Back on the rails, Dana Wiffen  re-visits the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway (SKLR) and recommends a trip before the end of the Summer Holidays.

My wife and I took our granddaughter who is one and a half years old to The Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway, this was her second visit and she loved it.

After serving Bowaters Paper Mills for many years and then becoming a Heritage Railway, the railway was threatened with closure but has now risen from the ashes and after running no trains in 2010, returned with a service in 2011.

They have resumed a 75% service from Milton Regis Halt to Kemsley Down Station, this is still a good length of track and your children will love the ride.

The Halt Station has been improved thanks to Asda's supermarket at Milton Regis and you can use their car park free of charge. (please park behind the petrol garage-section)

With the school holidays coming to an end soon in most areas, and family money probably dwindled from holidays and outings, this is a guaranteed cheap fun day for the family, the children and granddad will especially love it.

The railway winds its way from the Sittingbourne industrial end of the line, across marshes towards Kemsley, and there is plenty of play things for the children whilst mum and dad grab a cuppa and a sausage roll.

Kemsley Down station  Photo: Dana Wiffen

Again their prices are reasonable and the service great.

During August SKLR have been running special additional trains to their usual Sunday service and the last of these is this Wednesday 31st August, when trains leave Milton Regis Halt at 1.00pm, 2.00pm 3.00pm & 4.00pm.

Do take the kids for a final treat before they return to school.

It is hoped to re-open Sittingbourne Viaduct Station soon, and with the public and members support this railway can one day reach the very potential it deserves.

Anyone who lives in and around Sittingbourne or really anywhere in Kent should pop along and play homage the last surviving industrial narrow gauge railway in the South East of England.

It needs our support and you won't be disappointed at all.
 

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©