Converted c1909 to a five compartment brake third. Scrapped in 1948. 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. Built by London and South Western Railway. 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 preservationists wanted to reopen the line through to Robertsbridge, but were refused permission by the then Transport Minister Barbara Castle to take over the section between Bodiam and Robertsbridge, despite taking the Minister to the High Court. To compete for passengers Stephens then brought in some railmoters to supplement the existing somewhat minimalist steam services established during the Great War. The Tenterden Railway Company is now known as The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR), as of January 2004. Fitted with a body similar to those used on buses and sent to the, A pair of railcars. 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). A mile of new track has already been laid to the west of Bodiam station, to the site of the former Junction Road Halt. June 14, 2022; indigo child symbol In summer 2011 work began at Robertsbridge to extend further eastwards to Northbridge Street, which entailed the rebuilding of five bridges. . Scrapped in 1948. 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). kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge. By the 1950s passengers were no longer carried on the line and . Acquired in 1947. In 1900, the Kent & East Sussex railway was built from Tenterden to Robertsbridge giving access to the main line for the rural villages. 51.5687N 0.2269W. 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. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA. 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. By the 1900s, the parish was a thriving community with shops, inns and in addition to agriculture had a number of industries including saw milling, flour . The Kent & East Sussex Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1961 following closure of the line by British Railways. Tenterden had yearned for a railway connection for many years but finally received a connection in 1900.The origins of the line seem, in fact, to lie elsewhere than Tenterden. Locals are in revolt over the proposed expansion of the historic train route. The impetus seems to have come from landowners and businesses in Northiam and Bodiam in late 1894. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as No. For some, there is no finer sight than a locomotive in full steam chugging majestically through the glorious English countryside. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. With the increase in price for scrap metal during the war, most of the line's surplus stock was scrapped. 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. Only the section from the original Tenterden terminus to Tenterden Town was actually built of all these schemes.[6]. One of RVR's directors is Richard Broyd, who founded Historic House Hotels. Using a CPO to take someone's land for a heritage railway is immoral. The final passenger train ran on 2 January 1954. At the Robertsbridge end of the line, RVR has purchased further land since 2006 and the reconnection between Rother Valley Railway and the Network Rail main line was formally opened by Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail in December 2016. Preservation activities began immediately. 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. They say it could put Robertsbridge, which dates to 1176 when a Cistercian abbey was founded, back on the map. Acquired during the Second World War. The Rother Valley section would always show a favourable margin, however small, but losses on the Headcorn extension climbed to catastrophic levels which, even with the mainline subsidy, could not be sustained. 32655 was replaced by O1 31065 and 32678 banked the train to St Michael's. That was not accompanied by an increase in passengers, and regular passenger services ceased. Difficulties in raising capital caused delays. The tickets were printed at Rolvenden. Purchased secondhand in 1909. RVR spokesman Mark Yonge said: This is a real red letter day and we are extremely pleased permission has now been granted. Built by the London and South Western Railway Ex Southern Railway No. There is also a small collection of historic railway vehicles in various stages of preservation. A scuffed copy of the Koran. The Rother Valley Railway's public enquiry result about the planned route extension to Bodiam, in East Sussex, has been delayed yet again! [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. These locomotives worked on the line between 1948 and 1961. 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! 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 . Those behind the current bid by the Rother Valley Railway, or RVR, argue it will attract an extra 50,000 visitors annually and add 4.1million a year to the local economy. 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). 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!' Southern Railway No 3334 loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1938 when No 4 was sent to. As the Great War came to an end the Government decreed that the railways be re-organised into large private companies generally known as 'The Grouping'. [7], On the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the K&ESR came under government control, as did most railways at the time. Plans for a heritage railway extension that would see Tenterden connected to the mainline have come to a temporary halt. Tickets for other lines under Colonel Stephens's control were also printed here.[13]. These were withdrawn in the mid-1930s. A small collection of rolling stock is stored at Robertsbridge, with several items undergoing active restoration. Authorisation was received in December 1899 to build the Cranbrook and Tenterden Light Railway from Cranbrook via Benenden to the Tenterden terminus of the Rother Valley Railway, and to extend further into the town of Tenterden itself. It sat for 19 days and concluded on 3 September 2021. 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. Revealed: The top 10 fastest-growing destinations for UK pensioners retiring overseas. May have carried No. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. The railway also appears in the 1940 book Ember Lane by Sheila Kaye-Smith, where it is titled the Sussex Border Railway. Indeed in the provision of steam heating it was in advance of many main lines. 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. are honey nut cheerios high in oxalates. Scrapped in 1948. The extension was built and opened in 1905. [4] Stephens attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army (TA) in 1916 and was subsequently known as Colonel Stephens. Purchased new in 1904, seated 32. Four cattle wagons were purchased in 1904, and another was purchased in 1928. London transport portal. Afternoon Tea, Lunch and Evening Dining trains, Treat mum to something special this Mothers Day. 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. The first train from Rolvenden to Tenterden carried 312. Several bridges need to be rebuilt between Northbridge Street and Junction Road, and three road crossings made, including the A21 Robertsbridge by-pass. The total cost of the entire project is expected to be somewhere between 6 and 7m. She has put up a poster protesting about proposed railway track extensions through her area, A train on the Kent and East Sussex Railway at Bodiam Station - part of the East Sussex Heritage Line, 'They are just big bullies who want their train set and don't seem to care what they have to do to get it. (Pic: Colin Tyson) 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. A 14-year-old autistic boy's naive prank. Bodies used to create bogie carriages in 1906. A separate Company, the Rother Valley Railway (East Sussex) Ltd, was formed on 22 May 1991 with the approval of the Tenterden Railway Company to reconstruct the railway between Bodiam and Robertsbridge and has since simplified its name to Rother Valley Railway Ltd. shop.kelsey.co.uk . The remaining passenger traffic continued to drop and, most importantly, the profitable general merchandise traffic followed. 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 K&ESR's own stock was generally confined to that system. The order of scrapping of the locomotives was 7, 5, 6 (steam railcar), 1, 9, 2 and 8.[7]. Andrew Hoad, 67, with his two sons Tom 38 (left) and Will 34 (right) who own Parsonage Farm in Robertsbridge, East Sussex where multi millionaire Richard Broyd is trying to extend a heritage steam railway across their land as a 'Vanity Project'. Purchased secondhand in 1901. The K&ESR was not included in the grouping of the railways into the Big Four in 1923, and continued its independent existence. Built in 1906 using the bodies of two of the Hurst Nelson carriages on a new underframe. 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 Rother Valley section continued for goods with one morning and one afternoon service. 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. May have carried No. A month passed before 32678 was recovered. 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? Built in 1906 using the bodies of two of the Hurst Nelson carriages on a new underframe. [8] The original junction at Headcorn was on the Ashford side of the station. RECONSTRUCTING THE KENT & EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY FROM ROBERTSBRIDGE TO BODIAM The RVR Robertsbridge Junction Station site is OPEN Sundays from 10.00 to 16.00 You can get to us at Robertsbridge by main line railway. Serving a deeply rural area it was initially profitable but suffered severe road competition from the early 1920s. Horse Bus - built in 1902 by W J Mercer, Tenterden Carriage Works. In 2010, the latter section was further extended to reach Junction Road. In 1898, the proposal was abandoned in favour of extending the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood railway to Tenterden and Appledore. 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 habitats that survive there are incredible. ', At the local pub, the Salehurst Halt, landlady Karen Collier-Keywood, 59, said: 'Our village has always been about community. DS377, 32636, 32640, 32641, 32644, 32655, 32659, 32662, 32670 and 32678. The South Eastern Railway had opened its line from Redhill to Tonbridge on 12 July 1841. Ci sono 5 modi per andare da Ardingly a Rye in treno, bus, taxi o in macchina. Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:49, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rother_Valley_Railway&oldid=1140748000, From 1988 until the early 1990s, another "Rother Valley Railway" had a brief existence on the site of, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:49. Karen Collier-Keywood, the landlord of the Salehurst Halt Pub in Salehurst. 1556. The line from Headcorn Junction was opened on 15th May1905 but the expansion programme had come to an end. The remaining landowners have additionally expressed concern and RVR fully appreciates that a railway crossing their farms represents some disruption. [2] A public inquiry took place in the summer of 2021, and the Secretary of State's decision on the order is expected to be given when the inquiry report has been submitted. Credit: Richard Crease/Alamy Live News. Scrapped in 1948. [11] The whole line was relaid with 60 pounds per yard (29.8kg/m) rails in 1939. The decision was taken to shut down the passenger service and retain the goods service on the old Rother Valley section only. A: Woolwich Arsenal Railway: 3-plank dropside open Obtained from the Woolwich Arsenal Railway in 1964. 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. With the end of the War, the Transport Act 1947 took powers to acquire all railway undertakings and this spelt the end of the independent K&ESR and indeed its partial closure. A wind pump was provided at the Headcorn end of the station. [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. In 1935, the K&ESR purchased a 2-ton Bedford LQ lorry, and another was purchased in 1936. The plan is that K&ESR will operate this extended railway once completed, as its constitution provides. Traffic began a further decrease in the wake of the disastrous ASLEF strike of June 1955, and, after 17th October, only the morning service continued. Purchased secondhand in 1932. Scrapped in 1941. 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. This was abandoned in 1899 as it was deemed too expensive to construct, and the South Eastern Railway again backed the Tenterden Railway, but no work was done and powers to construct the line lapsed in 1901.[4]. [5], The South Eastern Railway abandoned its plans to build the Cranbrook to Appledore line; the scheme was adopted by the Rother Valley Railway. [15], The Kent & East Sussex Light Railway was operated as two separate sections, Robertsbridge - Tenterden Town and Tenterden Town - Headcorn. Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent and East Sussex Light Railway. [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 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. The Rother Valley Railway's awaiting trains from Tenterden. 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. 78 schoolchildren, along with Sir Myles Fenton, Holman F Stephens, and other dignitaries. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is a preserved steam railway which makes for an excellent family day out. Although these were light and economical to run, they did not provide much in the way of passenger comfort. Construction work commenced in 1898 but there were delays with contractors' bankruptcy and it was not until 9th January 1900 that the line was reported complete. The line today is a tourist attraction in the South East of England. 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Purchased new in 1904, seated 48. Body scrapped in 1976. 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. Three of the five were scrapped in 1935, and a fourth, No. In addition are a number of other wagons and carriages undergoing or awaiting restoration. The proposal to build this road was the major reason preventing the acquisition from British Railways of this section of the railway by the Tenterden Railway Company in the 1960s, and the railway land was subsequently sold off to local farmers. Wagons. 1325 was loaned in 1946 and No. 31048, 31064, 31065, 31370, 31390 and 31434, On 9 January 1929, the Ford railmotor was derailed at. Coordinates: 513407N 01337W / . Powers were obtained in 1882 to extend the line to Hawkhurst. Number 107 in the K&ESR stocklist. Sold in 1909 to the. Liaison continues with the relevant authorities. Originally numbered, Built as a Wolseley Siddeley motor car. 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. In the hop-picking season, special trains were run to bring the hop-pickers down from London. Most of these will be from the Kent & East Sussex Railway as this is one of my personal specialties, but other lines will be included where possible. Further wagons were hired from Hurst Nelson between 1911 and 1919. In 1990, the railway had to remove 200 metres of embankment damaged by badgers. December 2016 saw the reconnection of the RVR to the Network Rail system some 50 years after closure. kelseymarketplace.co.uk . 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'. Used at the opening of the East Kent Light Railway in 1912 and inaugurated passenger services on that line in 1916. A pair of railcars. The railway runs between Tenterden Town and Bodiam . There are some problems of subsidence outside Rolvenden, which often requires speed restrictions to avoid further damage to the line's foundations. One batch of stock disposed of was valued at 855, but realised only 6 10s 0d. The K&ESR owned a number of non-rail vehicles, one of which survives today. In 2010 a further 150yds of track bed was obtained and track was laid to the site of Junction Road Halt adjacent to the B2244 (formerly the A229). For a money-saving subscription to Old Glory magazine, simply click here, Kelsey Media Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hil, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL www.kelsey.co.uk . K&ESR focussed efforts on the eastern end of the line. In May 1983, Manning Wardle 'Charwelton' was derailed between Wittersham Road and Rolvenden causing damage to approximately 100 yards of track and to the locomotive's axle boxes. The public inquiry due to take place in June will now be scheduled for early 2020. . [17], Tickets were usually issued on the trains, although the K&ESR did not acquire any corridor carriages until 1944. Since 1991, the Rother Valley Railway has been acquiring parts of the trackbed as and when possible. Ex Southern Railway No. This section was acquired by RVR, leaving just two stretches still to be acquired. In 1904, the Rother Valley Railway changed its name to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. When this extension fever was over, the K&ESR was established as a growing and mostly profitable concern. Access to the current KESR is largely made by private car or coach, so the railway would help reduce traffic movements on local rural roads. This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 16:12. The preserved railway has had a tempestuous history, with two financial crises and disputes between the volunteer group and their elected board of trustees. 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 extension to Tenterden Town opened on 15 April 1903. BBC's 1million star Zoe Ball, 52, lands big new payday for Abba show on ITV. Hired or loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. June 30, 2022 . 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. Many representations for and against the scheme were submitted, and in June the Secretary of State for Transport announced that a public local inquiry would be held. By Victorian standards construction progress was slow. Purchased secondhand by 1906. 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. 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. The line was opened as far as Headcorn on 31 August 1842 and to Ashford on 1 December 1843. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. The line runs through a lightly populated area and was never well . Four compartments. Only 10 Terriers remain; two of which are on static display. Making tourism here more accessible to people who don't have cars is very important. [7] The original Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden on this date. A charity, supported by a society of volunteers, is attempting to re-establish the railway link.