Kent is chock full of heritage railways to transport you back to yesteryear. Here’s our guide to them and events coming to a station near you – it’s just the ticket.

The Kent and East Sussex Railway can trace its history back to the late 1800s, and is now run by a charitable company. The era pulling in this weekend is wartime with the Fabulous 40s, a celebration of vintage music, clothes and military vehicles. Special visitor Foxcote Manor will be one of the steam locomotives taking passengers between Tenterden and Bodiam stations, leaving every 45 minutes.

At Tenterden station 40s-style singing group My Favourite Things will be entertaining the troops along with dancers the Cinque Ports Lindy Hoppers. There will be vintage stalls and visitors can look inside the RAF station operations room. There will be Spitfire flying displays at Tenterden station, weather permitting, both days. At Bodiam station there will be interactive Land Army displays, arts and crafts and learn how to milk a cow, plus military and civilian vehicles, tunes from singers Pete Wayre and Miss Holiday Swing, a pop-up tearoom and free heritage bus service. Fabulous 40s runs on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21. For details visit kesr.org.uk

The historic Spa Valley Railway, which provides a scenic ride through the High Weald, is operated by dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers and runs regular family-friendly events. On Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21, Thomas the Tank Engine and some of his friends will be stopping off.

Start your visit at Tunbridge Wells West station and take the branch line to see him shunt trucks or take part in story re-enactments. There will also be face painting, vintage penny machines and a gift shop. To book for a Day out with Thomas visit dayoutwiththomas.co.uk. For more on the railway, go to spavalleyrailway.co.uk

It’s a special year for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, as it celebrates its 90th anniversary. During its years it has been part of the landscape of the Romney Marsh, and has been dubbed “Kent’s Mainline in Miniature”.

Today it has a 1940s museum and play park at New Romney and four stations on its 13.5 miles of track from Hythe to the beach nature reserve at Dungeness. It is running trains every weekend this year and its big anniversary celebrations will be held on Sunday, July 16. For details visit rhdr.org.uk or call 01797 362353.

Built in 1905, the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway continues to use the steam engines and rolling stock that ran before 1969 when its working life ended. Trains are running this season every weekend until the end of September and youngsters from five to 11 can get badges for their heritage railways exploration through the Wheels of Time initiative. It is currently fundraising to improve facilities at Sittingbourne Viaduct station and to return steam locomotive Premier to service in as close to original condition as possible. For details and a timetable go to sklr.net

Once a thriving industrial line serving the Kent coalfield, the four-mile round trip on the East Kent Railway takes you on a scenic journey between the villages of Shepherdswell and Eythorne through rolling countryside, steep chalk-lined cuttings and the Golgotha Tunnel. The railway runs trains on most Sundays throughout the year, though not in the winter, and the cafe is open from Tuesdays to Sundays. On Saturday, May 27, it will be running its popular Fish and Chip Train. For details visit eastkentrailway.co.uk

Less than a mile long, the 2 foot gauge Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway is hidden away in the Kent countryside. A private line run since the early 1970s, it opens to the public on the first Sunday of each month in summer, raising funds for charities. On Sunday, June 4 it holds its 1940s Day. For details visit bwlr.co.uk but to contact the railway at Bredgar near Sittingbourne call 01622 884254. Visitors need to take cash as there are no card facilities.

It’s full steam ahead for the county’s heritage railways thanks to a campaign by Visit Kent.
After successfully bidding for a grant of £75,000 from the Department for Transport to give the railways a boost, organisers are working with Southeastern to promote the attributes of heritage railways to today’s rail users. For more details click here.