KCOA trip to Spa Valley Railway and King Charles the Martyr, Tunbridge Wells April 12th 2025
We will aim to meet at the station (TN2 5QY) at 1.45 p.m. and to travel on the 2.00 p.m. diesel train from Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge (a 25 minute journey) and return on the 2.35 p.m. steam train, arriving back in Tunbridge Wells at 3.00 p.m.
Unfortunately, it did not prove possible to book seats in advance without final numbers, so members are asked to book online, to avoid queues, using this website:
The fare is £16, or £15 for over-60s.
As it is a day with an Open Ticket which is valid for travel on the trains all day, members may wish to arrive earlier and take the train to Groombridge to have a coffee and view the bookshop, or spend longer at Eridge.
On returning to Tunbridge Wells, we will walk (less than 15 minutes) to King Charles the Martyr for a 3.30 start to that part of the meeting.
There will be an hour for members to play, before the tea (in Church). Details of the organ, a splendid 3-manual Walker, may be found at:
https://npor.org.uk/survey/H00509
The instrument, whilst it has the odd oddity, is really quite straightforward to manage. The art is mostly around making effective use of the couplers, especially for the Swell. Our member Gavin Barrett (one of the Assistant Organists at King Charles) will give a brief introduction to the organ and the church, and then we invite members to book a slot of about 5 minutes to play. Please, when booking for the meeting, advise me whether you would like to play, and if so, the piece and its approximate length.
General Memories 1 - 50 are available for us.
Details about parking etc will be sent out closer to the day.
The charge for the meeting, including tea, will be £8; as always, the exact money will be appreciated! Please let me know of any dietary requirements when booking, and we will endeavour to accommodate these. In order to secure a tea, please book with me by Friday 4th April.
