Tonbridge-Redhill is an under-appreciated line, with some lovely scenery, particularly in the spring when all the hedges are 'iced' with early plum and blackthorn blossom. At one point it had a half-hourly service, courtesy of KCC, who wanted a link from the Medway towns to Gatwick. Covid and council cuts did for that, but I do think it could be part of a more frequent 'Medway Metro', maybe all the way from Sheerness to Gatwick, via Maidstone and Paddock Wood, giving easy connections to Croydon, Tunbridge Wells, and Gravesend/Bluewater. Lots of attractions en-route, too, if someone put on some connecting bus services: Chartwell, plus Hever and Chiddingstone castles (from Edenbridge); Penshurst Place, Tonbridge castle, Paddock Wood/Beltring hop farm; Yalding lock and village; West Farleigh station; Maidstone carriage museum and archbishop's palace; Allington lock and castle (needs a new station); Aylesford village and friary; Snodland (Kent's largest village); Rochester castle; Chatham Dockyard; Sittingbourne steam railway, Isle of Sheppey ...
Tonbridge-Redhill is an under-appreciated line, with some lovely scenery, particularly in the spring when all the hedges are 'iced' with early plum and blackthorn blossom. At one point it had a half-hourly service, courtesy of KCC, who wanted a link from the Medway towns to Gatwick. Covid and council cuts did for that, but I do think it could be part of a more frequent 'Medway Metro', maybe all the way from Sheerness to Gatwick, via Maidstone and Paddock Wood, giving easy connections to Croydon, Tunbridge Wells, and Gravesend/Bluewater. Lots of attractions en-route, too, if someone put on some connecting bus services: Chartwell, plus Hever and Chiddingstone castles (from Edenbridge); Penshurst Place, Tonbridge castle, Paddock Wood/Beltring hop farm; Yalding lock and village; West Farleigh station; Maidstone carriage museum and archbishop's palace; Allington lock and castle (needs a new station); Aylesford village and friary; Snodland (Kent's largest village); Rochester castle; Chatham Dockyard; Sittingbourne steam railway, Isle of Sheppey ...
The Redhill Tonbridge line is a missed opportunity for a good regional link route. In its current state its quicker to go to london and back
@@JezzTransport Absolutely! - after going to the trouble of electrifying it, it sees very little use.