Kent and East Sussex Railway
Encyclopedia
The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) refers to both an historical private railway company in Kent
and Sussex
in England
, as well as a heritage railway
currently running on part of the route of the historical company.
was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. The South Eastern Railway
had opened its line
from Redhill
to Tonbridge
on 12 July 1841. The line was opened as far as Headcorn
on 31 August 1842 and to Ashford
on 1 December 1843. The South Eastern Railway opened its line
from Ashford to Hastings
on 13 February 1851.
The third part of the triangle was the line between Tonbridge and Hastings
which had opened as far as Tunbridge Wells
on 24 November 1846, Robertsbridge
on 1 September 1851, Battle
on 1 January 1852 and to St Leonards
on 1 February 1852. Running powers over the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
s line to Hastings having been negotiated.
The Ashford - Hastings line had originally been promoted to run via Headcorn
and Tenterden
, but Parliament preferred the more southerly route. In 1855, a proposed railway from Headcorn via Cranbrook
to Tenterden
failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. 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. A proposed roadside tramway from Headcorn to Tenterden suffered the same fate in 1882. In 1877, the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway
was incorporated, and powers obtained to build the northern section of the Weald of Kent Railway. Powers were obtained in 1882 to extend the line to Hawkhurst
. The line opened to Goudhurst in 1892 and Hawkhurst in 1893.
The Tenterden Railway was the next to be proposed, running from Maidstone
to Hastings via Headcorn, Tenterden, and Appledore
. 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. In 1898, the proposal was abandoned in favour of extending the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood railway to Tenterden and Appledore. This was abandoned in 1899 as 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.
With the passing of the Light Railways Act 1896
a group of citizens of Tenterden, led by Sir Myles Fenton proposed a railway from Robertsbridge to Tenterden - the Rother Valley Railway. Assent was granted to construct the line under the Act. 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 work was overseen by Holman F Stephens
, who was appointed General Manager in 1899 and Managing Director in 1900.
allowed for cheaper construction methods in return for a speed restriction. The line was authorised to be built with 56 lb/yd rails but was actually built with 60 lb/yd rails. Speed was to be limited to 15 miles per hour (24.1 km/h), but under the terms of the Act was soon raised to 25 miles per hour (40.2 km/h). The line was opened for freight between Robertsbridge and Rolvenden
on 26 March 1900, and to passenger traffic on 2 April 1900. A windpump
was provided at Robertsbridge to supply water for locomotives. The original Tenterden station, later renamed Rolvenden was some 2 miles (3.2 km) from the town. The first train departed at 7:30 am, carrying some 60 passengers. The lukewarm reception being 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.
With the abandonment by the South Eastern Railway of plans to build the Cranbrook to Appledore line, the scheme was adopted by the Rother Valley Railway. Opposition from the South Eastern Railway meant that the Tenterden to Appledore section was dropped. 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. 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 East Sussex Light Railway was authorised in 1901. This was a line from Northiam
to Rye
. Only the section from the original Tenterden terminus to Tenterden Town
was actually built of all these schemes.
The extension to Tenterden Town opened on 15 April 1903. The original Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden on this date. Over 300 schoolchildren were carried on the first train from Rolvenden to Tenterden, along with Sir Myles Fenton, Holman F Stephens, and other dignitaries. 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 Tenteden to Headcorn. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway to make up any operating losses, and have an option to purchase the line at any time within the next 21 years from the date of opening. The option was not exercised. A windpump was provided at the Headcorn end of the station. It supplied a water tower located at the Robertsbridge end of the station. In 1904, the Rother Valley Railway changed its name to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway.
The line from Tenterden to Headcorn
opened to traffic on 15 May 1905. A windpump was provided just outside Headcorn Junction to supply water for the locomotives. In 1904, the Headcorn & Maidstone Junction Light Railway was authorised. 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
. Only the section from Tovil to Tovil Goods was ever built. The original junction at Headcorn was on the Ashford side of the station. Headcorn was remodelled by the Southern Railway in 1930 to provide two through roads and the junction was then moved to the Tonbridge side of the station.
On the outbreak of war in 1914, the K&ESR came under Government control, as did most railways at the time. It was released from Government control in 1921, and £1,487 in compensation was paid. The K&ESR was not included in the Grouping
of the railways into the Big Four
in 1923, and continued its independent existence.
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. It should be noted that 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.
In 1931, Colonel Stephens
died, and the management of the K&ESR came under the control of William Henry Austen
, who had been assistant to Stephens for a number of years. In 1932, Austen was appointed Official Receiver for the line. He entered into negotiations with the Southern Railway aimed at disposing of worn out stock and obtaining serviceable replacements. One batch of stock disposed of was valued at £855, but realised only £6 10s 0d. In 1935, the K&ESR purchased a 2 ton Bedford LQ
lorry, and another was purchased in 1936. In that year, the first of the locomotives hired from the Southern Railway arrived on the line, this was P Class
No. 1556. The whole line was relaid with 90 lb/yd rails in 1939.
When war broke out in 1939, the K&ESR again came under Government control, being placed under the Railway Operating Division
of the Royal Engineers
. Rail mounted guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. The line was an alternative supply route to the south coast, and relieved some of the pressure on Ashford. Components for Operation Pluto
were conveyed along the line. With the increase in price for scrap metal during the war, most of the lines surplus stock was scrapped. On 1 January 1948, the line became part of British Railways, Southern Region
on nationalisation.
Upon nationalisation, one of the surviving two locomotives was scrapped, and all but the newest rolling stock suffered the same fate. Ex South Eastern and Chatham Railway
birdcage carriages were put into service on the line, supplementing the ex London and South Western Railway
carriages. Mixed trains continued to run, but were now provided with a brake van
. The line continued to be run as two sections. A proposal was put forward to double the line. Although this was not carried out, the line was again relaid to a higher standard using rails salvaged from the Elham Valley Railway
. All ticket stock was withdrawn and new tickets were printed and staffing of stations was increased. This was not accompanied by an increase in passengers and regular passenger services ceased as of 4 January 1954. The final passenger train ran on 2 January 1954 as the line had no Sunday service. It was the 5:50 pm from Robertsbridge
to Headcorn
, composed of six corridor coach
es which had been specially brought from Ashford
for the occasion. Motive power was Terriers
32655 leading and 32678 at the rear. 32655 was replaced by O1
31064 and 32678 banked the train to St Michael's
. The two Terriers then ran back to Robertsbridge with a carriage between them to reduce the weight on the bridges. Double-heading was prohibited between Rolvenden and Robertsbridge.
A service to two freight trains a day was run, with hop-pickers specials running until 1958. Occasionally, the line saw passenger traffic in the form of railtours. In 1957, Class 04
diesel locomotive 11220 was tried on the line to assess its suitability on the twice-daily freight service. The trial was a success and it and 11223 were the regular locomotives for the final years of operation. The final passenger train over the line before closure was a Locomotive Club of Great Britain railtour on 11 June 1961. The line closed the following day apart from a short stretch at Robertsbridge serving Hodson's Flour Mill, which was relegated to the status of a private siding. This final section of the line closed on 1 January 1970.
ing allowing the use of heavier locomotives. The section between Tenterden Town and Headcorn was largely paralleled by roads, and was open to competition from road transport. 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 first railbus was introduced in 1923. Although these were light and economical to run, they did not provide much in the way of passenger comfort.
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
. In the hop-picking season, special trains were run to bring the hop-pickers down from London
. One such train in 1936 is recorded as having consisted of fifteen Southern Railway
bogie carriages, two K&ESR six-wheeled carriages and a van. The train was hauled by the ex LSWR
Saddleback
No 4. The K&ESRs own stock was generally confined to that system. The Southern Railway refused permission for some of the K&ESRs carriages to be taken to Lydd
in 1947 citing safety reasons. The carriages were required for use in the filming of The Loves of Joanna Godden
.
Tickets were usually issued on the trains, although the K&ESR did not acquire any corridor carriages until 1944. The tickets were printed at Rolvenden. Tickets for other lines under Colonel Stephens control were also printed here.
, opened in 2000.
The railway has had a tempestuous history during its preservation years. A couple of serious financial crises hit the company along with major disputes between the volunteer cohort and their elected board of directors/trustees. On the last occasion during the late 1990s, the company was almost bankrupted. The financial position has improved though as with most heritage railways money is tight.
Within recent years the railway has had to increasingly rely on paid employees to secure its continued operation. Increasingly, as with most heritage railways continued operation has had to rely on special events days to boost income.
The railway has had to wrestle with the legacy of Colonel Stephen's method of cheap and poor construction of the permanent way. As a result, the K&ESR in preservation has sought to update permanent way features such as renewal of culverts and embankments. In 1990, the railway had to remove 200m of railway embankment damaged by badger sets. The line suffers some problems of subsidence outside Rolvenden. This often necessitates the use of speed restrictions to avoid further damage to the line's foundations. However, the reinstatement of the line between Northiam and Bodiam saw most of the permanent way rebuilt to modern standards.
. There is also a Pullman
dining train which has proved extremely popular. At Tenterden Town station can be found the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum, along with a book and gift shop - selling Thomas the Tank Engine gifts, the Carriage and Wagon Department and a cafe that was once the Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd
bus station building from Maidstone
, Kent
. The Railway emphasises the Colonel Stephens' connection as a major factor of its utilitarian heritage. The locomotive works is located at Rolvenden
station and has a viewing platform overlooking the works yard and a selection of former inter-modal shipping containers used for equipment storage. Themed events are run through the year. Some are connected with local history and the Railway whilst, as on other heritage lines, Thomas the Tank Engine
and Santa Specials provide a commercial underpinning to the Company's activities. Railway Experience Days are also offered.
is the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum. This houses a number of exhibits including as a wax dummy of the Colonel, telling the story of himself and his railways. This is a popular exhibit amongst children visiting the museum, many of whom delight in the collection of old railway magazines and timetables. This is telling in itself as Colonel Stephens was renowned for liking children when he was alive.
. It has the aim to restore track and services east from the main line railway station to Bodiam. By 2009, several hundred yards of track have been laid and a platform constructed, as well as an exhibition centre and a tea room and shop. Several diesel shunters are on site. Wagons and coaches awaiting restoration can also be seen. Plans exist for the extension, but this has been hampered by the A21 trunk road crossing the trackbed, the need for some very expensive bridge works and the necessity to purchase the route from landowners. Some landowners have also been naturally resistant to selling agricultural land for railway development.
At the beginning of 2009 about 750 yards (685.8 m) of former trackbed was purchased from just west of Bodiam station to within 150 yards (137.2 m) yards of the site of Junction Road Halt.Work began immediately on restoration and by April of that year the track was laid for engineers train to use or for stock storage. In 2010 a further 150yds of trackbed was obtained and track was laid to the site of Junction Road Halt adjacent to the B2244 (formerly the A229
). The halt was demolished years ago but there are no plans to rebuild it. The first advertised passenger service over this section ran on the weekend of 19/20 March 2011 although services are restricted to occasional gala days only.
Note:
The order of scrapping of the locomotives was 7, 5, 6 (steam railcar), 1, 9, 2 and 8.
. K&ESR locomotives have made visits to the CFBS.
where it is titled the Sussex Border Railway. The Kent & East Sussex Railway is the subject of the poem Farmer's Train by Hugh Bevan, illustrated by Rowland Emett, and published in Punch
issue dated 3 June 1946.
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, as well as a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
currently running on part of the route of the historical company.
Historical Company
Background
By the mid nineteenth century, TenterdenTenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. The South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
had opened its line
Redhill to Tonbridge Line
The Redhill to Tonbridge Line is a railway line running from Redhill, Surrey to Tonbridge, Kent in southeast England. It branches off the Brighton Main Line at Redhill station and, after 20 miles, joins the South Eastern Main Line at Tonbridge station....
from Redhill
Redhill railway station
Redhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 21 miles south of London Victoria...
to Tonbridge
Tonbridge railway station
Tonbridge railway station is a station serving the town of Tonbridge in Kent, England. It is a junction between two important commuter routes; the South Eastern Main Line serving Ashford, Ramsgate and Dover and the Hastings Main Line serving Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, as well as a branch to...
on 12 July 1841. The line was opened as far as Headcorn
Headcorn railway station
Headcorn is a railway station on the South Eastern Main Line serving the village of Headcorn in Kent. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern...
on 31 August 1842 and to Ashford
Ashford International railway station
Ashford International railway station serves Ashford in Kent, England. Services are provided by Southeastern, Southern and Eurostar.International services use platforms 3 & 4, whilst domestic trains use the original platforms 1 & 2, and a new island built when the Channel Tunnel opened...
on 1 December 1843. The South Eastern Railway opened its line
Marshlink Line
The Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway to extend its coast route to Hastings...
from Ashford to Hastings
Hastings railway station
Hastings railway station is in Hastings in East Sussex, England. It is situated on the Hastings Line to Tunbridge Wells, the East Coastway Line to Brighton and the Marshlink Line to Ashford International....
on 13 February 1851.
The third part of the triangle was the line between Tonbridge and Hastings
Hastings Line
The Hastings Line is a railway line in Kent and East Sussex linking Hastings with the main town of Tunbridge Wells, and from there into London via Sevenoaks.-Openings:The line was opened by the South Eastern Railway in main three stages: – :...
which had opened as far as Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells railway station
Tunbridge Wells railway station serves Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. The station and all trains serving it are currently operated by Southeastern. It is located directly on the double-tracked electrified Hastings Line....
on 24 November 1846, Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge railway station
Robertsbridge railway station is on the Hastings Line in East Sussex in England, and serves Robertsbridge. Train services are provided by Southeastern.- History :...
on 1 September 1851, Battle
Battle railway station
Battle railway station is on the Hastings Line in East Sussex in England, and serves the town of Battle. Train services are provided by Southeastern.The station was opened on 1 January 1852...
on 1 January 1852 and to St Leonards
St Leonards Warrior Square railway station
St Leonards Warrior Square railway station is one of four railway stations serving Hastings in East Sussex, England. It is on the Hastings Line and the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southeastern and Southern.- History :...
on 1 February 1852. Running powers over the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
s line to Hastings having been negotiated.
The Ashford - Hastings line had originally been promoted to run via Headcorn
Headcorn
Headcorn is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the floodplain of the River Beult south east of Maidstone....
and Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
, but Parliament preferred the more southerly route. In 1855, a proposed railway from Headcorn via Cranbrook
Cranbrook
-People:* Earl of Cranbrook, title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom** Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook , British Conservative politician** John Stewart Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook , Conservative Member of Parliament...
to Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. In 1864, a proposed railway from Paddock Wood
Paddock Wood
Paddock Wood is a small town and civil parish in the Borough of Tunbridge Wells and county of Kent in England, about southwest of Maidstone. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 8,263, and is the centre for hop growing in Kent.-History:...
via Cranbrook
Cranbrook
-People:* Earl of Cranbrook, title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom** Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook , British Conservative politician** John Stewart Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook , Conservative Member of Parliament...
and Tenterden to Hythe
Hythe, Kent
Hythe , is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway on the south coast of Kent. The word Hythe or Hithe is an Old English word meaning Haven or Landing Place....
(the Weald of Kent Railway) also failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. A proposed roadside tramway from Headcorn to Tenterden suffered the same fate in 1882. In 1877, the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway
Hawkhurst Branch Line
The Hawkhurst Branch Line was a short railway line in Kent that connected Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Horsmonden with the town of Paddock Wood and the South Eastern and Medway Valley lines, a distance of ....
was incorporated, and powers obtained to build the northern section of the Weald of Kent Railway. Powers were obtained in 1882 to extend the line to Hawkhurst
Hawkhurst
Hawkhurst is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. The parish lies to the south-east of Tunbridge Wells. Hawkhurst itself is virtually two villages...
. The line opened to Goudhurst in 1892 and Hawkhurst in 1893.
The Tenterden Railway was the next to be proposed, running from Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
to Hastings via Headcorn, Tenterden, and Appledore
Appledore
-Places in England:* Appledore, Mid Devon, near Tiverton* Appledore, Kent* Appledore railway station* Appledore, Torridge, Devon, near Bideford-Ships and shipbuilding:* Appledore II , schooner based in Camden, Maine...
. 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. In 1898, the proposal was abandoned in favour of extending the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood railway to Tenterden and Appledore. This was abandoned in 1899 as 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.
With the passing of the Light Railways Act 1896
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
a group of citizens of Tenterden, led by Sir Myles Fenton proposed a railway from Robertsbridge to Tenterden - the Rother Valley Railway. Assent was granted to construct the line under the Act. 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 work was overseen by Holman F Stephens
H. F. Stephens
Colonel Holman Fred Stephens was a British light railway civil engineer and manager. During his lifetime he was engaged in engineering and building, and later managing, 16 light railways in England and Wales.- Biography :...
, who was appointed General Manager in 1899 and Managing Director in 1900.
Opening And Growth
The Light Railways Act 1896Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
allowed for cheaper construction methods in return for a speed restriction. The line was authorised to be built with 56 lb/yd rails but was actually built with 60 lb/yd rails. Speed was to be limited to 15 miles per hour (24.1 km/h), but under the terms of the Act was soon raised to 25 miles per hour (40.2 km/h). The line was opened for freight between Robertsbridge and Rolvenden
Rolvenden railway station
Rolvenden railway station is a heritage railway station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway in Tenterden, Kent, in the United Kingdom.- History :...
on 26 March 1900, and to passenger traffic on 2 April 1900. A windpump
Windpump
A windpump is a windmill used for pumping water, either as a source of fresh water from wells, or for draining low-lying areas of land. Once a common fixture on farms in semi-arid areas, windpumps are still used today where electric power is not available or too expensive.-History:Windmills were...
was provided at Robertsbridge to supply water for locomotives. The original Tenterden station, later renamed Rolvenden was some 2 miles (3.2 km) from the town. The first train departed at 7:30 am, carrying some 60 passengers. The lukewarm reception being 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.
With the abandonment by the South Eastern Railway of plans to build the Cranbrook to Appledore line, the scheme was adopted by the Rother Valley Railway. Opposition from the South Eastern Railway meant that the Tenterden to Appledore section was dropped. Authorisation was received in December 1899 to build the Cranbrook and Tenterden Light Railway from Cranbrook via Benenden
Benenden
Benenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the Weald six miles to the west of Tenterden...
to the Tenterden terminus of the Rother Valley Railway, and to extend further into the town of Tenterden itself. A proposal was promoted in 1900 to build a line from Robertsbridge to Pevensey
Pevensey
Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on...
, which was to be worked by the Rother Valley Railway. The East Sussex Light Railway was authorised in 1901. This was a line from Northiam
Northiam railway station
Northiam is a railway station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway. It is located to the west of the level crossing on the A28 road linking the Kentish village of Newenden and the East Sussex village of Northiam...
to Rye
Rye railway station
Rye railway station serves Rye in East Sussex, England. It is on the Marshlink Line 18 km east of Hastings providing a passing place between two single track sections. Train services are provided by Southern. The staggered platforms are linked by footbridge...
. Only the section from the original Tenterden terminus to Tenterden Town
Tenterden Town railway station
Tenterden Town railway station is a heritage railway station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway in Tenterden, Kent, in the United Kingdom.When the railway line first opened in 1900, Rolvenden Station was known as "Tenterden". Its name was changed when the line extended north three years later and...
was actually built of all these schemes.
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
, 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 Tenteden to Headcorn. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway to make up any operating losses, and have an option to purchase the line at any time within the next 21 years from the date of opening. The option was not exercised. A windpump was provided at the Headcorn end of the station. It supplied a water tower located at the Robertsbridge end of the station. In 1904, the Rother Valley Railway changed its name to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway.
Headcorn railway station
Headcorn is a railway station on the South Eastern Main Line serving the village of Headcorn in Kent. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern...
opened to traffic on 15 May 1905. A windpump was provided just outside Headcorn Junction to supply water for the locomotives. In 1904, the Headcorn & Maidstone Junction Light Railway was authorised. This line would have run from Headcorn via Sutton Valence
Sutton Valence
Sutton Valence is a village some five miles SE of Maidstone, Kent, England on the Greensand Ridge overlooking the Vale of Kent and Weald. One of the main landmarks in the village is , of which only the ruins of the 12th century keep remain, under the ownership of English Heritage, open any...
to Tovil
Tovil
Tovil is a civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone, in Kent in the South East of England.It is a mixture of residential and industrial zoning, with an increase in commercial usage towards the centre of Maidstone, and more arable use on the outskirts....
, where running powers over part of the Medway Valley Line
Medway Valley Line
The Medway Valley Line is the name given to the railway line linking and the Medway Towns with and onward to , and London St Pancras International...
would have allowed access to Maidstone
Maidstone West railway station
Maidstone West railway station is one of three railway stations which serve the Town Centre of Maidstone, the County Town of Kent.It lies approximately halfway along the Medway Valley Line from Paddock Wood; from Strood) and train services are provided by Southeastern.- History :Due largely to...
. Only the section from Tovil to Tovil Goods was ever built. The original junction at Headcorn was on the Ashford side of the station. Headcorn was remodelled by the Southern Railway in 1930 to provide two through roads and the junction was then moved to the Tonbridge side of the station.
On the outbreak of war in 1914, the K&ESR came under Government control, as did most railways at the time. It was released from Government control in 1921, and £1,487 in compensation was paid. The K&ESR was not included in the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of the railways into the Big Four
Big Four British railway companies
The Big Four was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923-1947. The name was coined by the Railway Magazine in its issue of February 1923: "The Big Four of the New Railway Era".The Big Four were:...
in 1923, and continued its independent existence.
Grouping And Decline
By 1924, the section from Tenterden to Headcorn was operating at a loss. Correspondence with the Southern RailwaySouthern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
in 1930 led to Sir Herbert Walker
Herbert Ashcombe Walker
Sir Herbert Ashcombe Walker, KCB was a British railway manager.-Early life:Walker was born in London 15 May 1868. He was educated at the North London Collegiate School and at Bruges.-Career:...
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. It should be noted that the Southern Railway were liable to make up any operating losses, as the successor to the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
under the terms of the Act of Parliament for the construction of that section of line.
In 1931, Colonel Stephens
H. F. Stephens
Colonel Holman Fred Stephens was a British light railway civil engineer and manager. During his lifetime he was engaged in engineering and building, and later managing, 16 light railways in England and Wales.- Biography :...
died, and the management of the K&ESR came under the control of William Henry Austen
W. H. Austen
William Henry Austen was a British railway engineer who took over the running of Colonel Stephens' light railways on the latter's death in 1931 until his own retirement in 1948, by which time the lines had either closed due to competition from motor bus and lorry, or became part of British...
, who had been assistant to Stephens for a number of years. In 1932, Austen was appointed Official Receiver for the line. He entered into negotiations with the Southern Railway aimed at disposing of worn out stock and obtaining serviceable replacements. One batch of stock disposed of was valued at £855, but realised only £6 10s 0d. In 1935, the K&ESR purchased a 2 ton Bedford LQ
Bedford Vehicles
Bedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
lorry, and another was purchased in 1936. In that year, the first of the locomotives hired from the Southern Railway arrived on the line, this was P Class
SECR P Class
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway P Class is a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive designed by Harry Wainwright.They were inspired by, and loosely based on, the more successful LB&SCR A1 Class "Terriers" and eight were built in 1909 and 1910. They were originally intended for lightweight...
No. 1556. The whole line was relaid with 90 lb/yd rails in 1939.
When war broke out in 1939, the K&ESR again came under Government control, being placed under the Railway Operating Division
Railway Operating Division
The Railway Operating Division was a division of the Royal Engineers formed in 1915 to operate railways in the many theatres of the First World War...
of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. Rail mounted guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. The line was an alternative supply route to the south coast, and relieved some of the pressure on Ashford. Components for Operation Pluto
Operation Pluto
Operation Pluto was a World War II operation by British scientists, oil companies and armed forces to construct undersea oil pipelines under the English Channel between England and France. The scheme was developed by Arthur Hartley, chief engineer with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company...
were conveyed along the line. With the increase in price for scrap metal during the war, most of the lines surplus stock was scrapped. On 1 January 1948, the line became part of British Railways, Southern Region
Southern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
on nationalisation.
British Railways
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
birdcage carriages were put into service on the line, supplementing the ex London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
carriages. Mixed trains continued to run, but were now provided with a brake van
Brake van
Brake van and guard's van are terms used mainly in the UK, Australia and India for a railway vehicle equipped with a hand brake which can be applied by the guard...
. The line continued to be run as two sections. A proposal was put forward to double the line. Although this was not carried out, the line was again relaid to a higher standard using rails salvaged from the Elham Valley Railway
Elham Valley Railway
The Elham Valley Railway is a disused railway line that runs through the Elham Valley connecting Folkestone and Canterbury in East Kent. It was operational from 1887 to 1947.- History :...
. All ticket stock was withdrawn and new tickets were printed and staffing of stations was increased. This was not accompanied by an increase in passengers and regular passenger services ceased as of 4 January 1954. The final passenger train ran on 2 January 1954 as the line had no Sunday service. It was the 5:50 pm from Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge railway station
Robertsbridge railway station is on the Hastings Line in East Sussex in England, and serves Robertsbridge. Train services are provided by Southeastern.- History :...
to Headcorn
Headcorn railway station
Headcorn is a railway station on the South Eastern Main Line serving the village of Headcorn in Kent. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern...
, composed of six corridor coach
Corridor coach
A corridor coach is a type of railway passenger coach divided into compartments and having a corridor down one side of the coach to allow free movement along the train and between compartments....
es which had been specially brought from Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
for the occasion. Motive power was Terriers
LB&SCR A1 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as...
32655 leading and 32678 at the rear. 32655 was replaced by O1
SECR O Class
The South Eastern Railway O Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway for a number of years...
31064 and 32678 banked the train to St Michael's
Tenterden St. Michael's railway station
Tenterden St. Michael's was a railway station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway which served the Tenterden suburb of St Michaels in Kent, England. The station was situated on the southern side of a level crossing to the south of St. Michael's tunnel, one of the line's main civil engineering...
. The two Terriers then ran back to Robertsbridge with a carriage between them to reduce the weight on the bridges. Double-heading was prohibited between Rolvenden and Robertsbridge.
A service to two freight trains a day was run, with hop-pickers specials running until 1958. Occasionally, the line saw passenger traffic in the form of railtours. In 1957, Class 04
British Rail Class 04
The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting locomotive class was built between 1952 and 1962 and was the basis for the later Class 03 built in the British Railways workshops. The Class 04 locomotives were supplied by the Drewry Car Co., which at the time had no manufacturing...
diesel locomotive 11220 was tried on the line to assess its suitability on the twice-daily freight service. The trial was a success and it and 11223 were the regular locomotives for the final years of operation. The final passenger train over the line before closure was a Locomotive Club of Great Britain railtour on 11 June 1961. The line closed the following day apart from a short stretch at Robertsbridge serving Hodson's Flour Mill, which was relegated to the status of a private siding. This final section of the line closed on 1 January 1970.
Operation
The Kent & East Sussex Light Railway was operated as two separate sections, Robertsbridge - Tenterden Town and Tenterden Town - Headcorn. The extension to Headcorn had been built with heavier rails than the Robertsbridge - Rolvenden section, and thus had a higher axle loadAxle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
ing allowing the use of heavier locomotives. The section between Tenterden Town and Headcorn was largely paralleled by roads, and was open to competition from road transport. 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 first railbus was introduced in 1923. Although these were light and economical to run, they did not provide much in the way of passenger comfort.
Between 1928 and 1933 a through coach was added to the 5:15 pm from Cannon Street to Hastings
Hastings railway station
Hastings railway station is in Hastings in East Sussex, England. It is situated on the Hastings Line to Tunbridge Wells, the East Coastway Line to Brighton and the Marshlink Line to Ashford International....
, which was detached at Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge railway station
Robertsbridge railway station is on the Hastings Line in East Sussex in England, and serves Robertsbridge. Train services are provided by Southeastern.- History :...
and worked on to Tenterden
Tenterden Town railway station
Tenterden Town railway station is a heritage railway station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway in Tenterden, Kent, in the United Kingdom.When the railway line first opened in 1900, Rolvenden Station was known as "Tenterden". Its name was changed when the line extended north three years later and...
. In the hop-picking season, special trains were run to bring the hop-pickers down from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. One such train in 1936 is recorded as having consisted of fifteen Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
bogie carriages, two K&ESR six-wheeled carriages and a van. The train was hauled by the ex LSWR
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
Saddleback
LSWR 330 class
The LSWR 330 class or Saddlebacks was a class of goods 0-6-0 saddle tank steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway. Twenty were constructed by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1876 and 1882....
No 4. The K&ESRs own stock was generally confined to that system. The Southern Railway refused permission for some of the K&ESRs carriages to be taken to Lydd
Lydd Town railway station
Lydd Town was a railway station which served the town of Lydd in Kent, England. Opened on 7 December 1881 by The Lydd Railway Company, it closed to passengers in 1967 leaving the line through the station to remain open for freight.- History :...
in 1947 citing safety reasons. The carriages were required for use in the filming of The Loves of Joanna Godden
The Loves of Joanna Godden
The Loves of Joanna Godden is a 1947 British historical drama film directed by Charles Frend and produced by Michael Balcon. The screenplay was written by H E Bates and Angus McPhail from the novel by Sheila Kaye-Smith. It stars Googie Withers, Jean Kent, John McCallum, Derek Bond, Chips Rafferty...
.
Tickets were usually issued on the trains, although the K&ESR did not acquire any corridor carriages until 1944. The tickets were printed at Rolvenden. Tickets for other lines under Colonel Stephens control were also printed here.
Accidents
- In 1916, Hesperus was derailed when the line was flooded.
- On 9 January 1929, the Ford railmotor was derailed at Junction Road (for Hawkhurst)Junction Road railway stationJunction Road railway station was a railway station in London. The station was opened by the Tottenham & Hampstead Junction Railway on 1 January 1872...
.
- No 7 was derailed at an unknown date.
- On Saturday 26 March 1949 Terrier 32678 was derailed between Northiam and the Rother Bridge working the 5.50pm from Robertsbridge. A month passed before 32678 was recovered.
- 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.
Preservation History
Preservation activities began immediately. Owing, however,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. Extensions followed, notably to Wittersham Road in 1977 and Northiam in 1990. The most recent extension was to BodiamBodiam
Bodiam is a small village and civil parish in East Sussex, England, in the valley of the River Rother near to the villages of Sandhurst and Ewhurst Green. It is home to Bodiam Castle, a small range of houses, a pub opposite Bodiam Castle, and a restaurant...
, opened in 2000.
The railway has had a tempestuous history during its preservation years. A couple of serious financial crises hit the company along with major disputes between the volunteer cohort and their elected board of directors/trustees. On the last occasion during the late 1990s, the company was almost bankrupted. The financial position has improved though as with most heritage railways money is tight.
Within recent years the railway has had to increasingly rely on paid employees to secure its continued operation. Increasingly, as with most heritage railways continued operation has had to rely on special events days to boost income.
The railway has had to wrestle with the legacy of Colonel Stephen's method of cheap and poor construction of the permanent way. As a result, the K&ESR in preservation has sought to update permanent way features such as renewal of culverts and embankments. In 1990, the railway had to remove 200m of railway embankment damaged by badger sets. The line suffers some problems of subsidence outside Rolvenden. This often necessitates the use of speed restrictions to avoid further damage to the line's foundations. However, the reinstatement of the line between Northiam and Bodiam saw most of the permanent way rebuilt to modern standards.
The Line Today
The line today is a tourist attraction in the South East of England. It offers a 10½-mile (17 km) 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 diesel multiple unit. The preserved line runs from Tenterden Town station to Bodiam, within sight of the National Trust's Bodiam CastleBodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War...
. There is also a Pullman
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
dining train which has proved extremely popular. At Tenterden Town station can be found the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum, along with a book and gift shop - selling Thomas the Tank Engine gifts, the Carriage and Wagon Department and a cafe that was once the Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd
Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd
Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd was a bus company based in Maidstone, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Mid and West Kent and East Sussex from 1911 until 1998. The company's surviving operations were absorbed into Arriva Southern Counties.-Early years:In 1908 a hired...
bus station building from Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The Railway emphasises the Colonel Stephens' connection as a major factor of its utilitarian heritage. The locomotive works is located at Rolvenden
Rolvenden
Rolvenden is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village is located on the A28 Ashford to Hastings road, south-west of Tenterden.The settlement of Rolvenden Layne, south of Rolvenden, is also in the parish.-History:...
station and has a viewing platform overlooking the works yard and a selection of former inter-modal shipping containers used for equipment storage. Themed events are run through the year. Some are connected with local history and the Railway whilst, as on other heritage lines, Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
and Santa Specials provide a commercial underpinning to the Company's activities. Railway Experience Days are also offered.
Colonel Stephens Railway Museum
Situated at TenterdenTenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
is the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum. This houses a number of exhibits including as a wax dummy of the Colonel, telling the story of himself and his railways. This is a popular exhibit amongst children visiting the museum, many of whom delight in the collection of old railway magazines and timetables. This is telling in itself as Colonel Stephens was renowned for liking children when he was alive.
Rother Valley Railway
At Robertsbridge, a separate railway preservation effort has been set up by the Rother Valley RailwayRother Valley Railway
The Rother Valley Railway is the original name of what became the Kent and East Sussex Railway. Nowadays, the Rother Valley Railway refers to the ‘Missing Link’ between Robertsbridge, a station on the Tonbridge to Hastings mainline, and Bodiam on the Kent and East Sussex Railway, a heritage...
. It has the aim to restore track and services east from the main line railway station to Bodiam. By 2009, several hundred yards of track have been laid and a platform constructed, as well as an exhibition centre and a tea room and shop. Several diesel shunters are on site. Wagons and coaches awaiting restoration can also be seen. Plans exist for the extension, but this has been hampered by the A21 trunk road crossing the trackbed, the need for some very expensive bridge works and the necessity to purchase the route from landowners. Some landowners have also been naturally resistant to selling agricultural land for railway development.
At the beginning of 2009 about 750 yards (685.8 m) of former trackbed was purchased from just west of Bodiam station to within 150 yards (137.2 m) yards of the site of Junction Road Halt.Work began immediately on restoration and by April of that year the track was laid for engineers train to use or for stock storage. In 2010 a further 150yds of trackbed was obtained and track was laid to the site of Junction Road Halt adjacent to the B2244 (formerly the A229
A229 road
The A229 is a major road running north-south through Kent.The road begins in the Medway town of Rochester at the foot of Star Hill forming a junction with the A2 road. It then climbs up through the built-up area of Chatham, passing Troy Town and Rochester Airport before descending the slope of the...
). The halt was demolished years ago but there are no plans to rebuild it. The first advertised passenger service over this section ran on the weekend of 19/20 March 2011 although services are restricted to occasional gala days only.
Steam Locomotives
Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway.| Origin | Wheel arrangement |
Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorn Leslie Hawthorn Leslie and Company R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:... |
2-4-0 2-4-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels.... T |
No 1 Tenterden. Works number 2420/1899. Bought new for the opening of the line. Withdrawn for overhaul in 1938, scrapped in 1941. | ||
| Hawthorn Leslie Hawthorn Leslie and Company R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:... |
2-4-0 2-4-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels.... T |
No 2 Northiam. Works number 2421/1899. Bought new for the opening of the line. Loaned in 1917 to the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway was conceived and built initially as a tramway to link the three small North Somerset coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead in the 1880s.-Overview:... , returned in 1918. Loaned in 1923 to the East Kent Light Railway East Kent Light Railway The East Kent Light Railway was part of the Colonel Stephens group of cheaply built rural light railways in England. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager... , returned in 1930. In 1937, Northiam starred in Oh, Mr Porter! Oh, Mr Porter! Oh, Mr Porter! is a British comedy film starring Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. While not his most commercially successful, it is probably his best-known film to modern audiences... , filmed on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway The Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway was a railway in Hampshire, UK, opened on Saturday, 1 June 1901, with no formal ceremony.It was the first railway to be enabled by an Order of the Light Railway Commission under the Light Railways Act of 1896... . Last ran on 22 August 1938 and scrapped in 1941. |
||
| London, Brighton and South Coast Railway London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey... (LBSC) |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
A1 (Terrier) LB&SCR A1 Class The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as... |
No 3 Bodiam. Ex LBSC No 70 Poplar. Purchased second hand in 1901. Withdrawn in 1931 but returned to service in 1933 using parts cannibalised from No 5 Rolvenden. Appeared in the film The Loves of Joanna Godden The Loves of Joanna Godden The Loves of Joanna Godden is a 1947 British historical drama film directed by Charles Frend and produced by Michael Balcon. The screenplay was written by H E Bates and Angus McPhail from the novel by Sheila Kaye-Smith. It stars Googie Withers, Jean Kent, John McCallum, Derek Bond, Chips Rafferty... , filmed at Lydd in 1947. Rebuilt to A1X in 1943 To British Rail British Rail British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages... ways upon nationalisation in 1948. Withdrawn in 1963 and purchased for use on the heritage K&ESR. |
|
| Hawthorn Leslie Hawthorn Leslie and Company R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:... |
0-8-0 0-8-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
No 4 Hecate. Works number 2587/1904. Purchased new in 1904. Loaned to the East Kent Light Railway East Kent Light Railway The East Kent Light Railway was part of the Colonel Stephens group of cheaply built rural light railways in England. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager... from 1917 to 1919 to work at Tilmanstone Colliery Kent coalfield The Kent Coalfield was a coalfield located in the eastern part of the English county of Kent.Coal was discovered in the area in 1890 while borings for an early Channel Tunnel project were taking place and the resultant Shakespeare colliery lasted until 1915... . At 53 tons she was too heavy for the lightly laid section from Robertsbridge to Rolvenden and was used occasionally on the northern section. To the Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... in 1932 in exchange for another locomotive and two boilers. Scrapped in 1950. |
||
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... (LSWR) |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... ST |
Saddleback LSWR 330 class The LSWR 330 class or Saddlebacks was a class of goods 0-6-0 saddle tank steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway. Twenty were constructed by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1876 and 1882.... |
No 4. Built by Beyer Peacock Beyer, Peacock and Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966... , Works number 1596/1876. Ex LSWR No 335 and 0335. Obtained in 1932, scrapped in 1948. |
|
| London, Brighton and South Coast Railway London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
A1X (Terrier) LB&SCR A1 Class The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as... |
No 5 Rolvenden. Ex LBSC No 71 Wapping. Purchased second hand in 1905. Withdrawn in 1932, cannibalised in 1933 and scrapped in 1938. | |
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
Ilfracombe Goods | No 7 Rother. Ex LSWR No 282, 349 and 0349. Built by Beyer Peacock Beyer, Peacock and Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966... . Works number 1208/1873. Purchased second hand in 1910 and scrapped in 1939. |
|
| Manning Wardle Manning Wardle Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.- Precursor companies :The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially successful steam locomotive, Salamanca, in Holbeck, Leeds,... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... ST |
No 8 Hesperus. Works number 630/1876. Ex Ringing Rock of the North Pembroke & Fishguard Railway and Great Western Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... No 1380. Purchased second hand in 1914. Nameplates went to a locomotive on the Hundred of Manhood & Selsey Tramway. Last run on 17 March 1939 and scrapped in 1941. |
||
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
Ilfracombe Goods | No 9 Juno. Ex LSWR No 284 and 0284. Built by Beyer Peacock Beyer, Peacock and Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966... . Works number 1210/1873. Purchased second hand in 1914. Dismantled in 1935 and scrapped in 1939. |
Note:
The order of scrapping of the locomotives was 7, 5, 6 (steam railcar), 1, 9, 2 and 8.
Railcars
Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway.| Origin | Engine | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|
| R Y Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... , Wishaw Wishaw Wishaw is a large town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the edge of the Clyde Valley, 15 miles south-east of Glasgow.... |
Steam | Purchased new in 1905. Originally numbered 16 in carriage stock list, later renumbered 6 in the locomotive stock list. Saw little service, withdrawn by 1930 and scrapped in 1941. | |
| Wolseley-Siddeley Wolseley Motor Company The Wolseley Motor Company was a British automobile manufacturer founded in 1901. After 1935 it was incorporated into larger companies but the Wolseley name remained as an upmarket marque until 1975.-History:... |
Petrol | Built as a Wolseley Siddeley motor car. Fitted with flanged wheels and tested on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. Fitted with a body similar to those used on buses and sent to the Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway West Sussex Railway The West Sussex Railway opened in 1897 as the Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway, so named to save having to build the railway to regulations that normally covered railways, later changing its name to the WSR. It closed on 19th January 1935 in the face of intensive road bus competition... and then to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway. Body later affixed to Gazelle to build an inspection saloon and eventually was turned into a lineside hut on the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway. |
|
| Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
Petrol | A pair of railcars. Purchased in 1923 from Edmonds of Thetford Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:... . Bodywork by Eton Coachworks, Cringleford Cringleford Cringleford is a village in Norfolk, England on the outskirts of Norwich. The village is in the South Norfolk local government district but the Norwich South Parliamentary constituency.... . Scrapped c1934. |
|
| Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
Petrol | A pair of railcars. Hire purchased in 1924 from Edmonds of Thetford. Bodywork by Eton Coachworks, Cringleford. Last worked on 27 August 1937 and scrapped in 1941. | |
| Shefflex Lorries Ltd, Tinsley Tinsley, South Yorkshire Tinsley is a suburb of northeastern part of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Its name derives from the Old English Tingas-Leah, which means 'Field of Council'... |
Petrol | A pair of railcars, purchased in 1930. Originally numbered 3 but later renumbered 2. Last ran on 8 March 1938 and scrapped in 1941. |
Hired or loaned locomotives
Hired or loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway.| Origin | Wheel arrangement |
Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... (LSWR) |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... ST |
0330 LSWR 330 class The LSWR 330 class or Saddlebacks was a class of goods 0-6-0 saddle tank steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway. Twenty were constructed by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1876 and 1882.... |
Ex LSWR No 0127. Purchased by the East Kent Light Railway East Kent Light Railway The East Kent Light Railway was part of the Colonel Stephens group of cheaply built rural light railways in England. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager... in 1926. Delivered to Rolvenden and used on the line before delivery to the East Kent Light Railway. |
|
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... (LSWR) |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... ST |
0330 LSWR 330 class The LSWR 330 class or Saddlebacks was a class of goods 0-6-0 saddle tank steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway. Twenty were constructed by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1876 and 1882.... |
Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... No 3334 loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1938 when No 4 was sent to Ashford Works for repairs. |
|
| South Eastern and Chatham Railway South Eastern and Chatham Railway The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
P SECR P Class The South Eastern and Chatham Railway P Class is a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive designed by Harry Wainwright.They were inspired by, and loosely based on, the more successful LB&SCR A1 Class "Terriers" and eight were built in 1909 and 1910. They were originally intended for lightweight... |
Southern Railway No. 1556 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway from 1938-38, No. 1325 was loaned in 1946 and No. 1555 was loaned in 1947. | |
| London, Brighton and South Coast Railway London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
A1X (Terrier) | Southern Railway No. 2655 was loaned from 1939–45, 2678 was loaned in 1940. Nos. 2640 and 2659 were loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway at various dates between 1936 and 1947. | |
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
0395 LSWR 395 class -On the LSWR 1881-1923:The LSWR 395 class was a class of goods 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams as part of his modernisation programme. All 70 were constructed by Neilson and Company between 1881 and 1886... |
Southern Railway No 3440 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1940. | |
| South Eastern and Chatham Railway South Eastern and Chatham Railway The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
O1 SECR O Class The South Eastern Railway O Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway for a number of years... |
Southern Railway No. 1426 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1943. Nos. 1248, 1370 and 1373 were loaned to the Kent & East Sussex railway at various dates between 1936 and 1947. | |
| Great Western Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
Dean Goods GWR 2301 Class The Great Western Railway 2301 Class or Dean Goods Class is a class of British 0-6-0 steam locomotives.Swindon railway works built 260 of these goods locomotives between 1883 and 1899 to a design of William Dean... |
War Department War Department (UK) The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. In 1857 it became the War Office... Nos WD195, WD196 and WD197 were used on the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway between 1941 and 1943 when rail mounted guns were stationed at Rolvenden and Wittersham. |
Passenger stock
Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent and East Sussex Light Railway.| Origin | Number | Type | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurst Nelson Ltd | 1 to 4 | 4-wheel third | Four third class four wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. Bodies used to create bogie carriages in 1906. | |
| Hurst Nelson Ltd | 5, 6 | 4-wheel first | Two first class four wheel carriages were purchased new in 1901 for the opening of the line. Bodies used to create bogie carriages in 1906. | |
| R Y Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... |
1 | Brake third | Built in 1906 using the bodies of two of the Hurst Nelson carriages on a new underframe. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| R Y Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... |
4 | Brake composite | Built in 1906 using the bodies of two of the Hurst Nelson carriages on a new underframe. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| R Y Pickering | 6 | Third | Built in 1906 using the bodies of two of the Hurst Neslon carriages on a new underframe. Sold for scrap on 25 May 1944. | |
| Great Eastern Railway Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... |
4-wheel brake third. | Purchased second hand in 1901. Two compartments plus brake. May have carried No. 2. Duckets later removed and used as a full brake at some point, with handles removed from the doors to the passenger compartments. | ||
| Great Eastern Railway Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... |
4-wheel brake third | Purchased second hand in 1901. Three compartments plus brake. May have carried No. 3. Thought to have become No. 17 on the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway in the early 1920s. | ||
| Great Eastern Railway Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... |
4-wheel first | Purchased second hand in 1901. Four compartments. May have carried No. 5. | ||
| Hurst Nelson | 7, 8 | 4-wheel brake | Supplied new in 1901 for the opening of the line. Could be used on either passenger or freight trains. | |
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
9 | 6-wheel brake third | Purchased second hand in 1905. Scrapped in the 1930s. | |
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
10 | 4-wheel saloon | Built in 1848 by the London and South Western railway for Queen Victoria Victoria of the United Kingdom Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India.... . Exhibited at The Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October... of 1851, Hyde Park Hyde Park, London Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine... . Used as a director's saloon and later as a first class carriage. Sold to the Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... in 1936. Body sold for use as a summerhouse and survived until 1964. |
|
| North London Railway North London Railway The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands... |
? and 15 | 4-wheel brake | Purchased second hand by 1906. One probably carried a number between 11 and 14. No 15 was scrapped in 1948. | |
| R Y Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... |
17 | Brake composite | Purchased new in 1904, seated 46. Used at the opening of the East Kent Light Railway East Kent Light Railway The East Kent Light Railway was part of the Colonel Stephens group of cheaply built rural light railways in England. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager... in 1912 and inaugurated passenger services on that line in 1916. Scrapped in 1948. |
|
| R Y Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... |
18 | Third | Purchased new in 1904, seated 48. Sold in 1909 to the Woolmer Instructional Military Railway where it lasted until 1940. | |
| Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... |
19 | Brake third | Purchased new in 1904, seated 32. Sold in 1909 to the Woolmer Instructional Military Railway where it lasted until 1940. | |
| 17 | Sold for scrap on 25 May 1944. | |||
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
18 | 4-wheel third | Purchased second hand in 1909. May have been a brake vehicle. | |
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
19 | 4-wheel brake third | Purchased second hand in 1909. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| Great Eastern Railway Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... |
20 | 4-wheel brake third | Purchased second hand in 1906. Two compartment brake third. Still in regular use in the 1930s. Body later used as a shed on a farm where it survived until 1964. | |
| Great Eastern Railway Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... |
21 | 4-wheel brake third | Purchased second hand in 1906. Three compartment brake third. Still in regular use in the 1930s. Body later used as a shed on a farm where it survived until 1964. | |
| Great Eastern Railway Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia... |
22 | 4-wheel compsosite. | Purchased second hand in 1906. Built as a first class carriage. Still in regular use in the 1930s. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
2 | Brake third | Purchased second hand in 1932. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as No. 962, a 42 feet (12.8 m) long seven compartment third. Converted c1909 to a five compartment brake third. Renumbered 1934 in 1912 and again renumbered 2640 in 1923. Scrapped in 1941. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
3 | Brake composite | Purchased second hand in 1932. Built by the London and South Western Railway in 1892 as a 45 feet (13.72 m)} tri-composite numbered 486. converted in 1909 to a brake composite. Renumbered 3550 in 1912 and again renumbered to 6413 in 1923. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
4 | Brake third | Acquired in 1936. Built by the London and South Western Railway Ex Southern Railway No. 2684. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
5 | Brake third | Acquired in 1936. Built by the London and South Western Railway. Ex Southern Railway No. 2714. Scrapped in 1948. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
1 | Corridor brake third. | Acquired during the Second World War. Built by London and South Western Railway. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
6 | Corridor brake third | Acquired during the Second World War. Built by London and South Western Railway. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. | |
| Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... |
2 | Corridor brake third | Acquired in 1947. Built by London and South Western Railway. To British Railways on nationalisation and remained in service on the line. |
Freight Stock
Owned by the Rother Valley Railway and/or the Kent and East Sussex Light Railway.| Origin | Number | Type | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurst Nelson Ltd | 1 to 10 | Open wagon Gondola (rail) In railroad terminology, a gondola is an open-top type of rolling stock that is used for carrying loose bulk materials. Because of its low side walls, gondolas are used to carry either very dense material, such as steel plates or coils, or bulky items such as prefabricated pieces of rail... |
Ten open wagons were purchased new from Hurst Nelson. Further wagons were hired from Hurst Nelson between 1911 and 1919. Some of the original ten wagons were hired to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway between 1927 and 1929. Wagons 1 to 6 had been scrapped by 1940, and only two of the other four were still existing in 1946. Other open wagons were acquired second-hand from the Southern Railway Southern Railway (Great Britain) The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent... . These had curved ends. |
|
| 12, also 4 with numbers unknown | Cattle truck Stock car (rail) In railroad terminology, a stock car or cattle wagon is a type of rolling stock used for carrying livestock to market... |
Four cattle trucks were purchased in 1904, and another was purchased in 1928. Three of the five were scrapped in 1935, and a fourth, No. 12 was scrapped in 1944. The fifth passed to British Rail British Rail British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages... ways on nationalisation. |
||
| Great Western Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838... |
24 | Brake van Brake van Brake van and guard's van are terms used mainly in the UK, Australia and India for a railway vehicle equipped with a hand brake which can be applied by the guard... |
In 1906, the K&ESR purchased a Great Western Railway brake van Brake van Brake van and guard's van are terms used mainly in the UK, Australia and India for a railway vehicle equipped with a hand brake which can be applied by the guard... which reputedly dated from 1877. It was scrapped in 1944. |
|
| Midland Railway Midland Railway The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.... |
6-wheel hand operated crane | An 1877-built six-wheel hand operated crane and match truck were purchased c1919. | ||
| RVR No 1 | 4-wheel hand operated crane | In 1904, a 4-wheel hand operated crane was purchased from R Y Pickering Robert Young Pickering Robert Young Pickering was a British industrialist.-Early life:Pickering was born at Railway Cottage, Shildon, County Durham, England in 1849, the eldest son of John Pickering 1823 - 1900 and Elizabeth Young 1828 - 1890. Robert’s father at the time of his birth was classified as a “British... and delivered numbered R.V.R No. 1. An open wagon was converted to form the match truck for this vehicle. |
Non-rail vehicles
The K&ESR owned a number of non-rail vehicles, one of which survives today.- Horse Bus - built in 1902 by W J Mercer, Tenterden Carriage Works. Operated under contract by William Hook & Son until the firm ceased trading in 1916. Then operated by the K&ESR until withdrawn in 1924 and stored. Became British RailBritish RailBritish Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways property on nationalisation. Now an exhibit at the National Railway MuseumNational Railway MuseumThe National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
, YorkYorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
- Horse-drawn van and two drays. The K&ESR acquired a horse-drawn van and two drays in 1916. These were withdrawn in the mid-1930s.
- 2 2-ton Bedford LQ LorriesBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
. One was purchased in 1935 and the second hire purchased in 1936, replacing the horse-drawn vehicles. Both vehicles passed to British Railways on nationalisation.
British Railways
These locomotives worked on the line between 1948 and 1961.| Origin | Wheel arrangement |
Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London, Brighton and South Coast Railway London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
A1 (Terrier) LB&SCR A1 Class The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as... |
No. DS 680 | |
| London, Brighton and South Coast Railway London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... T |
A1X (Terrier) LB&SCR A1 Class The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class have received several nicknames, initially being known as... |
Nos. DS377, 32636, 32640, 32641, 32644, 32655, 32659, 32662, 32670 and 32678. |  |
| South Eastern and Chatham Railway South Eastern and Chatham Railway The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
O1 SECR O Class The South Eastern Railway O Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway for a number of years... |
Nos. 31048, 31064, 31065, 31370, 31390 and 31434 |  |
| London and South Western Railway London and South Western Railway The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in... |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... |
0395 LSWR 395 class -On the LSWR 1881-1923:The LSWR 395 class was a class of goods 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams as part of his modernisation programme. All 70 were constructed by Neilson and Company between 1881 and 1886... |
No. 30576 | |
| British Rail British Rail British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages... ways |
0-6-0 0-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels... D |
04 British Rail Class 04 The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting locomotive class was built between 1952 and 1962 and was the basis for the later Class 03 built in the British Railways workshops. The Class 04 locomotives were supplied by the Drewry Car Co., which at the time had no manufacturing... |
Nos. 11220 and 11223. |  |
Heritage
Twinning
The Kent & East Sussex Railway is twinned with the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme, a preserved railway in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. K&ESR locomotives have made visits to the CFBS.
Culture and media
In the 1924 book A Parcel of Kent by F J Harvey Darton, the railway described is clearly based on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. The railway also appears in the 1940 book Ember Lane by Sheila Kaye-SmithSheila Kaye-Smith
Sheila Kaye-Smith was an English writer, known for her many novels set in the borderlands of Sussex and Kent in the English regional tradition...
where it is titled the Sussex Border Railway. The Kent & East Sussex Railway is the subject of the poem Farmer's Train by Hugh Bevan, illustrated by Rowland Emett, and published in Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
issue dated 3 June 1946.