UK Railtours pairs with Hastings Diesels for new southern railtour

UK Railtours has announced‘The Vectis Venturer’, a new railtour from Tonbridge to Portsmouth in partnership with Hastings Diesels Limited, to run on September 3.

This is the first time for several years that UK Railtours has made use of the DEMU No. 1001, and it has been designed as a more affordable option at £59.99 per person as the operator continues to diversify its products.

It is hoped that more tours of this type will be made available in 2023 to keep main line railtours affordable for all in a time of rising living costs.

The tour will make its way along the DEMU’s original stomping ground to Bromley South and Kensington Olympia, before heading to Waterloo. After leaving London, the tour is planned to head for Guildford and through the South Downs to Portsmouth Harbour.

On arrival at Portsmouth, passengers will have more than six hours to explore, or the option to enjoy one of two organised trips: to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway for a £40 supplement, which includes the ferry to the island and train travel once there; or, at a £20 supplement, a tour of the naval dockyard from the water aboard the Wight Scene, followed by a visit to the Spinnaker Tower.

The return journey will then follow the same route, dropping off passengers along the way, with arrival back in Tonbridge at 22.00.

Further details can be found at www.ukrailtours.com/product/thevectis-venturer/

Festive season

Meanwhile, UK Railtours has announced the first tour in its Christmas programme – a circular tour with Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line heading the Belmond British Pullman on November 26.

The train, decorated to reflect the festive season, climbs out of London Victoria and takes an unusual route through Streatham to gain the Brighton Main Line at Selhurst and continues southwards to Redhill.

There it joins the former South Eastern Main Line and heads for Tonbridge, just after which it makes stop on ‘rare’ track in the former (now closed) Post Office platform where No. 35028 takes water.

From here it continues to Paddock Wood and passes Maidstone en route to the Strood tunnels and crosses flat, marshy land while heading towards Gravesend and on through Dartford and Bexley towards Lewisham, passing Nunhead, Denmark Hill and Brixton, and back over Grosvenor Bridge to Victoria.

Prices start at £399 per reserved Pullman seat. The price includes a five-course lunch and a choice of table wine.