Cab Ride - Paddock Wood to Strood

[@johncourtneidge]

Happy times, thank-you. This puts me in mind of Geoff Burches videos recounting the over-laded cement trains from Snodland through Guildford to beyond.

[@frankkie3849]

Nicely done, enjoyed the scenery along the way..thanks for sharing, 😊

[@martinmarsola6477]

Another fine ride on the train. Been over a month since I viewed on. Again, thank you for today’s ride! Cheers mates.! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸

[@geraldkrause8840]

Great video. Lived around the area all my life and frequently crossed at Beltring, Yalding, Wateringbury, Teston, East Farleigh. I worked at the factory at Yalding and remember when they took the old gates away and left it open. We all thought they were mad. Someone did get hit there so they installed half barriers. Should have been full barriers. Our company took over the old station building at Yalding and turned it into a shop until the site closed. Happy days.

[@emmo999]

Thanks for sharing! I love it when the videos evoke memories and stories. There’s so much history around needs telling

[@Harry_Hippie]

Love the video and thanks for sharing. Empty platforms unusual to see. That shaking noise would do my head in😂 I use to live at Wateringbury and travel by train to London and back every day. Gorgeous picturesque little station, especially at 7am in the morning, only 1 or 2 other passengers around. With the river running along side the London bound platform waiting for my ride, I would always enjoy soaking up the sights and sounds of the wildlife going about their morning, sometimes mist rising off the river, swans paddling, ducks quacking, great feeling too start the day..oops! Here comes my branch line train🚉😂

[@emmo999]

Paddock Wood to Aylesford is very picturesque and calm. Then it suddenly turns very industrial. It’s very much a line of two halves

[@andrewpalm2103]

Thanks for another tamper ride, sir. I enjoyed seeing new (to me) third rail territory while I sipped my morning coffee. Cheers from Wisconsin!

[@emmo999]

Glad you enjoyed it. Tea for me, though, please!

[@paulmark63]

thank you great ride paul in orpington

[@markpunt9638]

Fascinating - thank you. A surprising number of stations with staggered platforms.

[@emmo999]

It was quite common in Kent at one point. A number of stations down the Hastings and Marshlink lines are similar

[@Wally-H]

I grew up in Paddock Wood and travelled this line hundreds of times. I still live in Maidstone and regularly get stuck at one of the barrier crossings, usually East Farleigh! Charles Dickens loved the scenery along this line. Sometimes if he had a business meeting, he would ask the other person to meet him at Paddock Wood so they could talk as they travelled this line, taking in the scenery.

[@emmo999]

East Farleigh is lovely, but very frustrating if you’re sitting the wrong side of the river when the barriers are down, because it takes forever for the traffic to clear enough for you to get across, in my experience!

[@Wally-H]

@@emmo999 Ye indeed, spot on! If you are heading down the hill from Maidstone, you can be there a long time.

[@adamh7588]

I fairly new to your channel, but enjoy watching 😊

[@emmo999]

Thanks for watching!

[@I_Am_Just_A_Technician]

Gosh I forgot these things have gearboxes! Reminds me of the old Leyland engined Railbuses on the Manchester networks in the 90's

[@emmo999]

Yes, these are 3 speed mechanical gearboxes. Other options on the heavier machines is a hydraulic drive, which use hydraulic oil pressure to drive the machine

[@bobbrooks266]

Absolutely perfect and the beautiful Kent countryside

[@markpunt9638]

Well - the first bit. It’s a bit grim after Maidstone😂

[@chadhanna]

Nice trip alongside the River Medway. Thank you.

[@gdwnet]

Used to live in Maidstone so been to both ends of this line many times. My house used to be just up the hill from the bridge at 14:52. You used to be able to walk over the track at 14:55 but too many idiots so they removed that option and replaced the bridge. That's why there is a gap between the live rails and probably why it needs weed killer!

[@shaunwest3612]

Great video emmo, very nice journey,nice information as well 👍👌😀

[@emmo999]

Cheers Shaun. Got more ready to edit and post so shouldn’t be too long until the next video

[@shaunwest3612]

@@emmo999 great 👍

[@TheMisterB2u]

😅As a retired Gillingham driver(8 years now),not much change on route, except New Hythe paper mill totally demolished on up side.Bet that's more industrial storage and housing.Thanks for posting brother !

[@emmo999]

Yes the area around New Hythe has massively changed over the last year fews, and continues to do so

[@rwm2986]

Good to see a new area (to me), thanks. An impressive signal box at Maidstone West presumably not being used to its original capability.

[@emmo999]

You’ll have noticed the ground disc signals are all mechanical, so there’s still a fair bit of work going on in there. But all points and signals are electric now. I’ve heard stories from the signallers in there that back in the good old days, pulling off a signal or point some way away would make the box sway

[@Fenestra_M]

Another lovely ride through Kent countrysideI used to take the train to get home again

[@emmo999]

Glad you enjoyed the ride

[@heckelphon]

Nice video. Thanks a lot.

[@Pixel_pixie963]

Very good as always

[@The.Truth.Seaker]

Another excellent route M .Cheers Craig

[@emmo999]

Glad you enjoyed the ride

[@outwood1]

There are couple of errors. London Road (Maidstone West) isn't a tunnel. It is a bridge and as such is not mentioned in the Sectional Appendix. 'NK' signal prefix in the Strood area is actually controlled from the East Kent Signalling Centre at Gillingham. Control passed to the East Kent Signalling Centre in 2016, when the signal boxes of Rochester, Gillingham Rainham and Sittingbourne closed but without any alteration to the signal prefix or signalling on the ground. The East Kent Signalling Centre also controls the line as far as Higham where the North Kent Workstations of Ashford IECC take over. This too is reflected in the Sectional Appendix. Finally one thing that was not stated in the video is that you were on the Down line as far as Maidstone West signal box and at that point the Down line became the Up Line

[@emmo999]

If you pause at 15:49, there’s a sign on the structure that says London Road Tunnel The NK being East Kent is my fault - I forgot it had transferred when EKSC took over I’m aware that Maidstone is the bottom of the world - whichever way you go it’s down towards MDW and up away from it. I just didn’t mention it in the captions

[@fatman3785]

The journey takes you past my childhood home. Visible in a couple of frames. The bridge at 26:51 has been unused for decades and is unofficially part of somebody's garden now. We had a den in the trees nearby as kids!

[@SusanSpicer-o7c]

My dad was one of the signal men at cuxton and Rochester until he died at work in 1984

[@emmo999]

It’s good to see the boxes along here. Rochester only recently got removed, to allow the building of the new station

[@lab4207]

Snodland was the last station my other half worked at before he got medically retired

[@nealc.6927]

Cor . . . I ain't done that journey in more'n 35 year.

[@patrickspeaight9154]

Could please add a map, and if possible highlight the main features. Thank you for your good work😂😊

[@emmo999]

I’ll consider it. However animation and that sort of thing is not my strong point. This is only a hobby and useful for route knowledge retention

[@patrickspeaight9154]

@@emmo999 just a map, will provide extra interest. You have done it for stations , and level crossing. Once again thank you, for your good work. Regards Patrick

[@smada36]

Interesting to the the bus go over the bridge at Halling even though it exceeds the weight restriction. I've given up arguing with operators now and just take it around the bypass without saying a word. It will all end in tears 😆

[@emmo999]

I’m not aware of the local area there, but a quick google maps shows there are bus stops next to the bridge and the sign shows no goods vehicle over 7.5t. It makes no mention of PCV weight. Presumably they have some derogation

[@smada36]

@@emmo999 It was just an HGV 7.5T weight limit in the early 2000's. Arriva had the 151 service go over it in large single deck buses. A DAF low floor and a heavy beast. Arriva stopped running the 151 and the restriction was changed to a Maximum Gross Weight applying to all vehicles. I've not seen any documentation to say that operators can use buses over 7.5t on the 151 or rail replacement routes, and none have managed to produce one when I have asked. My normal reaction is to say that as long as someone puts it in writing that I can take the bus over it, then I'll do it. If not, I serve the station out on the bypass. I've had dealings with the DVSA many times before, and it's all good as long as I can point their enquiry somewhere else 🤣

[@LingLiu2014]

Hey buddy nice to see you back! The Tamper is lovely train I've seen a few dotted across the country some in Essex area as I was travelling from Shenfield to London Liverpool Street. Just a note I know this may have been asked before but why are say Kent and Southern Trains using 3rd rail whilst Great Anglia, GWR and trains in Euston use overheads? Wouldn't be useful if it was all 3rd rail or is it the conduct of electricity not sufficient?

[@emmo999]

The southern region has been using 3rd rail since 1920s/1930s, so as it’s expanded it’s continued. Liverpool uses exactly the same system and - previously - so did some areas of Newcastle. Both 3rd rail and overhead have their pros and cons, so the debate will go on for years. And standardising on one over the other would cost billions, so is unlikely in my lifetime I think!

[@LingLiu2014]

Yeah very fair point thanks for that pal 👍

[@chriscurling]

How long ago was this filmed? I work by New Hythe station and often see these run past, I saw one last week…..was this you?? 😂

[@emmo999]

This was filmed yesterday (8th April)

[@chriscurling]

Our yard backs onto the line, being a bit of a rail fan it’s a bonus!!

[@idcoxall]

Would I be correct in assuming the speed markers are 'Freight / Passenger' limits?

[@emmo999]

In simple terms, yes. In reality, it’s a little more complex, but if you consider freight/passenger then you’re not far wrong

[@timstephenson4520]

Was this filmed on a strike day, no other rail traffic and stations eerily quiet?

[@emmo999]

Yes indeed. The next part of the journey goes live tomorrow and we see one train - a freight train

[@Fenestra_M]

For I knew that I could Gofrom Maidstone to Paddock Wood Then bus home totea Arrive at half past three

[@Pixel_pixie963]

28:30. What are those little concrete huts used for? Are they still used?

[@emmo999]

They were used decades ago when people were out looking after the track. They had somewhere to go for shelter. Nowadays, the railway is a lot less manual and they are all long abandoned

[@kevsbangerracers2027]

Another great video, are you using a tamper unit again?

[@nanuJoe1967]

Was this filmed yesterday during the drivers strike? as the line is a bit quite

[@PGATProductions]

nah probs just early morning

[@emmo999]

Yes, filmed yesterday (8th April). Was very quiet until we reached Dartford and started seeing a few trains

[@electronforest]

@@emmo999 No passengers or other trains, what time was it?

[@hamshackleton]

Does that constant rattling not annoy you? It would me!

[@emmo999]

Honestly, after a while, you switch off to it, because you’re concentrating on the other alarms, like the AWS etc

[@John2Ward]

When I started following this channel, I felt the same way, and felt that I would have been tempted to try to fix it. However, I now know not to tamper with a tamper... ^_^ Since then, I too have mentally switched it off and hardly even notice it now.

[@mrbluesky2050]

simple fact, if it runs on rails it' rattles,, most modern units have a rattle built in from new... others have developed their own shakes as they go.... you only worry about it, when it STOPS.

[@heckelphon]

I found the rattle rather comforting -- it lets you know you're moving!

[@emmo999]

@@heckelphonAs I said, after a while you just ignore it as background noise. No different to a ticking clock or traffic noise

[@jmtiptonengland]

What are we riding in, what’s the load, is that too much to ask ~

[@Pykem]

It’s in the description - Plasser & Theurer 08 tamper

[@emmo999]

Exactly that. A tamper. I normally try and get a photo somewhere on the day, but forgot this time

[@DarrenRobinsonAustralia]

Could someone explain the speeds please? 20/40?

[@emmo999]

Long story short, top number is for freight, bottom number is for passengers. In reality, it’s a little bit more involved, but that’s the easiest way to explain it

[@donreed]

Name of state? Country?

[@emmo999]

Kent, England

[@donreed]

@@emmo999 Thank you. Where is England? (Kidding!)

[@hishamw6755]

Like most per ways (railway tracks) around the world, they are poorly maintained.

[@emmo999]

And your evidence is…?

[@brianligat9493]

To be authentic, the next video should be cancelled.