People can imagine Kent to be the garden of England where everyone is well-mannered and live in chocolate box cottages with nicely manicured gardens. Yet my most unsettling waits for trains have been at stations in that county with Dumpton Park, Gravesend, Strood and Deal being memorable for all the wrong reasons! And if you want a short train journey where you are likely to hear the ripest of language and lurid accounts of fights and shoplifting expeditions then some of the "patrons" (or freeloaders) on the Sittingbourne to Sheerness branch can make your eyes water, LOL!! I always expect to alight at Sheerness to see a pub renamed appropriately as "The Head Kicked Inn".
Yes, Kent can be… interesting.
Ive had some experiences at Ramsgate. I haven’t had much time to admire the beautifully preserved station building, as I just want to keep my head down and get to the train. On three occasions, there has been an altercation involving someone and the station staff or police. On the other occasions, there have been groups of young lads causing trouble. I’ve probably just been unlucky on my visits, and I wouldn’t say it’s unsafe, just a little tense every time I’ve been.
Paddock Wood has not been an enjoyable place to wait. It isnt a particularly interesting station, and on each occasion I’ve waited for a train, there has been large groups with antisocial behaviour.
It does make me laugh visiting places with a very traditionally English ‘posh’ names, and there’s groups of kids pretending they are in a gang. A bit like when Ali G says he is from the ‘Staines Ghetto’.
I see what you mean about the patrons of the Sheerness branch. Usually when the Southeastern revenue teams board the train they are generally really polite and friendly. However, when they got on the Sheerness branch, they were immediately very defensive and just wanted to get it done. Judging by how many people they caught out, and the reaction from them, I really wasn’t surprised that the revenue team probably has a different tactic to other parts of the network!
Saying all that though, I’ve had no issues with most stations in Kent, and most journeys have been really pleasant. I don’t really travel at night though, apart from when I get the Highspeed back from London.