The plan is that K&ESR will operate this extended railway once completed, as its constitution provides. Purchased new in 1904, seated 46. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. By end of 2013, the track had been laid from the newly built platform at Robertsbridge all the way to Northbridge Street over five newly rebuilt bridges, and during 2013 the first steam trains ran along this line since it was closed. The remaining landowners have additionally expressed concern and RVR fully appreciates that a railway crossing their farms represents some disruption. One such train in 1936 is recorded as having consisted of four Southern Railway bogie carriages, two K&ESR six-wheeled carriages and a van. The final working was the 7.55 am working from Robertsbridge on Saturday 10th June 1961 followed the next day by a rail tour. RVR has met with the three landowners and will continue to engage with them with a view to acquiring the original track bed by agreement.. Wagons. With the help of a grant from the Railway Heritage Trust RVR acquired and removed the railway turntable from Hither Green depot in 2020, and following refurbishment this has recently been installed at Robertsbridge. [10], In 1931, Colonel Stephens died, and the management of the K&ESR came under the control of William Henry Austen, who had been assistant and life-partner to Stephens for a number of years. The Kent and East Sussex Railway refers to both a historical private railway company in Kent and East Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company. What's for dinner? Most of the permanent way between Northiam and Bodiam has now been rebuilt to modern standards. Designed to serve rural villages, the railway opened in 1900 and originally ran between Robertsbridge and Tenterden. Prince Harry interview RECAP: Duke of Sussex fans say his Q&A with Gabor Mate 'should have been longer' Do not sell or share my personal information. The original route, between Robertsbridge and Headcorn in Kent, opened in 1900 and was shut in 1961. Hired or loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. ', Neighbouring 440-acre Parsonage Farm has been in Andrew Hoad's family since the 1880s. An application has been made for a Transport and Works Act order which would give statutory powers to rebuild and operate the line. A gala weekend in 2013 saw a steam passenger train operating at Robertsbridge for the first time since the early 1960s, running up to Northbridge Street. Built by London and South Western Railway. [15], The Kent & East Sussex Light Railway was operated as two separate sections, Robertsbridge - Tenterden Town and Tenterden Town - Headcorn. A charity, supported by a society of volunteers, is attempting to re-establish the railway link. A wind pump was provided at the Headcorn end of the station. Supplied new in 1901 for the opening of the line. For the opening . Passenger traffic and the operation of the Headcorn extension ceased in 1953 and the railway closed completely in 1961. It was released from government control in 1921, and 1,487 in compensation was paid. Mr Hoad, 67, who runs it with wife Lynn and sons Tom, 38, and Will, 34, said: 'We feel angry at having our land taken from us against our will for what can only be termed a vanity project. The preserved line currently runs from Tenterden Town station to Bodiam (within sight of the National Trust's Bodiam Castle), with an extra one mile (1.6km) of track to the Junction Road station site (though there are currently no plans to re-open for alighting). Stationmaster Geoff is Tourism Superstar Award 2023 finalist! The railway was authorised by its own Act of Parliament in 1896, but with the passing later that year of the Light Railways Act, the directors obtained permission to bring the RVR under that Act for construction and operating purposes. The Inquiry has now closed and the Inspector is writing up his . The first train from Rolvenden to Tenterden carried 312. The line continued to be run as two sections. But opponents fear it will leave an 'ugly scar' on the landscape, harm wildlife habitats and destroy the area's tranquillity. Conceived as the Rother Valley Railway, it opened from Robertsbridge to Rolvenden station (then named Tenterden) in 1900 and subsequently on to Tenterden Town in 1903. Purchased secondhand in 1905. Once that is achieved money is in place to start the work and if everything progresses to plan the entire 14-mile route from Tenterden to Robertsbridge could be up and running in two years time. The railway runs between Tenterden Town and Bodiam . 1556 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway from 1938 to 1938, No. No 15 was scrapped in 1948. As early as April 1948 it was considered for closure but 'it was generally considered that [closure] would not be a good policy to adopt so soon after the nationalisation of the railways and would bring forth an outcry from the public. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as a 45 feet (13.72m)} tri-composite numbered 486. converted in 1909 to a brake composite. KENT AND EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY - 30 Photos - Yelp The heritage railway runs from Tenterden Town station through the Rother Valley to Bodiam. In March 1903 the old (Tenterden) terminus was renamed Rolvenden and the railway was extended 1.5 miles to the present Tenterden Town station. In that year, the first of the locomotives hired from the Southern Railway arrived on the line, this was P Class No. The battle was however lost; in 1913 105,000 passengers were carried; by 1919 the figure had dropped to 85,000; and to 68,000 in 1922. 32655 was replaced by O1 31065 and 32678 banked the train to St Michael's. Cruise-goers reveal their most terrifying incidents at sea - from watching a ferocious 'You'll be missed forever': Elizabeth Hurley and son Damian share heartfelt tribute to her late ex Shane 'I was a bit of a mess': Amanda Abbington reveals she considered suicide after split from ex Martin Freeman Matt Hancock discussed 'deploying' new virus variant to 'frighten the pants off everyone' as former Health 'So many dead. RVR, which would pay 10 per cent above the market value of the land, is already building a heritage railway station opposite Robertsbridge mainline station and track has been laid for about half a mile towards the two farms. May have carried No. Acquired in 1936. Not so shipshape! The work will be financed by private benefactors and RVR says independent studies have shown that the reinstatement of RVR will bring economic benefits in excess of 2m per year to the area. This is the reconstructed Robertsbridge Junction station, adjacent to the Network Rail station. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is a winding rural steam and diesel light railway that runs for 10 miles on a preserved rail route through the Kent countryside. The railway runs between Tenterden Town and Bodiam. A previous attempt by rail preservationists to take over the missing Bodiam to Robertsbridge section was quashed in 1973. Scrapped in 1948. There is no surviving railway track on either farm. The end was in sight and traffic decline was now steep. Southern Railway No. The first railbus was introduced in 1923. Kent and East Sussex Railway: 12-ton flat Built in 1926 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at Newtonheath as a Banana Van. The Rother Valley Railway (RVR) is a heritage railway project based at Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. They claim the project is to allow 'rich men to play with their toys' and the threat of compulsory purchase orders, or CPOs, amounts to 'a land grab reminiscent of the Dark Ages'. Originally numbered. Bodies used to create bogie carriages in 1906. Kent and East Sussex Railway | Railway Trips in Kent - Visit Kent Purchased secondhand in 1932. The first advertised passenger service over this section ran on the weekend of 19/20 March 2011, although services are currently restricted to occasional gala days only. . (Pic: Colin Tyson) Their extension by West_Stanley Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:20 am They're extending to their original terminus at Robertsbridge, about 4 miles away from their current one at Bodium. However, due to difficulties in obtaining the necessary Light Railway (Transfer) Order, it was 1974 before the line partially reopened as a heritage steam railway between Tenterden and Rolvenden. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. The Government must now agree to make an order under the Transport and Works Act for the purchase to go ahead, but that could require a public inquiry. Purchased new in 1904, seated 48. The reason for this refusal was the Ministry plan to build a by-pass to take the A21 around Robertsbridge. In 1958, Hastings Diesel Electric Multiple Unit number 1002 underwent load tests between Bodiam and Northiam the only time one of these units visited the line prior to the preservation era. Preservation activities began immediately. In the hop-picking season, special trains were run to bring the hop-pickers down from London. Afternoon Tea, Lunch and Evening Dining trains, Treat mum to something special this Mothers Day. The line closed the following day, apart from a short stretch at Robertsbridge serving Hodson's Flour Mill, which became a private siding. At the Eastern end RVR has rebuilt this section of the railway from Bodiam to Junction Road so KESR was able to start running passenger trains in 2011. The line opened to Goudhurst in 1892 and Hawkhurst in 1893. In a statement this week RVR chairman Gardner Crawley said: Their fears will be addressed as the scheme progresses and it is to be hoped that the economic benefits of the scheme will become apparent. The line was authorised to be built with 56 pounds per yard (27.8kg/m) rails but was actually built with 60 pounds per yard (29.8kg/m) rails. Southern Railway No. The railway has cited improved public transport links from passengers on the main-line Charing Cross to Hastings route to access the heritage route to Tenterden, currently the largest town in Kent without a railway connected to the main line. These were withdrawn in the mid-1930s. An 1877-built six-wheel hand-operated crane and match truck were purchased c1919. The diminutive tank locomotives were designed to haul commuter trains on the already heavily congested lines in South and South-East London. This section was acquired by RVR, leaving just two stretches still to be acquired. Purchased secondhand by 1906. Contents 1 Historical company 1.1 Background 1.2 Opening and growth 1.3 Grouping and decline 1.4 British Railways Kent and East Sussex Railway. Their extension - The LNER Encyclopedia Tenterden Town station is the main headquarters for the heritage railway, where a book and gift shop can be found, selling Thomas the Tank Engine gifts, the carriage and wagon department and a cafe that was once the Maidstone & District Motor Services bus station building from Maidstone, Kent. Indeed in the provision of steam heating it was in advance of many main lines. Kent & East Sussex Railway - Tenterden - Northiam - Bodiam Welcome to the Kent & East Sussex Railway Train Services Sunday 19th March 2023 Give Mum the gift of time travel this Mothers' Day! Some are connected with local history and the railway whilst, as on other heritage lines, Thomas and Santa specials provide a commercial underpinning to the company's activities. [16], Between 1928 and 1933, a through coach was added to the 5:15 pm from Cannon Street to Hastings, which was detached at Robertsbridge and worked on to Tenterden. Spring Arrivals - Easter Holidays - Kent & East Sussex Railway The railway track has been laid on nearly a third of the 3.5-mile route between Robertsbridge and Bodiam and a new Robertsbridge Junction station is being created, which has a five-coach capacity platform and sits adjacent to Network Rails mainline station. Kent and East Sussex Railway | The Parody Wiki | Fandom Three of the five were scrapped in 1935, and a fourth, No. On Saturday 26 March 1949, A1 32678 was derailed between Northiam and the Rother Bridge working the 5:50 pm from Bexhill West. However preservation as a Heritage Railway beckoned. The lukewarm reception was partly because of the distance of the station from the town, and partly due to fears that the opening of the light railway from Robertsbridge would prevent a more heavily engineered line being built from Headcorn. Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent and East Sussex Light Railway. The decision follows requests from Highways England and the Office of Road and Rail for additional traffic impact studies to be carried out into the effects of installing a crossing on the A21, at Northbridge Street, East Sussex, which would be needed to build the extension. The decision was taken to shut down the passenger service and retain the goods service on the old Rother Valley section only. General agricultural traffic could be considerable, but was very seasonal. Built by the London and South Western Railway. Scrapped in 1948. The railway has suffered from the legacy of Colonel Stephens's cheap and poor construction of the permanent way; thus the preserved railway has sought to update permanent way features, for instance by renewing culverts and embankments.