Trains to Chatham

Chatham is most famous for its maritime history and phenomenally productive dockyard. For the best part of 150 years, the town built the majority of the British Empire's ships - including HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. That's not to say that rail took a backseat, however. When the line arrived in 1858 it played a significant role in the town's continued prosperity, shuttling workers and VIPs back and forth from the dock. The station building, which straddles the track, has a sunshine-coloured exterior and arced window frames. It's a welcoming sight, as the station is uniquely positioned between two tunnels and trains arrive into town shrouded in darkness. Chatham's standout attractions are only a bus ride away and include Fort Amherst, a Georgian fortress built to protect the dockyard; the Royal Engineers Museum featuring tanks and a Harrier jump jet; and the 80-acre Historic Dockyard displaying warships and lifeboats. Dickens World, with the sounds and smells of the 19th century, is also worth a visit.