RHDR via Sandling

[cjp]

Sandling is the closest station to the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and armed with both a Freedom Pass and Senior Railcard the cheapest obvious journey is a ticket from say Knockholt, at the limit of the Freedom Pass, @£15.05 return
If however I went from Stratford International I could have my first ever journey on a go faster train and save some time @£23.10
These prices come from Southern's website.
I then amended the search to depart from Stratford London, just to see as one does, and it told me to take Metro to Stratford International but would only quote first class fares @£65.10 return £32.55 single.
Chiltern (who I think uses a different engine?) produced the same results with first class tickets only from Stratford London.
Odd I thought.
Anyway any other suggestions to route me via HST? Although I will perhaps I will leave that for another day and just enjoy the Waterloo East via Knockholt ticket route (assuming the train goes that way with the first stop being Sevenoaks ) or perhaps, just to be safe, a boundary zone ticket although that means I cannot buy online:cry:

 

[bb21]

Southern and Chiltern both use WebTIS.

What do you mean by HST? I can't think of any HST running anywhere near where you are going. I also doubt that you mean High Street Glasgow.

 

[yorkie]

I think he wants to use HS1 between St Pancras Intl & Ashford.

Perhaps someone with awareness of the best anomalies to use could send a PM.

What I can say though is there is no requirement to call at Knockholt if you buy specifically from Knockholt, as your Freedom Pass is treated as a Season for that specific purpose.

 

[cjp]

I think he wants to use HS1 between St Pancras Intl & Ashford.

Perhaps someone with awareness of the best anomalies to use could send a PM.

What I can say though is there is no requirement to call at Knockholt if you buy specifically from Knockholt, as your Freedom Pass is treated as a Season for that specific purpose.

You are right about my typing HST when I should have typed HS1.

I was not planning at calling at Knockholt but my concern was that the trains staring at Waterloo East / London Bridge might not route through Knockholt which was why I would consider instead getting a Boundary ticket.
Lines and routes south of the Thames weave an interesting tangled thread full of possible patterns LDLK

 

[yorkie]

Knockholt is on the main line between London Bridge and Sevenoaks.

Direct services from CHX/WAE/LBG to Sandling go via Knockholt.

 

[paul1609]

Sandling is the closest station to the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and armed with both a Freedom Pass and Senior Railcard the cheapest obvious journey is a ticket from say Knockholt, at the limit of the Freedom Pass, @£15.05 return
If however I went from Stratford International I could have my first ever journey on a go faster train and save some time @£23.10
These prices come from Southern's website.
I then amended the search to depart from Stratford London, just to see as one does, and it told me to take Metro to Stratford International but would only quote first class fares @£65.10 return £32.55 single.
Chiltern (who I think uses a different engine?) produced the same results with first class tickets only from Stratford London.
Odd I thought.
Anyway any other suggestions to route me via HST? Although I will perhaps I will leave that for another day and just enjoy the Waterloo East via Knockholt ticket route (assuming the train goes that way with the first stop being Sevenoaks ) or perhaps, just to be safe, a boundary zone ticket although that means I cannot buy online:cry:

If you have plenty of time the cheapest way of visiting the RHDR is to use Southern via Haywards Heath to Rye (advances available from £3.35, Daysave for £14 (3 days in advance) or a day return from East Croydon @ £17.10).
New Romney HQ of the RHDR is a 45 min bus ride from outside Rye station with a reasonable connection off the trains. For non pass holders New Romney is the limit of the Rye plus bus area.
The bus ride in itself is quite interesting with good views upstairs of Romney Marsh and Rye Bay through Camber Sands.
Probably best on Saturdays so you can avoid time restrictions and have a decent length of day at the RHDR.
Its a about a 5/600 metre walk from New Romney town to the RDHR station.

 

[bnm]

Worth pointing out that buses from Sandling NR to Hythe RHDR are only hourly (Stagecoach Kent 10A).

An alternative is train from Stratford Intl to Folkestone Central (Off Peak Day Return PLUS HIGH SPEED £23.90 with railcard), short walk to Folkestone Bus Station where you can catch Stagecoach Kent 101/102 to Hythe RHDR, with a service every 15 minutes. Journey time to Hythe RHDR is 20 minutes.

If travel is on a week day then the first Off Peak HS1 service from Stratford Intl to Folkestone Central is at 0949, with a change at Ashford Intl, arriving Folkestone Central at 1051. Then 1125 (service 102) bus from Folkestone Bus Station, arriving Hythe RHDR (Fort Road stop) 1146. Time enough to catch the 1200 train to Dungeness.

First Off Peak service from Waterloo East to Sandling is at 0943 arriving 1113, then a near 50 minute wait for the 10A bus at 1202. Arriving Hythe RHDR (Sir John Moore Avenue stop) at 1210. Next train from Hythe RHDR would be 1245.

 

[cjp]

Thanks for the research on the times.I guess from Sandling I could easily walk the couple off miles but I plan to take my trusty bike.

 

[robvulpes]

...from Sandling I could easily walk the couple off miles but I plan to take my trusty bike.

Be aware it's uphill all the way back!

 

[cjp]

Be aware it's uphill all the way back!

I checked and left my bike behind and walked down to Hythe and caught the last bus back to Sandling.

I arrived home about twenty minutes ago after a really pleasant day out even if I did miss the first Off Peak train from London.
(Probably just as well as I was told the first half a dozen RHDR trains were full and people were being turned away whereas I had a section all to myself Mind you the train did have 15 carriages - chatting to the driver later he told me that last year he had once had 16 carriages.)
Powerful little steam engines.
Saw my first Javelin HS1