Sunday 28th September 2025
The Criterion Heritage Centre, Bluetown, Sheerness
We’re excited to be organising this event to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of rail passenger travel. There will a selection of talks in the morning of Sunday 28th September 2025, at The Criterion Blue Town, Sheerness, with a bus tour visiting all the key sites in the afternoon around the island.
Venue
The Criterion Blue Town
69 High Street, Blue Town, Sheerness, ME12 1RW
The day’s events are linked to 200th anniversary of rail passenger travel, with the first journey ever occurring in Darlington on 27th September 1825! Read more about the first journey here…
Morning Talks (10.30 – 13.00)
A range of local historians and rail experts will be talking about different aspects of the development of the rail network on the Isle of Sheppey and how it is shaped the island. The speakers will be:
Talks – Part One
Martin Hawkins, from the Aviation Museum and an expert on the Sheppey Light Railway, and Councillor Peter MacDonald share a detailed overview of the original railway and memories travelling the line.
Mark Kennedy, shares his knowledge on the rail history of Queenborough and Flushing Pier.
Talks – Part Two
Graeme Gleaves, author of The Railways of the Isle of Sheppey, will be speaking about his book and the historic evolution of the railways on Sheppey.
Chris Jackson, from Colonel Stephens Society, will be exploring the contributions Col Stephens made to the development of the rail network.
Lee Jarmain, from Sheppey Light Railway Greenway will be discussing the planned future use of the Sheppey Light Railway route east across the island and its potential transformation into a Greenway.
Morning Schedule
| 10am – 10.30am | Doors Open – The Criterion Heritage Centre, Blue Town, Sheerness |
| 10.30am – 11.25am | Talks – Part One |
| 11.25am – 11.55pm | Intermission – Teas & Coffees available from The Criterion Cafe. Book Signing with Graeme Gleaves. |
| 11.55pm – 12.50pm | Talks – Part Two |
| 12.50pm – 1.20pm | Intermission – Break for Lunch |
| 1.20pm | Bus Tour registration (for those with tickets) outside the Criterion |
| 1.30pm – 5pm | Bus Tour leaves, with itinerary across the island |
The Criterion Cafe will be open for refreshments during the late morning and lunch breaks, with advance orders on the day possible.
For those booked on the Bus Tour, please register and be ready to board the bus for 13.20 from the front of The Criterion Blue Town.
No booking is required for the Morning talks. (Please note, there is a venue maximum capacity of 84 people, if we reach capacity attendance will be given on a first come, first serve basis).
Book Signing & Pop-up Stands (11.25 – 11.50)
During the mid-morning tea break, you will be able to spend time in the large Tea Room where there will be pop up stands from Kent Community Rail Partnership, The Col Stephens Society and a beautiful Historic Rail Photography Exhibition.
The book, The Railways of the Isle of Sheppey, is a fascinating and thorough history in the rail development on the island, and comes highly recommended.
Copies will be available to buy (£30), with an option to get it signed by the author.
Afternoon Bus Tour (13.30 – 17.00)
The Bus Tour is FREE but has to be booked online to reserve your place.
Itinerary
13.20 – Meet at the front of The Criterion, Blue Town, Sheerness (ME12 1RW)
The Bus Tour will visit key historical rail-related sites across the island:
- Queenborough Station
- Power Station Road
- An optional 20-minute walk along the old Sheppey Light rail track path from Power Station Road to Scrapsgate, with others taking the bus between these destinations (This path has been renovated by Sheppey Light Railway Greenway).
- Brambledown Halt
- Leysdown
- The Aviation Museum (with a 45 min stop)
The bus tour will finish and return to The Criterion, Blue Town (17.00) and Sheerness Train Station (17.10)
Supported and Partnered by
