The Romney Hythe And Dymchurch Railway

Things To See

These are a few things that have been pointed out to me over the years, mostly by the Bar Car attendants !!

• DEPARTING FROM HYTHE
  
  If you look at the hillside to the north of the railway you will see various concrete structures. These are concrete reflectors used for sound detection during WW2. There are more near Romney Sands station but these are more or less obscured by recent housing developments.
  
  
• DYMCHURCH STATION
  
  The supports for the footbridge originally housed the ladies and gents toilets. In the playing fields adjacent to the station, once a year, the locals celebrate the Day of Syn - referring to Russell Thorndyke's fictional smuggler Dr. Syn from which RHDR engine number 10 takes its name.
  
  
• JEFFERSTONE LANE STATION
  
  The field on the north side of the line was a Royal Flying Corps airfield in the First World War. The buildings on the south of the railway were the officers quarters. One of them, The Long Boat, was home for a while to Edith Nesbit, author of 'The Railway Children' although she died before the railway was built.
  
  
• NEW ROMNEY STATION
  
  Captain Howey's ashes can be found in one of the flower beds next to the up line.
  
  
• BETWEEN ROMNEY SANDS AND DUNGENESS
  
  Once past the 'Pilot' pub look at the cottages between the train and the sea. The one with bright yellow woodwork belonged to film director Derek Jarman - it features a garden dedicated to plants that grow on the beach. You may notice one with a square tower at the side - originally this was a false building concealing a PLUTO pumping station in WW2. If you think some of the long thin cottages with curved roofs look a bit like old railway wagons, you'd be absolutely correct !!
  
  
• DUNGENESS
  
  The white stumpy building was the original lighthouse - it just had a brazier on top. Its successor is open to the public. Take a pair of binoculars to the top and France can easily be seen on a clear day. Count the ships in the English Channel and appreciate what a busy stretch of water this is.
  
  The power stations have a visitors centre with an audio-visual show. It's a bit propogandist but interesting never the less. Free guided tours of the newer 'B' station are available. The reactor hall is a complete anti-climax - clean, quiet, not a soul to be seen. Just keep thinking - 2,000 megawatts.
  
  

Planning Your Visit ¦ Eating, Drinking And Shopping

JR's Snapshots ¦ Introduction
Working The Bar Car