I spent many years of my life living near to the South Eastern main line from London to Ashford, Folkestone and Dover, always within sight or sound of trains when it was a proper main line and No. One boat train route. My train timing actually started in 1960 on the main line fromWaterloo toWoking, and this was closely followed in 1961 by two runs on the 7.24am from London Bridge, which was rostered for haulage by one of the remaining members of the classic 4-4-0s of L1, D1 and E1 classes. Electrification from Sevenoaks to Dover via Ashford finished in June 1961 and so‘The Kentish Venturer’railtour ran on February
