kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge

In 1932, Austen was appointed Official Receiver for the line. The line from Tenterden to Headcorn Junction opened to traffic on 15 May 1905. Since 1991, the Rother Valley Railway has been acquiring parts of the trackbed as and when possible. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is one of the county's top tourist attractions The railway track has been laid on nearly a third of the 3.5-mile route between Robertsbridge and Bodiam. Built by London and South Western Railway. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as No. 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. 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. Purchased in 1923 from Edmonds of. 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. Credit: Richard Crease/Alamy Live News. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. (Pic: Colin Tyson) Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. May have carried No. Became British Railways property on nationalisation. Assent was granted to construct the line under the Act. Scrapped in 1948. Kent & East Sussex Railway extension public inquiry delay Contents 1 Historical company 1.1 Background 1.2 Opening and growth 1.3 Grouping and decline 1.4 British Railways General agricultural traffic could be considerable, but was very seasonal. It sat for 19 days and concluded on 3 September 2021. 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 owned by the Ainslies, who have set up a Facebook page The Great Robertsbridge Train Robbery to oppose the expansion. On Saturday 26 March 1949, A1 32678 was derailed between Northiam and the Rother Bridge working the 5:50 pm from Bexhill West. The work was overseen by Holman F Stephens, who was appointed general manager in 1899 and managing director in 1900. Passenger traffic and the operation of the Headcorn extension ceased in 1953 and the railway closed completely in 1961. The passenger railway finally came to an end on Saturday 2nd January 1954. At Tenterden visitors can explore the Colonel Stephens Museum, and at the other end of the line admire the castle ruins at Bodiam. Sold for scrap on 25 May 1944. Purchased secondhand in 1906. An 1877-built six-wheel hand-operated crane and match truck were purchased c1919. 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. A 14-year-old autistic boy's naive prank. Purchased secondhand in 1906. The line opened to Goudhurst in 1892 and Hawkhurst in 1893. Purchased secondhand in 1932. Most of the permanent way between Northiam and Bodiam has now been rebuilt to modern standards. He entered into negotiations with the Southern Railway aimed at disposing of worn out stock and obtaining serviceable replacements. KENT AND EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY - 30 Photos - Yelp There was occasional passenger traffic in the form of railtours. Later it was able to achieve charity status, and is led by the Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust. 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 railway was further extended to a junction with the SECR at Headcorn, opening on the 15 May 1905. 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Hastings line to a temporary terminus, later named Rolvenden, near Tenterden. This awaits a public inquiry.[22]. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. [7] The original Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden on this date. Four third-class four-wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. Work began on restoration and by April of that year the track was laid. 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. The railway emphasises the Colonel Stephens connection as a major factor of its utilitarian heritage. 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). Further wagons were hired from Hurst Nelson between 1911 and 1919. / 51.5687; -0.2269. Brighton works between 1872 and 1880. A: Woolwich Arsenal Railway: 3-plank dropside open Obtained from the Woolwich Arsenal Railway in 1964. The application will then be decided by the Secretary of State. A proposal was promoted in 1900 to build a line from Robertsbridge to Pevensey, which was to be worked by the Rother Valley Railway. The extension to Tenterden Town opened on 15 April 1903. Some remaining farmland on the original trackbed has yet to be purchased. Purchased secondhand in 1905. 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 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. 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. A Transport & Works Order is to be sought to enable statuary powers to cross roads, including the busy A21, and to operate the railway. [3], The Tenterden Railway was the next to be proposed, running from Maidstone to Hastings via Headcorn, Tenterden, and Appledore. Situated at Tenterden is the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum. 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. When complete the line will be operated by KESR using its staff, rolling stock, and procedures. Horse-drawn van and two drays. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge The Inspector will submit a report to the Secretary of State, with recommendations. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. 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. 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. Kent and East Sussex Railway - Wikipedia 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.. 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. [15], The Kent & East Sussex Light Railway was operated as two separate sections, Robertsbridge - Tenterden Town and Tenterden Town - Headcorn. Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. 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. A wind pump was provided at the Headcorn end of the station. One batch of stock disposed of was valued at 855, but realised only 6 10s 0d. BBC's 1million star Zoe Ball, 52, lands big new payday for Abba show on ITV. 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. Nos. We will be applying for final permission now from the Department of Transport which will require an Act of Parliament. Stationmaster Geoff is Tourism Superstar Award 2023 finalist! In Spring 2019 work began to prepare the former trackbed between Austen's Bridge and Junction Road for tracklaying, this work being substantially completed by the end of 2020. Supplied new in 1901 for the opening of the line. Acquired during the Second World War. Kent and East Sussex Railway | The Parody Wiki | Fandom London transport portal. Plans to connect Tenterdens Kent & East Sussex Railway with the London-Hastings main line have finally been approved. Mr Crawley added: "We are happy to carry out these additional studies and look forward to reassuring these consultees that it will be possible to reinstate the full length of the railway between Tenterden and Robertsbridge, with all the benefits that would bring, without any unduly adverse effects.". The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Making tourism here more accessible to people who don't have cars is very important. Ministers in clash as farmers fear Britain will be flooded with cheap Mexican and Canadian meat Britain's Special Forces are banned from TikTok and other apps amid fears their accounts could be Mamma Mia! The RVR agreed to build and operate a line to Headcorn, in return for a financial guarantee to make up any losses. 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]. The preserved railway has had a tempestuous history, with two financial crises and disputes between the volunteer group and their elected board of trustees. Acquired in 1936. May have carried No. ', At the local pub, the Salehurst Halt, landlady Karen Collier-Keywood, 59, said: 'Our village has always been about community. Two compartments plus brake. 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. 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. The RVR also owns a steam locomotive, Charwelton, which works on the K&ESR but is currently under overhaul at Rolvenden. The Rother Valley Railway's public enquiry result about the planned route extension to Bodiam, in East Sussex, has been delayed yet again! Built by London and South Western Railway. Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. Simultaneously the South Eastern & Chatham (SE&CR), decided to rid itself of an obligation to build its long envisaged line to Tenterden. THE KENT & EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY - transportsofdelight The final working was the 7.55 am working from Robertsbridge on Saturday 10th June 1961 followed the next day by a rail tour. June 30, 2022 . Attention then focussed on extending from Robertsbridge to Northbridge Street, and this was followed by work to recast the Robertsbridge section in readiness for the planned eventual join-up with K&ESR's track, once the necessary permissions have been obtained and construction completed. 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. Not so shipshape! The extension to Headcorn had been built with heavier rails than the Robertsbridge - Rolvenden section, and thus had a higher axle loading allowing the use of heavier locomotives. 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. The two Terriers then ran back to Robertsbridge with a carriage between them to reduce the weight on the bridges. In that year, the first of the locomotives hired from the Southern Railway arrived on the line, this was P Class No. Two landowners remain resistant to selling the necessary agricultural land for railway development, and the plans for a level crossing on the A21 in particular has caused local controversy. Light Railway Modelling - H. F. Stephens Scrapped in 1948. The K&ESR owned a number of non-rail vehicles, one of which survives today. Crucially, however, the two families whose farms would be crossed by the line do not want to sell their land to RVR. This was a line from Northiam to Rye. Nos. By Victorian standards construction progress was slow. Formerly a model of its kind the K&ESR was now perceived as a run-down decrepit railway of the greatest charm. 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. Difficulties in raising capital caused delays. The route from Tenterden to Bodiam is 10.5 miles. What's for dinner? K&ESR focussed efforts on the eastern end of the line. A proposed roadside tramway from Headcorn to Tenterden suffered the same fate in 1882. The K&ESR's own stock was generally confined to that system. Coordinates: 513407N 01337W / . The vote is open until 20 March so please give him your support: Welcome to the Kent & East Sussex Railway. 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. May have been a brake vehicle. 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. The East Sussex Light Railway was authorised in 1901. 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. The Rother Valley Railway (RVR) is a heritage railway project based at Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. The remaining passenger traffic continued to drop and, most importantly, the profitable general merchandise traffic followed. 2021530 . 10th May 2021. Built in 1906 using the bodies of two of the Hurst Nelson carriages on a new underframe. Posted by Chris Graham on 20th November 2021, The Rother Valley Railways awaiting trains from Tenterden. The controversial 7million scheme, led by rail enthusiasts backed by wealthy and anonymous benefactors, would restore what supporters call the 'missing link' in the Kent and East Sussex Railway, connecting it with the national network on the London to Hastings line. Rother Valley Railway - Objectives 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). 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. Preservationists fought hard to secure this unique line . 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. 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 line was opened for freight between Robertsbridge and Rolvenden on 26 March 1900, and to passenger traffic on 2 April 1900. Rail mounted guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. Purchased by the East Kent Light Railway in 1926. The total cost of the entire project is expected to be somewhere between 6 and 7m.