Broadstairs and John Derby, principally involved. Their coaches connected Broadstairs to Whitstable station where a railway service had begun as early as 1830 (one of the first in England, with its pioneering Stephenson's engine Invicta). By 1851, the region's network was still more complete, being supplemented by the London to south coast route, including the coastal link from Chichester to Ramsgate, the cross-country service between London and Dover and the Mid-Kent line that linked Redhill, Tonbridge and Ashford to London's first Eurostar terminal at Waterloo (opened in 1848). Broadstairs station (unlike neighbouring Margate) is a 10-minute walk from the beach. Although
The Ranch Resort 1000 hectare nature conservancy, comprising grasslands and bushveld and is home to, amongst other wildlife; lions; giraffe; zebra; warthog; kudu; impala; wildebeest; and over 200 bird species. Active in wildlife rehabilitation since the 1960s, when organised conservation was in its infancy, The Ranch Resort continually offers shelter for orphaned or injured wildlife which cannot be released into the wild. Providing a safe haven for lions and other Big 5 animals from Zimbabwe which were under threat at a time of political and social instability. The Ranch Resort is home to over 30 lions. Previous generations of The Ranch Resort lion