Spotting at Ashford International

[overtonchris]

Good Morning Folks.
I am considering a trip to do a spot of spotting at Ashford in the near future. Could anyone please tell me whether it is possible to ID the Eurostars / Javelins from the Domestic platforms.......or alternatively can you ID the stuff on the Domestics from the platforms served by the Javelins????.....alternatively....any other good viewing points????
I haven't been there for donkey's years and fancy a trip to the Garden of England!!!
Thank You in advance.

 

[DY444]

The javelins use the domestic platforms

The best view is probably from the ends of the international platforms but unfortunately you can't get on there as a spotter

 

[overtonchris]

Thank You for this........Being a bit ignorant I thought the Javelins used the "other" parts of the station as they're routed on HS1 to Ashford......This makes life a lot easier to cop those little beggars then.

 

[Dumpton Park]

If you've not been since the International station was added, it'll be a shock as it's almost unrecognisable!

Downside Platforms (5 and 6) probably best - you should be able to see the numbers of Eurostars passing on HS1 from there (albeit they're going a bit quick) as well as any (of the few) stoppers. All 395s use those two platforms too.

Only issue will be getting numbers from trains on the up side, but unit numbers should be OK. Plenty of seats and a couple of well appointed shelters at the country end.

Dp

 

[overtonchris]

Brilliant Info!..... You're absolutely right - I've not been there in many years. ((Apart from "belting through" - (read sleeping)- at stupid o'clock in the morning and evening, for work/hols etc on the Eurostar.....and even that was a while ago!)) Good to know there is shelter / seats.....a little comfort does no harm methinks! Being a bit of a devotee of Mark's Freightmaster books I guess I won't see a herd of freight.....but the South East stuff will make a nice change from SWT for me! THANK YOU.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

South end of the up side platform is better for photography, though - from the down platform you would be shooting into the light most of the day and would also not be able to easily photograoh any freights on the through roads.

 

[user15681]

I'd have thought numbers wouldn't be too difficult on the 395s as they're quite big on the side. If you do miss the nunbers, most of the units are named and the names are quite prominent at the rear of the driving car. You could take the names down and check numbers later? Just a thought.

 

[alex17595]

I'd have thought numbers wouldn't be too difficult on the 395s as they're quite big on the side. If you do miss the nunbers, most of the units are named and the names are quite prominent at the rear of the driving car. You could take the names down and check numbers later? Just a thought.

There is always the TOPS request thread - just remember to get the times!

 

[overtonchris]

Brilliant Info!..... You're absolutely right - I've not been there in many years. ((Apart from "belting through" - (read sleeping)- at stupid o'clock in the morning and evening, for work/hols etc on the Eurostar.....and even that was a while ago!)) Good to know there is shelter / seats.....a little comfort does no harm methinks! Being a bit of a devotee of Mark's Freightmaster books I guess I won't see a herd of freight.....but the South East stuff will make a nice change from SWT for me! THANK YOU.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thanks to everyone here!!!!! Sorry my reply came "out of order".....it got moved as I'd posted under wrong category!!!!!! I'm going to do the trip to to Ashford sometime next mid-week and was thinking of getting the train from Overton to somewhere like Swanley and having a go with the SET Kent Rover. I'd like about 3hrs in Ashford to get a good feel for it....could anyone provide any other polite suggestions where I could go.....primarily to get some 395s, 375s, stabled track machines (sorry!) and look at some not to boring scenery!!?

 

[eastwestdivide]

Suggest outward from Swanley via Tonbridge (worth a look in the W Yard) to Ashford, then onwards via Folkestone to Dover (seaside/cliffs scenery), round the coast to Ramsgate depot (375s unless they're all up in London in the rush hour), and back to Swanley via Chatham (more seaside near Whitstable, units visible in Gillingham sidings/depot and a view of the HS1 Medway viaduct from the train after Rochester)...

 

[overtonchris]

Thanks...That's looking like a good all round day out.....that'll put some mileage per pound in......just got to pray for some half-decent weather. Ahem!

 

[TheJRB]

Suggest outward from Swanley via Tonbridge (worth a look in the W Yard) to Ashford, then onwards via Folkestone to Dover (seaside/cliffs scenery), round the coast to Ramsgate depot (375s unless they're all up in London in the rush hour), and back to Swanley via Chatham (more seaside near Whitstable, units visible in Gillingham sidings/depot and a view of the HS1 Medway viaduct from the train after Rochester)...

Via Tonbridge is good, as you say, for the west yard but not as good for scenery as the Maidstone East line. The Maidstone East line is lovely if you get a semi-fast service but a little tedious on the all station stoppers.

If you're going onwards via Folkestone, remember to look out for Dollands Moor. There's usually a couple of 92s about.

At Ashford, the Marshlink leaves from platform 1c, the semi-fast Victoria from 1b, Charing Cross via Tonbridge from 2, High Speed services to Dover and St Pancras from 5 as well as the Dover/Canterbury and Ramsgate/Ramsgate splitters from 5 and the stopping Victoria and ex-St Pancras Margate service from 6.

Hope you enjoy your time at Ashford. Spent plenty of hours on the station. You do sometimes see freight in the mid-afternoon if you're lucky too!