekend, and also the 90th birthday of the RHDR’s first two locomotives, Green Goddess and Northern Chief, which were delivered to Captain Howey at New Romney in 1925 before the RHDR even opened.
The 15″ gauge engines run for 13 miles across Romney Marsh, including 8 miles of double track between Hythe and New Romney, where passing trains have a passing speed of 50mph, a scale 150mph!
Any visit to the RHDR is special, but this very special occasion in the history of the RHDR. In order to capture the 1920s spirit of this very special event, there will be a celebration with live music, an exhibition of the railway’s links to the Paxman factory in Colchester where the engines were built, plus some unusual railway operations adding up to a great day out for young and old!
Itinerary
We will start at Hythe at about 10.00 – 10.30am and our tickets will include unlimited travel on the RHDR for the entire day.
To travel in style, we have hired the longest 15″ gauge carriage in the world – the fully licensed and observation-ended Bar Car ‘Gladys’. (Photo, left, by Fred Sargent)
We will enjoy some of the Dungeness’s famous fish and chips for lunch (also included in the ticket price).
At New Romney we will alight for a look around the station, toy and model museum (with extensive OO gauge layout) and other heritage day attractions.
Finally we will take the train back to Hythe to finish our day, finishing at about 5pm.
Tickets
Members and non-members are welcome on the trip. The non-members price includes a FREE bronze SPS membership on the day (or £5 off a silver or gold).
| Ticket Prices | SPS Member | Non SPS Member |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £27.50 | £32.50 |
| Adult (BR Priv) | £17.00 | £22.00 |
| Child | £20.00 | £25.00 |
Tickets for the trip include:
– unlimited travel on the RHDR for the entire day, so if you wish to arrive earlier, depart later or travel around more during the day you are very welcome to do so.
– Also included in the ticket price is fish and chips at Dungeness,
– entry to the Toy & Model Museum and other heritage weekend attractions at New Romney
– and use of our privately-hired Bar Car during the day (seats maximum 14 at a time, so will have to share!)
Transport
In addition, we hope to arrange a coach from Didcot/Swindon to Hythe in the morning and back in the evening in order to make transport easier. The additional fee for the bus will be £24 per person (cheaper than the train!)
How to Book
To pay by bank transfer (preferred) or cheque, please contact us at the normal address, let us know your ticket requirements and we will send you the required details to pay. Or to pay by credit/debit card/PayPal please visit: http://www.heritage-ops.org.uk/product/231