Trains to Stanford-le-Hope

With a £1 million facelift planned for Stanford-le-Hope, things are changing in the Kent village. There's been a station on the site since 1854, but the original was replaced by the existing step-free build, constructed in the 1960s. The station is on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line, offering direct trains to London Fenchurch Street with a journey time of 50 minutes. Ease of travel to the capital has helped make Stanford-le-Hope a popular commuter town, but while the convenience of the city is on its doorstep, it also offers a slice country life along the banks of the River Hope, a tributary of the Thames. If you don't fancy a stroll around the parade of independent shops on The Green, The Inn on the Green, an ivy-covered pub in the heart of the village, is a great spot for a drink - that's if you make it past the two other pubs on the way.