The Light Railways Act 1896 allowed for cheaper construction methods in return for a speed restriction. Ex South Eastern and Chatham Railway birdcage carriages were put into service on the line, supplementing the ex London and South Western Railway carriages. Purchased secondhand by 1906. Rother Valley Railway (Bodiam to Robertsbridge Junction) Order. On Saturday 26 March 1949, A1 32678 was derailed between Northiam and the Rother Bridge working the 5:50 pm from Bexhill West. One probably carried a number between 11 and 14. Scrapped in 1948. With the increase in price for scrap metal during the war, most of the line's surplus stock was scrapped. Trains first ran again on the Kent & East Sussex Railway on 3 February 1974 between Tenterden to Rolvenden, the line gradually being restored and extended in stages, reaching Wittersham Road in 1977, Northiam in 1990 and finally Bodiam on 2 April 2000, exactly 100 years to the day since the original opening of the line to passengers. The contract for the construction of the line was won by London and Scottish Contract Corporation, who sub-contracted the work to Godfrey and Siddelow. The railway runs between Tenterden Town and Bodiam. 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. The extension to Tenterden Town opened on 15 April 1903. In the late 1990s, the company was almost bankrupted but avoided administration due to an error in the bank's loan agreement. The latter section was lifted and became abandoned in the mid 1970s. Supplied new in 1901 for the opening of the line. Plans for the missing central part of the route are well advanced, despite being hampered by the A21 trunk road crossing the track bed, the need for some very expensive bridge works and the necessity to purchase the route from landowners. We are continuing to try to protect this for future generations. In addition are a number of other wagons and carriages undergoing or awaiting restoration. The Rother Valley Railway was a standard gauge line from a junction at Robertsbridge in East Sussex, on the SE&CR's Tonbridge-Hastings line, to Tenterden, 12 miles away in Kent. 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. WordPress Designers and Developers in Kent. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway agreed to make up any operating losses in exchange for an option to purchase the line at any time within the next 21 years from the date of opening. "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 . A Transport & Works Order is to be sought to enable statuary powers to cross roads, including the busy A21, and to operate the railway. RM E0YC0N - Robertsbridge Junction, the future terminus of the Kent and East Sussex Railway now being constructed at Robertsbridge station. Serving a deeply rural area it was initially profitable but suffered severe road competition from the early 1920s. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The Inquiry has now closed and the Inspector is writing up his . The habitats that survive there are incredible. 31048, 31064, 31065, 31370, 31390 and 31434, On 9 January 1929, the Ford railmotor was derailed at. While the RVR does not yet feature regular passenger trains, the base at Robertsbridge houses a small shop and visitor centre open to the public each Sunday, utilising a building formerly used as the London terminus of the Orient Express. In 1904, the Headcorn and Maidstone Junction Light Railway was authorised. Built in 1848 by the London and South Western railway for. He entered into negotiations with the Southern Railway aimed at disposing of worn out stock and obtaining serviceable replacements. 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. It opened in 1900 and was extended to TenterdenTown station in 1903 (the original terminus was renamed Rolvenden), and through to a junction at Headcorn on the SE&CR . The railway was further extended to a junction with the SECR at Headcorn, opening on the 15 May 1905. . The railway was reconnected to the Network Rail (NR) mainline in December 2016 to permit stock transfers, and use of the RVR by NR plant for training and other purposes; and the newly installed turntable can also be accessed. To compete for passengers Stephens then brought in some railmoters to supplement the existing somewhat minimalist steam services established during the Great War. In 1898, the proposal was abandoned in favour of extending the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood railway to Tenterden and Appledore. It aims to restore track and services east from the main line railway station to Bodiam. Next Trains Mothering Sunday - 19-Mar-23 Treat mum to something special this Mothers Day 20 for 20 Appeal Ex LSWR No 0127. That was not accompanied by an increase in passengers, and regular passenger services ceased. It was originally opened, in 1900, as the Rother Valley Railway, with its first stretch of line running from Robertsbridge to Tenterden (the station later being renamed Rolvenden). Purchased secondhand in 1932. When this extension fever was over, the K&ESR was established as a growing and mostly profitable concern. Still in regular use in the 1930s. Railway experience days are also offered. Body scrapped in 1976. The two Terriers then ran back to Robertsbridge with a carriage between them to reduce the weight on the bridges. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! Published: 22:00, 11 May 2018 | Updated: 22:36, 11 May 2018. This is approximately a .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}2+12 miles (4.0km) long section. [4] Stephens attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army (TA) in 1916 and was subsequently known as Colonel Stephens. Plans to connect Tenterdens Kent & East Sussex Railway with the London-Hastings main line have finally been approved. This was a line from Northiam to Rye. 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. On 1 January 1948, the line became part of Southern Region of British Railways on nationalisation. With some additional help from the mainline railways in the form of deferred debts, it continued. Purchased secondhand in 1906. Fitted with flanged wheels and tested on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. Built by the London and South Western Railway. 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. The East Sussex Light Railway was authorised in 1901. 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. A previous attempt by rail preservationists to take over the missing Bodiam to Robertsbridge section was quashed in 1973. A pair of railcars. . The first train from Rolvenden to Tenterden carried 312. They're spending a lot of money at the Robertsbridge end, renewing bridges, building a station and other buildings. After many trials and tribulations, the Tenterden Railway Company Limited was incorporated in 1971 as a Company limited by guarantee and in 1973 was successful in purchasing that part of the line between Tenterden and Bodiam. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Charles 'will NEVER build real relationship with Archie and Lili unless Harry and Meghan get new royal home': Sussexes 'to get Andrew's Buckingham Palace apartment' after Frogmore eviction made it 'incredibly complicated for family to visit again', 'Petrified' autistic boy, 14, at centre of 'scuffed Quran' row is forced to flee his home by arson threat - as scandal that speaks volumes about modern British policing continues to cause uproar, When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? 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. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. From the train you can look out for deer, sheep, cows, buzzards, swans, pheasants and so much more. The heritage railway runs from Tenterden Town station through the Rother Valley to Bodiam. Locals are in revolt over the proposed expansion of the historic train route. The RVR also owns a steam locomotive, Charwelton, which works on the K&ESR but is currently under overhaul at Rolvenden. 10th May 2021. Kent & East Sussex Railway This was the quintessential Stephens' light railway and was always the heart of his empire. Scrapped in 1948. Ten years later it might be a very different story but before the Great War the K&ESR was seen as a progressive, and indeed model, light railway that served its community with distinction. One batch of stock disposed of was valued at 855, but realised only 6 10s 0d. Purchased new in 1904, seated 48. Wagons. At both ends of our railway you have so many places to choose from to eat, drink and keep everyone entertained to create a memorable day out whether you are 3 or 93! Then operated by the K&ESR until withdrawn in 1924 and stored. This is the reconstructed Robertsbridge Junction station, adjacent to the Network Rail station. The carriages were required for use in the filming of The Loves of Joanna Godden. Nos. The line was opened for freight between Robertsbridge and Rolvenden on 26 March 1900, and to passenger traffic on 2 April 1900. Bad floods probably delayed the opening of the line, which finally opened to goods traffic on 26th March and to passengers on 2nd April. 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. However the world was in rapid change as ex-army motor lorries and buses flooded the transport market. [1], By the mid 19th century, Tenterden was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. Scrapped in 1941. The Tenterden Railway Company is now known as The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR), as of January 2004. The order of scrapping of the locomotives was 7, 5, 6 (steam railcar), 1, 9, 2 and 8.[7]. Scrapped in 1948. 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. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is a preserved steam railway which makes for an excellent family day out. Operated under contract by William Hook & Son until the firm ceased trading in 1916. The final passenger train ran on 2 January 1954. General agricultural traffic could be considerable, but was very seasonal. June 30, 2022 . The results of the delayed public inquiry (due to Covid-19) to extend the Rother Valley Railways route from between the national railway system at Robertsbridge, East Sussex, to the Kent & East Sussex Railways station at Bodiam on the original trackbed, is not now expected until 2022. Two first-class four-wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. In 2018, the RVR applied for a Transport and Works Act order which, if approved, would give the statutory powers to complete the reinstatement of the line and operate it. Subscribe to Old Glory magazine today and receive your first 3 issues for just 5! In 1957, Drewry diesel locomotive 11220 was successfully trialled on the line, and it and 11223 were the regular locomotives for the final years of operation. Future developments are to include a carriage shed, loco shed and completion of the station building. 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. 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). The first official train ran on the weekend of 19/20 March 2011. 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. Credit: Richard Crease/Alamy Live News. Using a CPO to take someone's land for a heritage railway is immoral. The original route, between Robertsbridge and Headcorn in Kent, opened in 1900 and was shut in 1961. The planning approval is for the central two mile section of the railway to be restored, which has been granted despite concerns from some about level crossings and excessive parking in Robertsbridge. 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.. Afternoon Tea, Lunch and Evening Dining trains, Treat mum to something special this Mothers Day. "These are to better understand what effect a level crossing, which would only operate during off-peak hours, would have on the A21.". The line opened to Goudhurst in 1892 and Hawkhurst in 1893. There was occasional passenger traffic in the form of railtours. Supporters include Network Rail and the National Trust, which will gain a rail link to the 14th century moated Bodiam Castle. The tickets were printed at Rolvenden. 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. (Pic: Colin Tyson). Stationmaster Geoff is Tourism Superstar Award 2023 finalist! It was released from government control in 1921, and 1,487 in compensation was paid. The RVR began by reinstating the first few hundred yards of line eastwards from Robertsbridge, and also a short stretch westwards from Bodiam. Purchased in 1923 from Edmonds of. There are some problems of subsidence outside Rolvenden, which often requires speed restrictions to avoid further damage to the line's foundations. Liaison continues with the relevant authorities. 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. In March 1903 the old (Tenterden) terminus was renamed Rolvenden and the railway was extended 1.5 miles to the present Tenterden Town station. May have carried No. 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. Some remaining farmland on the original trackbed has yet to be purchased. On12th March 1903 a contract to build the Headcorn and upgrade the Rother Valley line was signed, a wise upgrade to meet a successful increase in traffic. The route from Tenterden to Bodiam is 10.5 miles. The line runs through a lightly populated area and was never well . It also has links to multi-millionaire hedge fund manager Jeremy Hosking, 59, who owns a number of steam locomotives including the Royal Scot. Once that is secured we will be working towards a spring 2019 target date to finish the work.. Heady ideas of commanding enough finance to build lines to Rye, Cranbrook and Pevensey, all authorised over 1898-1900, together with Maidstone in 1905-06, faded. The Kent & East Sussex Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1961 following closure of the line by British Railways. 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.