A new nostalgia book celebrating a series of Thanet transport milestones during 2026 is now on sale in local shops.
Entitled A Moving Experience – Thanet Transport Tales, the volume is the latest in a series of nostalgia books written about the isle by local author Nick Evans.
A chapter records that it is 100 years since Ramsgate Harbour railway station closed in July 1926. At the same time, the Southern Railway opened new ones in the town and at Dumpton Park while Margate station was extensively remodelled.
This year is the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Isle of Thanet Electric Tramway which ran, for only 36 years, between Westbrook and Ramsgate. An idea born in the late Victorian era, it was several years in the planning before opening in 1901 to considerable success. Rare photos of the trams operating around Thanet feature in a dedicated chapter.
Eventually, the tramway was eclipsed by the buses of its arch rival, the East Kent Road Car Company, itself formed 110 years ago in 1916, when five companies, including two from Thanet, merged to overcome manpower and materials shortages caused by the First World War.
Nick said: “While my new book is designed to appeal to many transport fans, a large proportion of the photographs include some fantastic scenes of Thanet in years gone by. Once again, I’ve been very fortunate in accessing images from the SEAS Heritage Collection of Sunbeam Photography held by Thanet District Council and some private collections.
“The growth of motoring during the 20th century is marked with a great selection of 1960s and 1970s images of Thanet petrol stations and garages – complete with the cars of those decades.
“Sixty years have now passed since the first small SRN6 hovercraft provided a cross Channel ferry service from Ramsgate Harbour to Calais. It proved to be the precursor to the Hoverlloyd service, with giant SRN4 craft, which began operations in 1969 from Pegwell Bay.
“I take a closer look at some of the civil and military aircraft flying from Manston during the 1950s and 1960s, the Ramsgate Tunnel light railway and the story of Victorian railway pioneer Thomas Crampton, who (210 years ago) was born and grew up in Broadstairs. Other chapters are devoted to Ramsgate municipal airport and a lost railway line between Minnis Bay and RAF Manston.”
In all, the book is bursting with 175 photos, many of them with detailed captions. It’s thought there hasn’t been a book recording such a variety of transport in Thanet before.
Copies of Nick’s book, priced at £14.50, are now on sale at a number of Thanet outlets, including Westgate Galleria, Station Road, Westgate; No3 Cards & Gifts, York Street, Broadstairs; Michael’s Bookshop, King Street, Ramsgate; Ramsgate Tunnels Gift Shop, Ramsgate; The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex Park, Birchington; The Spitfire & Hurricane Museum, Manston; Festival Framing, Minnis Bay, Birchington, and Spellbound In Sandwich, Cattle Market, Sandwich. Copies will also be available on line via the books section of www.shorelinepartners.co.uk.
Nick will also be able to sign copies for anybody buying copies of his new book at Westgate Galleria, Westgate, on Saturday 6 June from 11am until 1pm.
