This page modified on Saturday 10 July 2004
A charity tug-of-war event (humans pulling railway locomotive/carriage) is taking place at Maidstone East station from 1200 noon, in aid of the Kent Air Ambulance Trust; it will involve HDL’s DEMU, and also an EWS Class 66 locomotive.
Unit 1001 will run from St. Leonards at 0835, running via Hastings, Rye and Ashford; it is due to arrive Maidstone East at 1003.
Our train (minus a motor coach which is being used in the Tug of War) will be berthed in Platform 3 at Maidstone East, and the buffet car will remain open during the event for sale of a variety of refreshments; revenue from these will go towards upkeep of our train. There will also be a sales stand selling HDL and other railway items.
Unit 1001 will then operate a trip at 1554 from Maidstone East to London Victoria (due 1659), returning at 1714 with arrival at Maidstone East due at 1810. The train will be formed of 4 cars (two power cars 60116 and 60118, a DEMU trailer 60501, and the BIG buffet car 69337).
Tickets for the trip up to London will be available at just £5 each: this includes a strawberry cream tea. As at Thursday 17 June there are only about 20 seats remaining, plus any that are reserved but not taken up on the day.
The buffet car will be open during this trip so that further refreshments can be purchased. You may reserve tickets for this Maidstone – London return trip just by contacting us online — your message will be acknowledged. Tickets must then be paid for at, and picked up from, the buffet car on our DEMU by 1430 hrs on the day, on production of the acknowledgement e-mail. If tickets are not collected this time they will be put up for general sale.
Our train will return from Maidstone East at approximately 1815 via Ashford and Rye to arrive back at St. Leonards at 1930.
It transpires that passengers may be carried from/back to Hastings; there is no need to book — just turn up at Hastings station by 0850. A small charge will be levied for travel.