Diversion between Bickley & Ashford Intl

[SETCommuter]

Hi all,

I'm looking to travel from Ramsgate to Twickenham via Waterloo on the 17th November and National Rail currently have this message on their site.

Diverted trains because of engineering work between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge
On Saturday 17 November 2012, Southeastern services between London Charing Cross and Minster are diverted between Bickley and Ashford International and will not call at Petts Wood, Orpington, Chelsfield, Knockholt, Sevenoaks, Hildenborough, Paddock Wood, Marden, Staplehurst, Headcorn and Pluckley.

My question is:
1) Does this mean they will still follow the same route, just will not call at these stations ? or
2) Does this mean the train will follow a different route ? If so, what would this be and does anybody have any ideas on the time it would take ?

Hopefully this makes sense and thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[philjo]

The train will probably run via Maidstone East.
I can't help with the timings but when I used to travel to Canterbury it was slightly quicker via Maidstone than via Tonbridge. it depends if the diverted train calls at the stations or runs non-stop.

 

[30907]

Via Maidstone East is the long-standing (and pleasant) alternative route when Sevenoaks-Tonbridge is blocked, and the trains generally call at Chislehurst (for Orpington) and Otford (for Sevenoaks). The route is slower but fewer stops balance this.

The NR journey planner tells me even more, by clicking on "details":

(1) the times at each end of the diversion (exactly as a normal Saturday)
(2) the intermediate stops (Bearsted and Maidstone East as well)
but
(3) there's also a replacement bus Ramsgate-Minster - apologies if the OP knows this already - Ramsgate-Margate is also blocked, so the alternative route via Victoria and Clapham Junction is no better.

Happy travelling!

 

[yorksrob]

The train will probably run via Maidstone East.
I can't help with the timings but when I used to travel to Canterbury it was slightly quicker via Maidstone than via Tonbridge. it depends if the diverted train calls at the stations or runs non-stop.

In the nineties when trains were diverted on this route, they used to call at Otford (to change for Sevenoaks) and Chislehurst (to change for Orpington) and possibly Maidstone East as well. Whether this is still the case I don't know, but it is fairly speedy anyway.

 

[SETCommuter]

Thanks for your help - I must have missed the details section, just been back & had a look. I did know about the Ramsgate-Minster bus service but not too bothered about that as I live in Minster anyway, just the other guys who live in Ramsgate ! Although of course I shall be travelling to Ramsgate to travel back to Minster so that the entire group save ticket is valid of course (!)