To celebrate 200 years of the passenger railway in the UK, Southeastern is opening the doors to its train maintenance depot in Ashford for one very special day.
On Sunday 24th August, thousands of people will have the chance to go behind the scenes at one of the largest, busiest and most important railway depots in the south-east.
Visitors will have the chance to get up close to a range of trains, both new and old, throughout the site and can also find out more about the range of careers in the railway by meeting people who work in a variety of roles at Southeastern and across the wider rail industry – from engineers and drivers to safety specialists and infrastructure experts.
Visitors can walk through the maintenance shed and see a variety of Southeastern trains, including the special Railway 200 trains; the Class 395 'Javelin' train – 395015 and the Network SouthEast Networker – 465908.
From there, visitors can continue outside into the operational yard to see a fantastic selection of heritage trains, including:
- Clan line steam engine
- MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle)
- Hastings Diesel ‘Thumper’
- Balfour Beatty Tamper
- Class 73
- Class 66
- Bluebell ‘Stepney’ Locomotive
Jim Shead, Ashford Depot Manager, Southeastern, said:
“We are incredibly proud of the hard work which goes on behind the scenes at Ashford every single day and this open day is a fantastic opportunity to show what it takes to keep delivering a reliable service for our customers.
“In addition to the opportunity to see a variety of trains and provide a huge range of fun activities for adults and children, we also want to demonstrate the variety of rewarding careers available in the railway.
“But, space is limited and we expect this special event to sell out quickly so buy your tickets today.”
To book your tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/southeastern-train-depot-open-day-tickets-1469564469889
It's not just about the trains – a host of stands will tell the incredible story of 200 years of railway history and
- The Southeastern Recruitment Team will be available to showcase the fantastic and varied career opportunities available, perfect for those considering joining the railway industry
- Southeastern Safeguarding Team: Hear about their initiatives to protect our customers.
- Network Rail Margate Safety Team: Learn about how to stay safe when travelling by rail.
- Kent Fire & Rescue Service
- A special Hornby stand will be available throughout the day, giving visitors the opportunity to browse and purchase from their extensive range of model trains, including the special Railway 200 high-speed train.
- Why not also take the opportunity to check out the incredible AIMREC Model Railway and meet the passionate teams who run the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and the Kent and East Sussex Railway.
- Those who feel the need for speed can meet Southeastern employee and racing driver Toby Trice and see his Porsche Cayman.
- And little ones can enjoy a range of activities, including miniature roundabout rides.
Accessibility information
- If you have accessibility requirements, please note that, although we plan to make the site as accessible as possible, this is a working train depot and full accessibility cannot be guaranteed across the entire site.
- There is no parking at the event, and we encourage all attendees to travel to the event by train to Ashford International station and follow the short walk to the depot.
- We do, however, have some accessible parking available on a first-come, first-served basis on the day.
- For more information, don't hesitate to get in touch with Southeastern customer services here. (Please note: we don't require you to fill in the journey, ticket, and payment details).
Southeastern will not make any profit from ticket sales. Ticket proceeds are being used to support the costs of running the event, and all profit will be shared with the five Railway 200 charities (Alzheimer’s Research UK, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children, Railway Mission, and Transport Benevolent Fund CIO).
The Open Day runs between 10 am and 4 pm on Sunday 24th August. Visitors are encouraged to check train services before travelling to help ensure an on-time arrival at the event.
All trains are subject to availability and may change before the event.
