As soon as you arrive at Shepherdswell, you’ll see our great Cafe, in which you can start your journey.
Grab a drink and a sandwich before you make your way to the train!
You could even go for a Woodland Walk, or just save it all until you come back from the train ride!
Take a stroll down past the miniature railway to the platform area, to start your journey through the heritage of the Kent.
Once you’ve got your tickets, it’s time to board the train!
We often run a variety of different trains. Check out our stock list page for more details. Climb aboard our vintage train which will be waiting for you and get ready for chug off through the countryside!
Along the way, we pass over North Bank Level Crossing, where you will see the train staff opening the gates over the road to allow the train to proceed. Once clear, the train will move over the crossing and stop again to allow the staff to get back on.
Shortly after leaving the crossing, you will see the entrance to Golgotha Tunnel, one of the longest in the South East! The lights will go on, as we pass through this long tunnel, and then through a cutting on the other side. The line opens out into countryside, but remains in a gentle valley until we regain the tree line again for the approach to Eythorne.
On the right, you may be able to see the old trackbed which branched off to what was Guilford Colliery, near Coldred. The train pauses here, to check the points to make sure it is safe to enter into Eythorne station.
Eythorne
We now arrive into the charming wayside station of Eythorne. Here the train will stay for about 15 minutes, dependent on the timetable, before it heads back to Shepherdswell.
Feel free to visit the new Cafe, or have a wander along the platform. The signal box may be open for viewing. At Christmas, this is where you will find Santa’s Grotto, accompanied by a warm winter’s welcome.
Wigmore Lane
Some trains or a loco and brake van on special event days will run the extra 1/2 mile to Wigmore Lane. At the end of this piece of track, lays the remains of the bridge which once took trains into the mighty Tilmanstone Coliery, before closure in 1984.
