Eurostar trains using Headcorn station.

[stadler]

On the Home Office list of entry ports to the UK it lists Headcorn as one of the entry ports where you can enter the country. All of the others are Eurostar stations or ferry ports or cargo ship ports or airports so make perfect sense. But this one at Headcorn is the only odd exception on the list. It is the only one on the list that makes no sense. Does anyone know if Eurostar ever called at Headcorn when the Waterloo route was open? Or was Headcorn designated as an alternative station for Eurostar to use when Ashford was unusable?

 

[Gloster]

On the Home Office list of entry ports to the UK it lists Headcorn as one of the entry ports where you can enter the country. All of the others are Eurostar stations or ferry ports or cargo ship ports or airports so make perfect sense. But this one at Headcorn is the only odd exception on the list. It is the only one on the list that makes no sense. Does anyone know if Eurostar ever called at Headcorn when the Waterloo route was open? Or was Headcorn designated as an alternative station for Eurostar to use when Ashford was unusable?

Is the station actually named or could it be the nearby aérodrome? This could be an agreed entry point for light planes.

 

[stadler]

Is the station actually named or could it be the nearby aérodrome? This could be an agreed entry point for light planes.

Oh that is a very good point. I had no idea that there was an aerodrome there. It just states "Headcorn" without saying any further details so you could be right. Lydd is listed as one of the entry ports too and i know that is a small aerodrome.

 

[4SubAsociation]

Oh that is a very good point. I had no idea that there was an aerodrome there. It just states "Headcorn" without saying any further details so you could be right. Lydd is listed as one of the entry ports too and i know that is a small aerodrome.

Thats surprising as the runway is not very long. It can accept a 737 but on restricted payload. Lydd has only operated charter flights since 2018 and the railway station. Less said on that front.

 

[PhilipRdNGauge]

Is the station actually named or could it be the nearby aérodrome? This could be an agreed entry point for light planes.

The aerodrome (strictly speaking "Lashenden") is shown as having customs facilities, but at only 840m of grass it's only going to take light aircraft. I know there is a vintage aircraft operator which flies two-seat spitfires & suchlike for very expensive experience days based there. I guess it's also convenient for light aircraft coming over from France.

 

[Rescars]

If Headcorn station were to be an entry point, how sad there is no longer the direct connection to the Kent and East Sussex. How splendid to think that an overseas visitor's first experience of UK travel could have been a trip on Col Stephen's empire!