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. The Rother Valley Railway (RVR) is a heritage railway project based at Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge (Pic: Colin Tyson). The Kent & East Sussex Railway is twinned with the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme, a preserved railway in France. ', At the local pub, the Salehurst Halt, landlady Karen Collier-Keywood, 59, said: 'Our village has always been about community. Formerly a classic rural branch line, it has an interesting history and runs through stunning scenery. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Four compartments. 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. Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent and East Sussex Light Railway. The Inspector will submit a report to the Secretary of State, with recommendations. The section between Tenterden Town and Headcorn was largely paralleled by roads, and was open to competition from road transport. Revealed: The top 10 fastest-growing destinations for UK pensioners retiring overseas. 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. The line today is a tourist attraction in the South East of England. On 16th March, 1903 the existing Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden and the line extended 1 miles to a new terminus at Tenterden Town. Light Railway Modelling - H. F. Stephens Built by London and South Western Railway. What's for dinner? Steam locomotives - Kent & East Sussex Railway Purchased secondhand in 1906. In 2010, the latter section was further extended to reach Junction Road. The extension was built and opened in 1905. 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. K&ESR focussed efforts on the eastern end of the line. Two first-class four-wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. 32655 was replaced by O1 31065 and 32678 banked the train to St Michael's. Two compartment brake third. An application has been made for a Transport and Works Act order which would give statutory powers to rebuild and operate the line. For some, there is no finer sight than a locomotive in full steam chugging majestically through the glorious English countryside. Published: 22:00, 11 May 2018 | Updated: 22:36, 11 May 2018. There was occasional passenger traffic in the form of railtours. The plan is that K&ESR will operate this extended railway once completed, as its constitution provides. Purchased new in 1904, seated 32. Kent and East Sussex Railway: 12-ton flat Built in 1926 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at Newtonheath as a Banana Van. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as No. The K&ESR owned a number of non-rail vehicles, one of which survives today. A Transport & Works Order is to be sought to enable statuary powers to cross roads, including the busy A21, and to operate the railway. In 1904, a 4-wheel hand-operated crane was purchased from R Y Pickering and delivered numbered. Opposition from the South Eastern Railway meant that the Tenterden to Appledore section was dropped. This section was acquired by RVR, leaving just two stretches still to be acquired. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge. The Southern Railway were liable to make up any operating losses, as the successor to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway under the terms of the Act of Parliament for the construction of that section of line. Difficulties in raising capital caused delays. The K&ESR was not included in the grouping of the railways into the Big Four in 1923, and continued its independent existence. In 1900, the Kent & East Sussex railway was built from Tenterden to Robertsbridge giving access to the main line for the rural villages. The passenger railway finally came to an end on Saturday 2nd January 1954. Kent and East Sussex Railway | Railway Trips in Kent - Visit Kent Purchased in 1923 from Edmonds of. The work was overseen by Holman F Stephens, who was appointed general manager in 1899 and managing director in 1900. The first railbus was introduced in 1923. It would wreck part of our farm, chopping fields into narrow pieces that we can't farm properly. 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. One of RVR's directors is Richard Broyd, who founded Historic House Hotels. 51.5687N 0.2269W. [7] The original Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden on this date. [5], The South Eastern Railway abandoned its plans to build the Cranbrook to Appledore line; the scheme was adopted by the Rother Valley Railway. Serving a deeply rural area it was initially profitable but suffered severe road competition from the early 1920s. 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 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. The Rother Valley section continued for goods with one morning and one afternoon service. The comments below have not been moderated. One batch of stock disposed of was valued at 855, but realised only 6 10s 0d. Purchased secondhand in 1901. Powers were obtained in 1882 to extend the line to Hawkhurst. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge The proposed Order is applied for by Rother Valley Railway Limited (RVR), working in partnership with the Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) which operates an existing heritage railway between Tenterden and Bodiam. This line would have run from Headcorn via Sutton Valence to Tovil, where running powers over part of the Medway Valley Line would have allowed access to Maidstone. [17], Tickets were usually issued on the trains, although the K&ESR did not acquire any corridor carriages until 1944. 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. Bodywork by Eaton Coachworks, Cringleford. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Hired or loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. Crucially, however, the two families whose farms would be crossed by the line do not want to sell their land to RVR. RVR chairman Gardner Crawley, 74, said: 'There's a lot of very wealthy people in East Sussex but parts of it are very deprived and the big employer nowadays is tourism. Rother Valley Railway chairman Gardner Crawley said the railway had requested that the hearing be delayed so it could gather more information on its impact on traffic. In the hopping season special passenger trains commenced running to Northiam and continued at weekends for the three week season. 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. The habitats that survive there are incredible. We are continuing to try to protect this for future generations. 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. 78 schoolchildren, along with Sir Myles Fenton, Holman F Stephens, and other dignitaries. Purchased secondhand in 1901. 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'. The option was not exercised. Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. Although these were light and economical to run, they did not provide much in the way of passenger comfort. Originally numbered, Built as a Wolseley Siddeley motor car. Negotiations continue with two remaining landowners to secure the remainder of the route. Themed events are run through the year. The railway was further extended to a junction with the SECR at Headcorn, opening on the 15 May 1905. The impetus seems to have come from landowners and businesses in Northiam and Bodiam in late 1894. No 15 was scrapped in 1948. The total cost of the entire project is expected to be somewhere between 6 and 7m. Formerly a model of its kind the K&ESR was now perceived as a run-down decrepit railway of the greatest charm. Purchased secondhand in 1909. Nos. Scrapped in 1948. Rolling stock of the Kent & East Sussex Railway (heritage) Double-heading was prohibited between Rolvenden and Robertsbridge.[13]. A familiar and friendly face on our platforms, volunteer Geoff has reached the finals of this prestigious Visit England award but only your votes can help him win. RVR applied to the Secretary of State for a Transport and Works Act Order on 19 April 2018. Built by the London and South Western Railway. [11] The whole line was relaid with 60 pounds per yard (29.8kg/m) rails in 1939. Number 107 in the K&ESR stocklist. 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. A pair of railcars. Became British Railways property on nationalisation. classicsworld.co.uk, TILT Digital Agency WordPress Designers and Developers in Kent. Horse-drawn van and two drays. The line was an alternative supply route to the south coast, and relieved some of the pressure on Ashford. 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. 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. For the opening . The two Terriers then ran back to Robertsbridge with a carriage between them to reduce the weight on the bridges. Scrapped in the 1930s. 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.". 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? However the world was in rapid change as ex-army motor lorries and buses flooded the transport market. 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. Mixed trains continued to run, but were now provided with a brake van. A previous attempt by rail preservationists to take over the missing Bodiam to Robertsbridge section was quashed in 1973. .mw-parser-output .RMbox{box-shadow:0 2px 2px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.14),0 1px 5px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.12),0 3px 1px -2px rgba(0,0,0,.2)}.mw-parser-output .RMinline{float:none;width:100%;margin:0;border:none}.mw-parser-output table.routemap{padding:0;border:0;border-collapse:collapse;background:transparent;white-space:nowrap;line-height:1.2;margin:auto}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMcollapse{margin:0;border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:middle}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMreplace{margin:0;border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:middle;position:absolute;bottom:0}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMsi{display:inline;font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMl1{padding:0 3px;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMr1{padding:0 3px;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMl{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMr{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMl4{padding:0 3px 0 0;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMr4{padding:0 0 0 3px;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.routemap>tbody>tr{line-height:1}.mw-parser-output table.routemap>tbody>tr>td,.mw-parser-output table.RMcollapse>tbody>tr>td,.mw-parser-output table.RMreplace>tbody>tr>td{padding:0;width:auto;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .RMir>div{display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle;padding:0;height:20px;min-height:20px}.mw-parser-output .RMir img{height:initial!important;max-width:initial!important}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMov{position:relative}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMov .RMic,.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMov .RMtx{position:absolute;left:0;top:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMtx{line-height:20px;height:20px;min-height:20px;vertical-align:middle;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMsp{height:20px;min-height:20px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMtx>abbr,.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMtx>div{line-height:.975;display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMts{font-size:90%;transform:scaleX(.89)}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMf_{height:5px;min-height:5px;width:20px;min-width:20px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMfm{height:100%;min-height:100%;width:4px;min-width:4px;margin:0 auto}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMo{width:2.5px;min-width:2.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMc{width:5px;min-width:5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMoc{width:7.5px;min-width:7.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMd{width:10px;min-width:10px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMod{width:12.5px;min-width:12.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMcd{width:15px;min-width:15px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMocd{width:17.5px;min-width:17.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_{width:20px;min-width:20px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_o{width:22.5px;min-width:22.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_c{width:25px;min-width:25px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_oc{width:27.5px;min-width:27.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_d{width:30px;min-width:30px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_od{width:32.5px;min-width:32.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_cd{width:35px;min-width:35px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_ocd{width:37.5px;min-width:37.5px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMb{width:40px;min-width:40px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMcb{width:45px;min-width:45px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMdb{width:50px;min-width:50px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMcdb{width:55px;min-width:55px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_b{width:60px;min-width:60px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_cb{width:65px;min-width:65px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_db{width:70px;min-width:70px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_cdb{width:75px;min-width:75px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMs{width:80px;min-width:80px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMds{width:90px;min-width:90px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_s{width:100px;min-width:100px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_ds{width:110px;min-width:110px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMbs{width:120px;min-width:120px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMdbs{width:130px;min-width:130px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_bs{width:140px;min-width:140px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_dbs{width:150px;min-width:150px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMw{width:160px;min-width:160px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_w{width:180px;min-width:180px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMbw{width:200px;min-width:200px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_bw{width:220px;min-width:220px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMsw{width:240px;min-width:240px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_sw{width:260px;min-width:260px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RMbsw{width:280px;min-width:280px}.mw-parser-output .RMir .RM_bsw{width:300px;min-width:300px}.