Is There A Toilet On This Train? - Episode 7, Day 11 - Bromley South to Rochester

To Kent on Wednesday May 17th. Will Geoff and Vicki do 'A Westbury' at Ashford International? Is there a toilet on the train? Is Paddock Wood just fields? How many stations have a platform 0? Which station does the prime meridian run through? Why is Rochester Castle special? Only one way to find out ...
View the progress map and loads more information about the project on the website at: allthestations.co.uk/stationlist/
ROUTE: Bromley South - Ashford - Paddock Wood - Strood - Hither Green - Grove Park - Bromley North - Grove Park - Hildenborough - Sevenoaks - Swanley - Rochester

[@mw...]

Enjoying these in 2024. Vicky is an absolute delight

[@camotech1314]

Yeah she's wonderful love her. Shame she doesn't do videos anymore. 😢

[@BritishRailways-co4zf]

Another great video , Being disabled and not able to get out the house anymore these videos take me out the house many many thanks Vicki and Geoff :-)

[@danielgosbee6295]

Stratford International was the answer to the question. Platform 0's; King's Cross Cardiff Central Stockport Edinburgh Haymarket Doncaster Chippenham Gravesend Preston Redhill Hooton Rainham

[@limeyfox]

Daniel Gosbee I don't think Chippenham has a platform 0? The island platforms are 1 and 2 but the unused platform face with no track does not have a number.

[@danielgosbee6295]

You are right, but I read that people still often refer to it as platform 0, although there is no track

[@Ryan-zh9tz]

Daniel Gosbee rainham kent or essex?

[@danielgosbee6295]

Kent

[@PuzlMagician2195]

Haymarket (in Edinburgh) has a platform 0

[@jaffacakecraigy]

Love the Class 465 motor noise, starts like a Jubilee Line train, then goes into like a red alert lol

[@jawotwe]

Ur right

[@Bloor25]

i allways regonize the Class 465 moter noise

[@elizabethmh_465]

They are going to Worksop into storage now

[@kinghani]

that theme tune is a legit banger and the way it previews and drops is a mad ting on certain videos. hold tight geoff + vicki this is a strong series no lie :)

[@AymanTravelTransport]

Interesting fact about Rochester, it is one of two towns (the other being Elgin in Scotland) in the UK that has actually been deprived of its city status!

[@BertiePendergast]

Hope you enjoyed stopping in my hometown of Maidstone briefly. Also I hate to correct you but - Maidstone West was the first station to open in Maidstone in 1844, followed by Maidstone East in 1874. Happy travels!

[@whostolemysocks8781]

I love these videos at the end and the last stations you will probably be on the news

[@darrenbrooker1278]

Fact of the day - Rochester was a city from 1211 until 1998, now it's a humble town, part of Medway unitary authority

[@KasabianFan44]

...and Rochester Town Council didn't realise they'd lost their city status until two years later :D

[@connorwhitworth3172]

... and now Medway is applying for city status! Full circle! (Hello four years later!! 🤣)

[@JISJ1964]

You ask about platform 0, there is one at Alingsås some 45 kilometres from Gothenburg towards Stockholm in Sweden.

[@martinthomsonmuse]

And now you have visited all platform zeros :)

[@MianCowell]

new phrase: doing a westbury

[@mesnilman2327]

Hi Geoff and Vicki. Love the video! Enjoyed seeing the prime meridian line - I cross it twice a week travelling between Rouen and Caen. And it was adorable how Vicki was taking care of you Geoff right at the end :-)

[@woutervanr]

I seem to recall driving through Rouen once, really weird. The motorway just suddenly kinda stops and continues as a three way street through the middle of the city. You drive about 3km like that and have to magically be in the correct lane and then you continue on nornal motorway. All sorts of problems you don't have when you use a train ofcourse ;)

[@peteryoung1902]

Another top quality video. I hope you guys aren't getting too tired.

[@Thoomas2001]

That message in the beginning is awesome! I wish my country's railway company did the same thing for me, because I've been doing a similar project in my country for a few years now.

[@djcarlos2001]

Interesting train sounds. Somewhat like the underground trains in London.

[@FireboyHDGaming]

Carl Amey i think they are made by same company

[@multiplio2924]

They bring back very strong memories of the 365s on the Cambridge line late at night coming back from London... *the feels...*

[@grumpygoomba9763]

Southeastern trains are very noisy..

[@100SteveB]

They are much more efficient, and deliver a smoother ride, plus being much kinder to the running gear, but, i preferred the sound of the old slam door trains, driver manually notching the power level up. But they gave a much jerkier ride when changing power levels, thus knocking the hell out of bearings etc. But at least they did not sound like a siren going off! ;-)

[@firefly24601]

Oh man, that sound of pulling out of the station. Brings back memories of Southeastern alright. I think Rochester has an original Penfold postbox somewhere on the high street. I didn’t learn about it until after I visited.

[@paulwhitear4983]

Platform 0 at Gravesend, used to be platform one. When the high speed service was introduced they added an extra platform and platform one became 0

[@gobears6487]

Happy to know I'm not the only geek who waves to my train drivers!! Great video today G&V, had me laughing out loud on the train! :-)

[@trainmaniacstudios8216]

I am so happy now- You passed through Maidstone! Truly fantastic vid guys :D

[@malcolm4672]

I am visiting London in August and have been looking for somewhere to do a day trip around and hour out from the city. Thanks to you I think I have found it. Rochester it is.

[@Cyberwraithx1]

You two are great!

[@AlteranAnciote]

It was a wonderful surprise to see you two at Bromley South (my local station) on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Hope you enjoyed your time down in Bromley! If you ever find yourself back in Bromley in the future, speak to either of the "Phil"s on the platform - they're both very friendly and a wealth of knowledge of the station, the line and its history. Also, Kudos to Southeastern for the special mention on the departure screens.

[@sallylarkin6322]

David M I live in Bromley

[@TheNails3]

Really enjoyed this episode! Rochester looks beautiful

[@EuanBCFC]

Stratford International. Of course!

[@nnmmnmmnmnnm]

Great video. My son loved the train toilet door suspense.

[@nickiel1]

met the team allthestations have a good one rooting for ya!!

[@marthaanderson2656]

I enjoyed a very brief visit to Rochester several years ago. I wish I could remember exactly where, at the castle or elsewhere but learned all about the prison ships. Certainly went a long way to clearing up the scenes and location of Great Expectations. Perhaps I will revisit when I am in London in July.

[@KentEnglandTravel]

Rochester my home town :). Enjoyed guys, thank you.

[@TheWestAnglian]

if you like castles, when you're in hertford come visit Hertford Castle, its an old medieval castle with quite a lot of history to it

[@alfiehnotts]

Great video!

[@Paco_Gaepedores]

Today is the 12th of February 2023, and I'm watching the 10th episode of All The Stations ❤

[@davidkirwin9365]

Vicki's hand over Geoff's face at the end made be lol. Who knew Rochester was so interesting and the prime meridian line - learn something new everyday!

[@Calv_]

Ha, I realised I came into the station the day after you guys when I checked your website! Then again it was always likely to happen :P

[@RatelHBadger]

5:00 HITHER GREEN!!!!! When I stayed in London for a week, my mates' place was 5 minutes walk from Hither Green station and its cool underpass tunnels, such a weird little part of London.

[@airfoxtrot2006]

Another great video!

[@JohnTalbot-k6xi]

Vicki's Star is Shining (!!) grabbing the Show :-) Watching makes me want to travel by British Rail to England's History ... Will: Like your work (!!)

[@ethanrichardson5139]

it's funny because your basicly getting a personal tour from vick gives you a taste in what she does for a job on a daily basis

[@CalamityJames.]

4:10 Ahh Beltring, my adopted station, as it's the least used on the Medway Valley Line which I get to work when I'm not taking the car!

[@wintrwunderland]

1:44 It's early because it's Southeastern and not Southern.

[@hamstreet658]

There's no need to constantly bash Southern. They only had one delay with them so far and that was due to Network Rail.

[@AlteranAnciote]

Southeastern get a lot of flak from people that commute on the London Bridge lines, but as a company, they're certainly not as bad as Southern, and at least over the past two years, it feels like Southeastern are _trying_ to do well by people. The staff I've dealt with are friendly and polite most of the time.

[@owenevans83]

Ham Street only one delay? very impressive when you consider that every TOC has experienced many more delays.

[@Matt_A1999]

Interestingly they're both owned by the same company: Govia

[@thameslinkrail893]

EpicSmatty Don't forget about us

[@ChrisInTheNorth]

Fun to see you wandering around Rochester my home from aged 17 , 'home base' while I was away at University. My parents lived about 5 minutes walk from the Vines.. but I'm yet to use the new station.. I'll have to look out for you when you make it to Leeds

[@traindriverdan]

Had some relatives in Gillingham and grew up with this line, and the sound of those Networkers!

[@FleetfootMike]

Doncaster now has a platform 0, mostly for Hull departures - it's a longish haul up to the north end of platform 1, on which I suspect is an old parcels platform.

[@dissapointing6088]

0:31 thanks southeastern, you just made my day :)

[@nickreads3072]

This series is a brilliant advertisement for places to visit. Now I want to visit Rochester.

[@dobbigaming1060]

Behind ROK Music Review yeah and now I want to visit Ashford... Oh wait... I'm from Ashford 😂😂

[@matchstickgameplay]

Hello from Swanley Station

[@Drdee1]

Lived near Bromley South for 2 months - trains were never on time! Glad to see things have improved. Swanley ... scary

[@waverleyrocker]

Thumbs up for the episode numbers and route information! Lots of empty trains it seemed this episode.

[@hamstreet658]

If you look in the description (You need to click 'SHOW MORE') it gives you the route taken for that day.

[@matthewboyington6812]

I found out today that Doncaster station has a platform 0. I couldn't find it in time, so I missed my connection to Cleethorpes! ^^

[@Roblilley999]

It's about 2 miles from the main station

[@Nooticus]

Great episode as always! Keep it up! P.S There used to be a rare webcam geocache on Rochester high street! Idk if its still there now!

[@benmoulden2455]

Favourite one yet

[@jackreevesvlogsandblogs2498]

Excellent that you came through Gravesend, where I live

[@AdamSalter93]

I was actually part of the project to move Rochester Station (As well as upgrade the the signalling equipment in the Medway area). Whilst it may have opened in 2015, it wasn't fully completed until a year later, as the Signal Box had to be demolished, in order to allow the loop platform to extend forward. Also, I'm surprised you didn't take time to mention Pluckley station (Near Ashford), the most haunted village in England (Although there is a slight personal bias there).

[@Transportationspotting]

There is kings Cross St. Pancras, Doncaster, Leeds, Edinburgh Haymarket, Stockport, Cardiff Central, Redhill, Rainham and Gravesend. Great Video as always!

[@johnenochpowellmbe1294]

Eynsford has 2 castles and a roman villa, well worth a gander! :)

[@grayman999]

Viki washing your face reminds me of our cat washing hers LOL 😺😂

[@davidelison4152]

Stockport Station also has a "Platform 0"

[@davidprice6994]

great video chaps

[@Daniel_Nye]

Maidstone! Got what I needed

[@DangItshere]

answer: stratford international. because eurostar is just passing there using a flyover not stopping at the station

[@JWRailways]

Dang Itshere there isn't a flyover, that's to get to temple mills depot, the fast eurostars go through on the middle tracks

[@DangItshere]

+JWRailways ooh, thanks for the information :)

[@jonbaldwin]

JWRailways to be super pedantic, I think they use the outer tracks.

[@tvlhd]

Love the behind the scenes part

[@austsb]

Judging by your summary of Rochester you will love Norwich. Castle, two cathedrals, river, old cobbled streets (and if you have any time there, go to the plantation gardens next to the second cathedral, it is quaint and only takes 10 mins to visit.)

[@ianmcclavin]

Just one other thing, good job you didn't do Higham yesterday (Saturday), as a freight train derailed there Friday night, blocking the line and replacement buses in action until early afternoon!!

[@LordInter]

WOW im amazed at how fast you just skipped over south east londons metro, crofton park, nun head, cattford, denmark hill, the two in catford, ladywell (that can almost be called quaint) :(

[@paulbrien4817]

I grew up in Strood, and Rochester use to have a weekly market on a Friday. It was sited where the ne station is now.

[@ArmbarArcade]

0:43 - hey, it's my home station! Wish I'd known about this project at the time, I'd have come down. :) - AJ

[@TheNotthediver]

Gravesend local here, the addition of Platform 0 comes from when the station was extended to three platforms and they didn't want to change anything regarding platform 2, which remained entirely unchanged when they updated the station. It confuses us as well.

[@hamstreet658]

It's probably too much work and quite complicated to reprogram all the IT systems to renumber platforms which is why they now add a platform 0 when they add additional platforms. They are building a platform 0 at Redhill because it's next to platform 1.

[@hamstreet658]

It would cause even more confusion if they built a new platform next to 1 and called it 4!

[@andrews0208]

Ham Street you want confusion look at Stratford platform 1&2 is next to 11&12 and then the new DLR platforms are somthing like 18&19 and are next to platform 3 and where the hell is platform 4 and 6

[@Linnie0499]

At Lidcombe railway station in NSW, Australia, there is a platform serving the Olympic park line designated Platform 0 named the "Olympic Park Sprint Platform"

[@100dislikes6]

Another good video ( I for some reason find trains and railway cool) and interesting plz come to Glasgow

[@hamstreet658]

They are doing ALL the stations apart from Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street.

[@richmayes8451]

With Gravesend, there used to be just two platforms with both up and down through lines. These platforms could only accommodate 10 car trains, so when the Javelins started running with 2 x 6 car units, the rear 2 carriages would overhang. To fix this, they decided to removed the through lines, and a new longer Platform 1 was built on them. Platform 2 was extended to 12 carriages, and the old Platform 1 was renumbered to Platform 0 and changed to an up terminus. Rainham (Kent) also has a new Platform 0, built for the Thameslink services that started in 2018. This is accessible from Platform 1

[@Scott757300]

Haymarket and Glasgow Queen street also have platform 0's. Just when you mention new stations there, are you planning to visit Cambridge North on your journey, which apparently opens tomorrow, and was this in your total number of stations when you planned this all out?

[@ianmcclavin]

if you were in one of the rear carriages at Gravesend when your train arrived on Platform 1, it is possible to walk around the buffers onto Platform 0, to save using the footbridge. It's a pty they put that fence there, cross platform interchange would have been useful, but there's this Health and Safety obsession about not allowing access from a conductor rail side of platform, which is why platform 2 at Norwood Junction was closed apparently, yet it doesn't seem to apply on LUL at Stratford Central Line or Barking District Line.

[@IceDaemon]

And the journey continues :)

[@buzzukfiftythree]

Glad you enjoyed your trip to my birth city of Rochester. On the subject of trains and toilets, I was staggered to find out last year (when using them) that the Class 376 Electrostar units built as recently as 2004/5 and used on SE suburban services to Dartford etc. have absolutely no on-board toilets. Southeastern say that they don't need them as all stations en route have toilets that customers can use - so if you need one urgently you have to get off the train and then wait for the next service. How bizarre!

[@hamstreet658]

Many high density commuter trains used on mainly short journeys don't have toilets on-board.

[@denelson83]

Stopping the video at 2:24, and I instantly knew the answer to that question-Stratford International. Only Class 395's call there. 6:32 - Tested that with your sat nav?

[@explorebytrain448]

I think at Graves End, platform 0 used to be platform 1, and the new platform 1 is a new platform built beside one of the through tracks. The other through track being take up.

[@SimonS44]

Was Vicki also interested in the railway before or did Geoff infect her?

[@JourneywithSmee]

Infect? I hope she got tested 😂

[@mozcab]

We have a platform 0 at the station here in Alingsås, Sweden!

[@cephalopod7300]

I would love to see All The Stations: Swedish edition 🇸🇪

[@puzzledzimbo]

Stratford International has no international services despite having platforms with international loading guage and separate check in areas installed.

[@designerchaoz]

Love these videos and have done for ages but don’t think I’ve commented until now. Wonder if there’s an algorithm to find out... Anyhoo, at Hither Green I seem to recall a ‘triangle’ nature reserve between the middle platforms around the divide in the tracks, and just wondered if it was still there? Seemed extraneous to what was actually ‘station.’

[@johnpahl6331]

The Gravesend and Strood track is partially built over a canal - how many others will you be travelling on? (there's at least one other, in London)

[@Sonny_Boyce]

One this that you didn’t mention about Rochester is that on the bridge approach, look to your left and you’ll see a Soviet submarine in the river

[@jamessideras4773]

Stratford international for Question 1 and for Platform 0s there are them at Kings Cross and Cardiff Central

[@airplaneplustrainguy8143]

Even though I'm not living in the UK Stratford International is the station in London that has no International service Only DLR and domestic high speed train to somewhere in UK served by Stratford International

[@JBLewis]

I dig the Hither Green Meridian line!

[@tomrichter244]

How much of your planning was done in advance and how much is done during the actual travels. Love your videos

[@connorwatson7823]

Good luck getting to Chathill.... East Coast mainline and served on a limited basis only by Northern...also a Pacer train so lots of bouncing around.

[@anthonyholroyd4338]

Stratford intl. has no international trains stopping at it. As for platform 0's? The only ones I know of for sure are at Doncaster and Edinburgh Haymarket

[@jackmullin5843]

I'd say Stratford International, I remember Vickie's journey video there on the DLR.

[@RocketJSykes]

it is, I was gonna say Waterloo...

[@ahpadt]

Is it me or did this video have a slight issue with volume normalisation? Volume seemed to vary quite a bit throughout the video.

[@hamstreet658]

Not that I noticed. When they edit it they adjust the soundtrack as required.

[@annother3350]

It's you

[@jdoyle5938]

I heard you mention Watford, when roughly will you be there? Well done!

[@benspragg7823]

What was the 4 stations in Maidstone you mentioned, I can only find history for east west and barracks?

[@shaferkam3907]

How did you get the special notice on the board???? That's cool!!

[@anonandon71]

Gorgeous clock at 3:38. Is there a list of them somewhere?

[@buckethatjack3660]

Cardiff Central has a Platform 0! Mainly for Cross Country services terminating, going to Nottingham also for freight. As the platform has been recently developed to change onto another line. Usually platform 0 trains terminate at this platform, as the next station would be Swansea, which is for Great Western only!

[@aidansinclair3096]

As someone who lives one mile from Gravesend well done for easily getting round it. I still find it confusing and I have lived there for 11 years

[@simontay4851]

No platform 0 but the platforms at Shrewsbury start at platform 3. Plat 1 and 2 are long since disused.

[@ianmcclavin]

You did Three Bridges where I used to live the other day, and now Gravesend where I'm currently based. Until the end of 2013, Gravesend only had two platforms, numbered 1 and 2. Platform 0 is actually the old platform 1, which was renumbered when the current platform 1 was added in the middle. Why they decided to number them 0, 1 and 2 instead of 1, 2 and 3 is totally beyond me !! Rainham (in Kent, not the Essex one) also has a Platform 0 now, which has only recently been added there.

[@P0RT3RS1GN4LM4N]

Nice coverage of Rochester, but a shame you didn't get off at Wateringbury to show the exceptional station building, one of the finest in the country.

[@thestargateking]

Where I live there is a station with 2 platforms 2's, one for trains and one for buses, but platform 1 is just for buses with no platform 1 for trains

[@hazzalandy]

I was going with Waterloo International because nothing stops there (yet)

[@Albinary]

Harry Smith Old coment, but Eurostar used to stop there.