Maidstone West railway station ran on a bridge across the River Medway to a goods station at Tovil Goods () until 3 October 1977, from which point the branch line closed completely. The typical off-peak service from the station is one train per hour to Paddock Wood and , and two trains an hour to Strood. Connections to London are available from any of these three stations. Four trains each way per day using Class 395 "Javelin" units operate between Maidstone West and via and . Maidstone West railway station Maidstone West railway station is one of three railway stations which serve the town
History of Rochester, Kent crossing the river near Maidstone thus provoking the Battle of Maidstone. By the time Fairfax approached Rochester Lord Norwich had marched off towards London, and Rochester itself was spared a battle. The bridge did not get off as lightly as the town however, the retreating Royalists destroyed the drawbridge section of the bridge and threw the planks into the river. In another contrasting pair of events, Rochester houses saw one king restored and another abdicate. Sir Francis Clarke entertained King Charles II on the eve of his restoration to the throne on 20 May 1660. Following this, his home in