One of England's most charming and historic market towns, Faversham is in the heart of rural Kent and dates from pre-Roman times. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, Faversham is a bustling place with a fine range of independent shops.
Passengers travelling to Leeds Castle for the Flower Festival will be transferred by road coach between the train and the castle.
FARES
Fares for this tour start from £99 in Premium Standard, £149 in First Class, £199 in Premier Dining and £259 in Pullman Style Dining.
SHEPHERD NEAME BREWERY
Alight at Faversham for an award-winning guided tour around the Shepherd Neame Brewery to learn about the ancient art of brewing.
See brewing and fermentation vessels; taste natural mineral water from the brewery's well; try some malted barley and smell locally-grown Kentish hops. The tour also includes a visit to the Old Brewery Store, which features impressive displays of historic delivery vehicles, bygone pub signs and a collection of hop picking memorabilia.
Select this option at the optional extras stage to book onto the excursion.
Built for the London & North Eastern Railway, 61306 Mayflower is one of two surviving B1 Class locomotives.
The B1's were designed as mixed traffic locomotives capable of hauling express passenger trains as well as freight traffic. As powerful, go anywhere engines, the B1's worked across most of the UK rail network from East Anglia to Scotland.
Mayflower was built in 1948 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow but was delivered post-nationalisation and acquired the number 61306 by British Railways. She was first allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens Depot followed by a spell at Hull Dairycotes Depot before being finally transferred to Low Moor Depot, Bradford. She was the last B1 in service, her final trip was hauling the 'Yorkshire Pullman' from Leeds in September 1967.
Mayflower was immediately purchased for preservation and was initially based at Steamtown in Carnforth. She was fully restored for mainline operation and worked a number of railtours in the 1970's. Acquired by Steam Dreams owner David Buck in 2014, she returned to the mainline in 2015 before being withdrawn for an extensive overhaul. Resplendent in the early British Railways apple green livery as she was originally given when delivered in 1948 she returned to full mainline operation in early 2019.
Mayflower has two cylinders, 6 driving wheels, a firebox grate area of 30 square feet and can operate at 75mph.
Whilst this locomotive is rostered for the trips listed, it cannot be guaranteed.
| Estimated Timings | Outward | Return |
|---|---|---|
| London Victoria | 0900 | 2010 |
| Bromley South | 0945 | 1940 |
| Leeds Castle | 1100 | 1600 |
| Canterbury | 1230 | 1700 |
| Faversham | 1250 | 1640 |
