70000 "Britannia" hammers through Kent with 'The Golden Arrow' 05/10/2024

Working under the Saphos Trains banner for the Locomotive Services group, BR Standard Class 'Britannia' 7MT – 70000 "Britannia" would lead 'The Golden Arrow’ on a circular route around Kent, with support provided by BR Class 47 - D1935 "Roger Hosking MA 1925 - 2013".

The 'Golden Arrow' is arguably one of the most prestigious titled trains to have ever run on the UK's rail network. Introduced on these shores in 1929 by the Southern Railway, the final rendition came under British Railways on the 30th of September 1972. The spirit of the original has been emulated by the Locomotive Services group, who introduced their rendition of the service in 2023. Each edition features a different place of origin with a diesel working the tour into London, where steam traction takes the reins for a charge around Kent. After returning to London, the steam locomotive is relieved from duty, with a diesel returning the tour to its starting destination.

In the case of this edition, the tour would start at Norwich and travel via Colchester and Chelmsford towards London, where the tour would navigate the fabric of lines around the capital to reach Willesden. Here, 70000 would take up the reins, leading the tour on a charge to Canterbury via Tonbridge and Ashford. After a break, "Britannia" would continue the tour east towards Minster, before heading south to Dover via Deal, where the tour would skirt the Kent coast and subsequently work back into London via Tonbridge. Once 70000 had been relieved at Willesden, the tour would carry on back to Norwich.

The morning sun would welcome 70000 as it passed through Bickley, tackling the gradient as it led the tour out of the capital and towards Kent. Overtaking the tour, the Brit would issue a powerful performance as it pounded up the gradient of Hollingbourne Bank. A similarly impressive display would follow as the tour departed Ashford International, with 70000 accelerating the consist as it embarked on the final stretch of the outbound leg to Canterbury. After a brief break at Canterbury West, 70000 would set off for its tour of Kent's coast and countryside. The shadows would be creeping in by the time 70000 departed Dover, with the sun beginning to dip behind the famous white cliffs. As the tour rounded onto the sea wall, onlookers were treated to a spectacular soundtrack as "Britannia" dug into the climb away from the town and accelerated along the sea wall. Finally, with the ambient light beginning to fade, the Brit issued one last dominant display before sunset. Departing from Paddock Wood, the crew on 70000 wasted no time to accelerating the tour up to speed, demonstrated as the Brit thundered through Five Oak Green.

00:00 - Bickley
01:04 - Hollingbourne
02:24 - Ashford
03:54 - Canterbury West
04:21 - Dover
06:32 - Five Oak Green

All footage filmed on Saturday the 5th of October 2024.