Trains at: Tonbridge, SEML, 20/04/19

A very pleasant afternoon spent at Tonbridge on the South Eastern Mainline where we see no end of services from South Eastern, Southern and a Network Rail test train courtesy of GBRF.
The South Eastern Railway reached Tonbridge in 1842 when it was first known as Tunbridge, when the station was built it demolished the remains of the Tonbridge Priory. The station served as a terminus only for a few months before the line was extended towards Ashford and then a couple of years later the line finally reached Dover, there was a small engine shed located at Tonbridge built around the time that the station was opened. Due to the length of the journey taken by the trains at the time it meant that they would get regularly serviced there.
Three years later a junction line was built to Tunbridge Wells which eventually resulted in the renaming of the station to Tunbridge Junction. For a while the South Eastern Railway ran its route along the Brighton mainline from London Bridge via Croydon and Redhill, couple that with the competition that the company was receiving from the London, Chatham and Dover Railway it meant that the SER finally decided to build its own decided route from London Bridge that would run via Orpington and Chislehurst, the join for this met at Tonbridge station which meant that a whole new look was needed for the station.
The station was demolished and rebuilt on the same sight now with four platforms, A bay platform, and 3 through platforms however platform 1 is used as a terminus platform even though it can be used as a through route. In 1868 a much larger engine shed was constructed.
There wasn't much else to happen for a fair few years until 1958 when the original brick station was rebuilt into a tiled facade to give it a more modern look at the time, the Sevenoaks to Dover line was electrified in 1961 when the Southern Region was getting improved for faster journey times and improve train frequencies from the capital to the south east of the country. The line going to Tunbridge Wells and Hastings was electrified by British Rail in 1986 meaning that diesel trains were now a very rare sight down that end of the country. Everything was operated by third rail trains when in 1993 the line to Redhill was electrified for the Eurostar/Channel Tunnel route improvement works.
Until High Speed 1 was completely you could regularly find Eurostars running through Tonbridge.
My next station is Nuneaton on the West Coast Mainline.
You can now find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, videos and photos from all of my goings on throughout 2019.
You can also find me on Instagram through the name tornado922

[@ecoops123]

Tonbridge is a pretty cool station, with the massive arches of a bridge at the end. I live in Hastings, and take this route always into London. The map of Tonbridge is interesting, with the main line heading East to Ashford and Dover, and the west to the Brighton Main Line near Redhill. Then you have a small South East turn-off to Hastings, and the other North West turn off to London Bridge and Charimg Cross etc... for example you could actually get to Glasgow from here, go go London Bridge, and take a Thameslink across Blackfriars to Bedford. Then East Midlands, LNER and northern from there...

[@Tornado922]

The sheer amount of route available to anyone living in the southeast of England is actually astonishing. There are so many places that you are able to get to, and as you quite rightly point out you could in theory actually go to Glasgow from Tonbridge

[@ecoops123]

@@Tornado922 Yeah, Southeastern to Charing X, Underground to Kings Cross, then LNER to Glasgow. On Train Sim I am currently making routes. This one from Hastings to Ashford. It is more difficult than I thought 😂

[@grahamsmith9541]

I can remember during British Rail days. When you could get loco hauled trains from Tonbridge direct to Manchester and Liverpool. Used one occasionally up to Kensington Olympia.

[@josephtribe9633]

Great video

[@3Tortoise]

One day we'll go there...

[@DKS225]

Here's an additional upside with the 465's Jarred they're just as old as you are as they started entering service around 1992 onwards and replaced the Class 415 and 416 4EPB's and 2EPB's respectively. The 465/9 variants are similar to the other 465 sub-classes except that when they were refurbished they had first class seating areas retrofitted to them allowing them to run longer distances it was done around the time the High-Density Class 376 Sets were being introduced. But all told a pretty nice clip you put together.

[@Tornado922]

I'll have to throw them a birthday haha, I never realised that they are as old as me!! But I'm glad you enjoyed watching this it is greatly appreciated

[@Matthew_Webb_2023]

The driver of the 375 only spruced his windows up so he could see you jump when he sounded the horn😂😂😂

[@grahamanderson3071]

I used to stand whee you were videoing and would catch bullied Pacifica and schools class steam locos to Charing Cross from 1956 and Hastings DEMU from 1957 and 4CEP EMU from 1961.

[@disusedchannel4852]

I Never been to Tonbridge before but it was beautiful station!

[@Tornado922]

It is a good station to come to but I would have thought that it would be better during the week

[@grahamsmith9541]

I was surprised at the end when you said it was a Saturday. There was no mention of the Medway valley line trains to Strood. They normally terminate platform 1A where the Redhill train terminated. They normally terminate at platform 1B where you were filming.

[@TMM243]

London bridge has all platforms!

[@paul197290]

Glad you liked Tonbridge mate. I used to catch trains through here. Back then it was the old slamdoor class 421's and 423's. And wait too see the Eurostars came thundering through before the high speed line was built. The sound of those were awesome to listen to. Some good memories at this station.

[@Tornado922]

It was a great station to come to but I think it would be better during the rush hour period of a weekday so I shall probably come back here.

[@Vanmanyo]

U love to see it, another great video of what I like best: funny men spending a day at a train station! :)

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@itsonlybabak8188]

Great video I do like the Southeastern blue liveries it suits them pretty well. 😂😂😂😂

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, it's a nice livery to look at

[@eurouc]

What was the point of the first yellow train? Don’t get it. Also what’s the deal with the registration # of the train?

[@bobbrooks266]

Great video again. Train sounding his horn made me jump to lol. Love the sound of those train accelerate away make's the hair on the back of your neck stand up.. Thanks once again

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much :) I loved coming here but I would happily come back during the week as I think the traffic would be even better :) The tone was great from the driver :)

[@blainecountysherrif4542]

I just love those 465/9s

[@chxrliethompson]

Hi 👋🏻 superb video today, good job 👍🏻

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much bud!

[@Trainspotter11_]

Another fantastic video here Tornado922! I really Enjoyed it :)

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@arnoldspottingvideos5269]

Nice tone from the driver when you try to know the time of the train leaves

[@alanmolyneux5957]

Another terrific video. Carlisle is a superb station and I'm sure Northern will lay on some Pacers just for you!

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much!1 I'm still yet to go there but I'm sure when I do that northern will indeed throw some pacers into my direction haha

[@barrythedieselelectricstea5217]

excellent video i was there last thursday 18th april and saw a rail grinder that doesnt go out much. 2 double header class 66. a class 66 trailing concrete sleepers and autoballasters and 2 class 66 both freight reversing into tonbridge west yard to the left of the station 😀👍

[@Tornado922]

Sounds like you had a great time

[@barrythedieselelectricstea5217]

@@Tornado922 thanks, i went last friday and all i saw was a network rail tamper and a class 66 pulling wagons 😀

[@robloxboi3108]

amazing film there at tonbridge!

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@MegaLee32]

Hi tornado922 love the pair of 73s never seen one but they look very wicked

[@Tornado922]

The 73's were great to see :)

[@bb-3653]

"Design wise" 465s are very nice indeed, such lovely trains man, wish there were more networkers across the uk, as I think there was meant to be initially

[@Tornado922]

They do have a nice look to them, would be good to see them running around different parts of the UK

[@bb-3653]

@@Tornado922 it would, they probably would have given the whole nse drama in the nineties I think. But an AC modded 100 mph 465 would be fascinating to see up north on those long lines(not 365 haha)

[@thomasnorton2679]

Wonderful film jarred, thoroughly enjoyed watching, Tonbridge is one of the few stations down SE i would consider going to, thumbs up from me as always and hope you had a good easter mate?

[@blkpig6664]

Beautiful. Nuff, said!

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly

[@thebirminghamtrainspotter8657]

Nice man

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@He_who_likes_everything]

how do u catch the number of the trains so easily whether they are very far away of moving very fast

[@Cpr1234]

Did you know a fear of trains is called siderodromophobia. Learnt this a few days ago!

[@Tornado922]

I didn't know that was a real thing

[@scotlandtrainspotter4223]

Amazing video tornado

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@chrisatrailway7573]

Nice video👍

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@3Tortoise]

Good video

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@cliveboylin6392]

Lovley

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@TheGWRailfan]

Great video as always. Nice to see the 73s with a network rail service. Was the back one on diesel mode though? It sounded like it.

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much, this was a great station to come to but I think that if you were to come during the evening rush hour it would be even better. I don't actually think the rear loco was even running if I'm honest

[@LewisSmith-he6gu]

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha laughed pretty princess Holly

[@ghighlandchieftain4462]

Were are you go to carlise

[@Tornado922]

Not for a few weeks

[@angusgtw]

Who dares to dislike?

[@Tornado922]

Punishable by a ride on a pacer!

[@ghighlandchieftain4462]

Great video tornado 922 can u joy were u go to carlise

[@Tornado922]

If you want to join me at Carlisle you are welcome to

[@ukrailfreightclips7217]

What day are you going to Nuneaton

[@Tornado922]

I will be going this Friday evening during the rush hour

[@ukrailfreightclips7217]

Ah dam I’m at Crewe that day

[@Jeagles]

0th View, 2nd Like and 1st Comment :)

[@thetelephoneprankster4254]

J eagles Nobody cares

[@teddyplayz5747]

HEY SHUT UP HE MIGHT CARE BUT U DONT HE CAN CARE IF HE WANTS

[@franchi7304]

Do you want to go to Peterborough tommorow

[@Tornado922]

Sadly I'm busy tomorrow but I appreciate the offer :)

[@franchi7304]

Ok

[@franchi7304]

Where’s your next station

[@viccc001]

Which even are you going to Nuneaton

[@Tornado922]

Already done it

[@viccc001]

@@Tornado922 an I must say it was great meeting you 👍

[@redstunter1232]

I go there to paddock wood every 2 weeks LOL and I filmed exactly were you are

[@ghighlandchieftain4462]

Yeah that fine can message on fb message were u come up please

[@Tornado922]

Will do

[@ClaretBlueTrainspotter]

Great video.

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much