The line closed the following day, apart from a short stretch at Robertsbridge serving Hodson's Flour Mill, which became a private siding. 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. Purchased new in 1904, seated 48. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is a preserved steam railway which makes for an excellent family day out. This houses a number of exhibits including as a wax dummy of the colonel, telling the story of the man himself and of his railways. Built by the London and South Western Railway. The Tenterden to Robertsbridge section survived until 1961 for freight. Completion of the railway line between Bodiam and Robertsbridge Junction Station adjacent to the mainline railway will enable visitors to use the country's public transport system to access the Kent & East Sussex Railway and the attractions it serves. The line was opened as far as Headcorn on 31 August 1842 and to Ashford on 1 December 1843. In 1904, the Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway was authorised. The first train from Rolvenden to Tenterden carried 312. The initial plan was to work towards operating brake van rides on the site, but progress was slow due mainly to lack of funds. It offers an 11+12 miles (18.5km) ride through the Rother Valley in vintage and British Railways coaches usually hauled by a steam locomotive, although some off-peak services are operated by a diesel multiple unit. Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. Controversially the railway extension requires the compulsory purchase of land at two East Sussex farms - Parsonage Farm at Robertsbridge owned by the Hoads and Moat Farm near Salehurst. [7], When World War II broke out in 1939, the K&ESR again came under government control, being placed under the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers. Still in regular use in the 1930s. Formerly a model of its kind the K&ESR was now perceived as a run-down decrepit railway of the greatest charm. "An extension to the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway from Bodiam to Robertsbridge, along the route identified on the Proposals Map, will be supported, subject to a proposal meeting the following criteria: (i) it must not compromise the integrity of the floodplain and the flood protection measures at Robertsbridge; The K&ESR was the very . The final passenger train over the line before closure was a Locomotive Club of Great Britain railtour on 11 June 1961. The vote is open until 20 March so please give him your support: Welcome to the Kent & East Sussex Railway. Bodies used to create bogie carriages in 1906. Correspondence with the Southern Railway in 1930 led to Sir Herbert Walker stating that there was no chance of the line making a profit, and that even if passenger services were withdrawn, it was doubtful whether the receipts from freight traffic would cover operating expenses. Three of the five were scrapped in 1935, and a fourth, No. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge. This section was acquired by RVR, leaving just two stretches still to be acquired. Became British Railways property on nationalisation. DS377, 32636, 32640, 32641, 32644, 32655, 32659, 32662, 32670 and 32678. Body later used as a shed on a farm, where it survived until 1964. Double-heading was prohibited between Rolvenden and Robertsbridge.[13]. Purchased secondhand in 1932. That was not accompanied by an increase in passengers, and regular passenger services ceased. The section from Headcorn to Appledore was authorised in 1892, and agreement was reached in 1896 with the South Eastern Railway over the operation of the line. The first train departed at 7:30 am, carrying some 60.2 passengers. He entered into negotiations with the Southern Railway aimed at disposing of worn out stock and obtaining serviceable replacements. The public inquiry due to take place in June will now be scheduled for early 2020. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge. The K&ESR's own stock was generally confined to that system. [9], By 1924, the section from Tenterden to Headcorn was operating at a loss. Bad floods probably delayed the opening of the line, which finally opened to goods traffic on 26th March and to passengers on 2nd April. The heritage railway runs from Tenterden Town station through the Rother Valley to Bodiam. [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. There is no surviving railway track on either farm. 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.. Purchased secondhand in 1905. The Great Robertsbridge Train Robbery: Families accuse railway line stealing their farm land for a 7million extension project using a compulsory purchase order allowing companies to buy. Preservationists fought hard to secure this unique line . The ultimate guide to watching the Royal Wedding in Windsor: Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Mark Gordon arrives at Crawley Police Station after remains found, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. A wind pump was provided at the Headcorn end of the station. 2714. Limited efforts to improve and integrate the K&ESR into the national system soon come to an end and the writing was on the wall for closure. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). [1], By the mid 19th century, Tenterden was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. Brent Cross West [3] is a railway station under construction on the Thameslink route on the Midland Main Line. In 1932, Austen was appointed Official Receiver for the line. [38], The grand cavalcade at Tenterden Town Station during a Steam Gala on the Kent and East Sussex Railway, For details and history of rolling stock on the line since preservation, see, Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Rolling stock of the Kent & East Sussex Railway (heritage), https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/politics/application-seeks-phased-development-of-rother-valley-railway-3434807, "Miniature Locomotives and Large Exhibits", Kent and East Sussex Railway Co. Ltd. website, Video on Joost: Golden Age of Steam (episode 5) focussing on the heritage railway, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kent_and_East_Sussex_Railway&oldid=1137062740, London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSC), Purchased new in 1905. Sold in 1909 to the. Railway experience days are also offered. 1426 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1943. In 1935, the K&ESR purchased a 2-ton Bedford LQ lorry, and another was purchased in 1936. The original Tenterden station, later renamed Rolvenden was some 2 miles (3.2km) from the town. It partially reopened as a heritage railway where the public can enjoy journeys at 25mph on old steam locos and diesel trains 13 years later, running for ten and a half miles from Bodiam to Tenterden. Purchased by the East Kent Light Railway in 1926. It also has links to multi-millionaire hedge fund manager Jeremy Hosking, 59, who owns a number of steam locomotives including the Royal Scot. The next stage now is to seek the required Act of Parliament to secure the final go-ahead for construction of the missing two-mile link to begin. Nos. RM E0YC0N - Robertsbridge Junction, the future terminus of the Kent and East Sussex Railway now being constructed at Robertsbridge station. Only in the brief hop-picking season did the bustle return as the hop-pickers and their friends arrived from London for their annual invasion. 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). Future developments are to include a carriage shed, loco shed and completion of the station building. The Rother Valley Railway proposes to restore the missing rail link between Bodiam and Robertsbridge. ', At the local pub, the Salehurst Halt, landlady Karen Collier-Keywood, 59, said: 'Our village has always been about community. Difficulties in raising capital caused delays. On 16 March 2017, Rother District Council granted planning permission for the reinstatement of the line between Northbridge Street and Junction Road. Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5DG telephone: 01580 881833 RVR e-mail: . It sat for 19 days and concluded on 3 September 2021. The line from Headcorn Junction was opened on 15th May1905 but the expansion programme had come to an end. The line continued to be run as two sections. Built by the London and South Western Railway Ex Southern Railway No. Purchased secondhand in 1909. It supplied a water tower located at the Robertsbridge end of the station. An extension of the Rother Valley Railway, as it was then called, to Tenterden opened in 1903. RVR spokesman Mark Yonge said: This is a real red letter day and we are extremely pleased permission has now been granted. They are trying to prevent a heritage railway line being extended by two miles from Bodiam to Robertsbridge amid accusations of bullying and environmental vandalism. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The habitats that survive there are incredible. The financial position has since improved. The K&ESR settled into a period of greater quietude, useful primarily to the farmers and small tradesmen in the locality, as well as those travellers who were not on a bus route. He said: "Although we have managed to satisfy many of the statutory consultees with regards any concerns they may have had about our proposals, Highways England and the Office of Rail and Road have requested additional studies be carried out. June 30, 2022 . Mrs Ainslie said: 'It is purely the whim of an organisation of train enthusiasts who feel they have the right to take something for their own gratification. Scrapped in 1948. Although the Rother Valley Railway and the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway originally ran separate passenger and freight trains, by the 1920s mixed trains were the norm. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 16:12. Originally numbered. For some, there is no finer sight than a locomotive in full steam chugging majestically through the glorious English countryside. The railway line from Rolvenden to Robertsbridge was opened in 1900. Crucially, however, the two families whose farms would be crossed by the line do not want to sell their land to RVR. Fitted with a body similar to those used on buses and sent to the, A pair of railcars. This is a popular exhibit amongst children visiting the museum, many of whom delight in the collection of old railway magazines and timetables. Purchased in 1923 from Edmonds of. 1555 was loaned in 1947. Contents 1 Historical company 1.1 Background 1.2 Opening and growth 1.3 Grouping and decline 1.4 British Railways Southern Railway No 3440 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1940. There has been some resistance from two landowners with regard to the proposed reinstatement, while the third missing section of route adjoining Junction Road has now been acquired by RVR Ltd and made ready for tracklaying. 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. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The South Eastern Railway had opened its line from Redhill to Tonbridge on 12 July 1841. Great Western Railway 0-6-0 Dean Goods War Department Nos WD195, WD196 and WD197 were used on the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway between 1941 and 1943 when rail mounted rocket guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. Scrapped in 1948. To compete for passengers Stephens then brought in some railmoters to supplement the existing somewhat minimalist steam services established during the Great War. The railway runs between Tenterden Town and Bodiam. In 1877, the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway was incorporated, and powers obtained to build the northern section of the Weald of Kent Railway to transport agricultural produce and livestock from low-lying land adjacent to Wittersham Road to a better mainline connection. Speed was to be limited to 15 miles per hour (24km/h), but under the terms of the Act was soon raised to 25 miles per hour (40km/h). It takes its name from the original name for what later became the Kent and East Sussex Railway, running from Robertsbridge through to Headcorn in Kent, via Tenterden. K&ESR focussed efforts on the eastern end of the line. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway, seeking to relieve themselves from building the Tenterden Railway, entered into an agreement with the Rother Valley Railway for the latter to build and operate the line from Tenterden to Headcorn. Kent and East Sussex Railway. Brighton works between 1872 and 1880. Southern Railway No. Two first-class four-wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. The Rother Valley Railway's awaiting trains from Tenterden. The Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) 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. (Pic: Colin Tyson). . Some of the original ten wagons were hired to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway between 1927 and 1929. Sadly there have since been no other. But opponents fear it will leave an 'ugly scar' on the landscape, harm wildlife habitats and destroy the area's tranquillity. The first official train ran on the weekend of 19/20 March 2011. RVR applied to the Secretary of State for a Transport and Works Act Order on 19 April 2018. An application has been made for a Transport and Works Act order which would give statutory powers to rebuild and operate the line. In 1864, a proposed railway from Paddock Wood via Cranbrook and Tenterden to Hythe (the Weald of Kent Railway) also failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. A wind pump was provided just outside Headcorn Junction to supply water for the locomotives. 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. By June 2012, this further extension was also completed. The latter section was lifted and became abandoned in the mid 1970s. The decision was taken to shut down the passenger service and retain the goods service on the old Rother Valley section only. It's GRAYGATE! Alexander and Emma Ainslie, both 45, run 220-acre Moat Farm. Mixed trains continued to run, but were now provided with a brake van. The K&ESR acquired a horse-drawn van and two drays in 1916. 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.