Preamble to an enjoyable day out in Faversham

As mentioned in my previous article, I spent much of Friday enjoying a day out in the lovely and easy‑going town of Faversham. It’s not the simplest place to reach by rail from Tonbridge: two changes are required, the first at Paddock Wood, from where an interesting journey unfolds. This is where the line follows the sinuous course of the river Medway for a good stretch, offering glimpses of water, marsh, and industry as the train heads towards Rochester. The second change takes place at Strood, an important junction where the Medway Valley line meets the main route from London Victoria to the Kent Coast. There I transferred onto a fast‑moving Javelin train for the final leg to Faversham. The train raced through the linked Medway towns - Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, before continuing past Teynham and Sittingbourne and then finally rolling into Faversham itself. This corner of Kent isn’t one I know particularly well, and the same is true of Faversham. Whilst I have made several…