The Rother Valley Railway (RVR) is a heritage railway project based at Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. Credit: Richard Crease/Alamy Live News. The final passenger train ran on 2 January 1954. Making tourism here more accessible to people who don't have cars is very important. It would wreck part of our farm, chopping fields into narrow pieces that we can't farm properly. It partially reopened as a heritage railway where the public can enjoy journeys at 25mph on old steam locos and diesel trains 13 years later, running for ten and a half miles from Bodiam to Tenterden. Only the section from Tovil to Tovil Goods was ever built. Mr Hoad, 67, who runs it with wife Lynn and sons Tom, 38, and Will, 34, said: 'We feel angry at having our land taken from us against our will for what can only be termed a vanity project. The proposal to build this road was the major reason preventing the acquisition from British Railways of this section of the railway by the Tenterden Railway Company in the 1960s, and the railway land was subsequently sold off to local farmers. Still in regular use in the 1930s. 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(then known as the Rother Valley Railway) was opened in 1900 from Robertsbridge on the S.E.R. The carriages were required for use in the filming of The Loves of Joanna Godden. The preserved railway has had a tempestuous history, with two financial crises and disputes between the volunteer group and their elected board of trustees. The decision follows requests from Highways England and the Office of Road and Rail for additional traffic impact studies to be carried out into the effects of installing a crossing on the A21, at Northbridge Street, East Sussex, which would be needed to build the extension. The battle was however lost; in 1913 105,000 passengers were carried; by 1919 the figure had dropped to 85,000; and to 68,000 in 1922. The line was an alternative supply route to the south coast, and relieved some of the pressure on Ashford. The extension to Tenterden Town opened on 15 April 1903. Nos. Purchased secondhand in 1932. Southern Railway No. / 51.5687; -0.2269. In 2012 a plan to reconnect the RVR to the national railway network once more was announced, and this connection opened in 2016. They're spending a lot of money at the Robertsbridge end, renewing bridges, building a station and other buildings. Two compartment brake third. Then operated by the K&ESR until withdrawn in 1924 and stored. The next stage now is to seek the required Act of Parliament to secure the final go-ahead for construction of the missing two-mile link to begin. Hastings line to a temporary terminus, later named Rolvenden, near Tenterden. Motive power was Terriers 32655 leading and 32678 at the rear. [1], By the mid 19th century, Tenterden was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. ', Neighbouring 440-acre Parsonage Farm has been in Andrew Hoad's family since the 1880s. What's for dinner? Indeed in the provision of steam heating it was in advance of many main lines. The railway emphasises the Colonel Stephens connection as a major factor of its utilitarian heritage. The South Eastern and Chatham Railway, seeking to relieve themselves from building the Tenterden Railway, entered into an agreement with the Rother Valley Railway for the latter to build and operate the line from Tenterden to Headcorn. The line continued to be run as two sections. 1556. Kent & East Sussex Railway No 15 was scrapped in 1948. Simultaneously the South Eastern & Chatham (SE&CR), decided to rid itself of an obligation to build its long envisaged line to Tenterden. A previous attempt by rail preservationists to take over the missing Bodiam to Robertsbridge section was quashed in 1973. Access to the current KESR is largely made by private car or coach, so the railway would help reduce traffic movements on local rural roads. Ci sono 5 modi per andare da Ardingly a Rye in treno, bus, taxi o in macchina. In 1900, the Kent & East Sussex railway was built from Tenterden to Robertsbridge giving access to the main line for the rural villages. The Kent & East Sussex Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1961 following closure of the line by British Railways. Purchased secondhand by 1906. Heady ideas of commanding enough finance to build lines to Rye, Cranbrook and Pevensey, all authorised over 1898-1900, together with Maidstone in 1905-06, faded. Families accuse steam railway of trying to grab their farm land Some are connected with local history and the railway whilst, as on other heritage lines, Thomas and Santa specials provide a commercial underpinning to the company's activities. [15], The Kent & East Sussex Light Railway was operated as two separate sections, Robertsbridge - Tenterden Town and Tenterden Town - Headcorn. 78 schoolchildren, along with Sir Myles Fenton, Holman F Stephens, and other dignitaries. The first advertised passenger service over this section ran on the weekend of 19/20 March 2011, although services are currently restricted to occasional gala days only. The initial plan was to work towards operating brake van rides on the site, but progress was slow due mainly to lack of funds. The Rother Valley section continued for goods with one morning and one afternoon service. Published: 22:00, 11 May 2018 | Updated: 22:36, 11 May 2018. In 1935, the K&ESR purchased a 2-ton Bedford LQ lorry, and another was purchased in 1936. In 1904, the Rother Valley Railway changed its name to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway. The route from Tenterden to Bodiam is 10.5 miles. From 2009 to 2010 the RVR with help from K&ESR and volunteers were able to complete the 1 mile (1.6km) extension westwards from near Bodiam station, through Quarry Farm, to the B2244 (Junction Road). Kent and East Sussex Railway. Purchased secondhand in 1905. The remaining landowners have additionally expressed concern and RVR fully appreciates that a railway crossing their farms represents some disruption. Rother District Council granted planning permission last year. Purchased secondhand in 1909. In that year, the first of the locomotives hired from the Southern Railway arrived on the line, this was P Class No. But opponents fear it will leave an 'ugly scar' on the landscape, harm wildlife habitats and destroy the area's tranquillity. The final passenger train over the line before closure was a Locomotive Club of Great Britain railtour on 11 June 1961. 1426 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1943. Built by the London and South Western Railway. Purchased by the East Kent Light Railway in 1926. The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the light railways operated by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer. A scuffed copy of the Koran. The Kent and East Sussex Railway refers to both a historical private railway company in Kent and East Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company. The order of scrapping of the locomotives was 7, 5, 6 (steam railcar), 1, 9, 2 and 8.[7]. classicsworld.co.uk, TILT Digital Agency WordPress Designers and Developers in Kent. On 1 January 1948, the line became part of Southern Region of British Railways on nationalisation. The railway also appears in the 1940 book Ember Lane by Sheila Kaye-Smith, where it is titled the Sussex Border Railway. These locomotives worked on the line between 1948 and 1961. Purchased secondhand in 1909. The K&ESR acquired a horse-drawn van and two drays in 1916. Number 107 in the K&ESR stocklist. Once that is secured we will be working towards a spring 2019 target date to finish the work.. Kent & East Sussex Railway This was the quintessential Stephens' light railway and was always the heart of his empire. The preservationists wanted to reopen the line through to Robertsbridge, but were refused permission by the then Transport Minister Barbara Castle to take over the section between Bodiam and Robertsbridge, despite taking the Minister to the High Court. The two Terriers then ran back to Robertsbridge with a carriage between them to reduce the weight on the bridges. The latter section was lifted and became abandoned in the mid 1970s. Most of the permanent way between Northiam and Bodiam has now been rebuilt to modern standards. The Great Robertsbridge Train Robbery: Families accuse railway line stealing their farm land for a 7million extension project using a compulsory purchase order allowing companies to buy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Trains first ran again on the Kent & East Sussex Railway on 3 February 1974 between Tenterden to Rolvenden, the line gradually being restored and extended in stages, reaching Wittersham Road in 1977, Northiam in 1990 and finally Bodiam on 2 April 2000, exactly 100 years to the day since the original opening of the line to passengers. This was a line from Northiam to Rye. The railway has cited improved public transport links from passengers on the main-line Charing Cross to Hastings route to access the heritage route to Tenterden, currently the largest town in Kent without a railway connected to the main line. kent and east sussex railway extension to robertsbridge Those behind the current bid by the Rother Valley Railway, or RVR, argue it will attract an extra 50,000 visitors annually and add 4.1million a year to the local economy. Work began on restoration and by April of that year the track was laid. By 2013, much of the new Robertsbridge layout was in place including new track and most of a new full-length station platform. The Kent and East Sussex Railway is a preserved steam railway which makes for an excellent family day out. Supporters include Tom Lewis, the owner of Morghew Park Estate in Smallhythe Road, who described the heritage K&ESR line that already crosses his land as "a responsible and co-operative neighbour". Built by London and South Western Railway. On 16th March, 1903 the existing Tenterden station was renamed Rolvenden and the line extended 1 miles to a new terminus at Tenterden Town. The first train departed at 7:30 am, carrying some 60.2 passengers. Southern Railway No 3440 was loaned to the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway in 1940. 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. A: Woolwich Arsenal Railway: 3-plank dropside open Obtained from the Woolwich Arsenal Railway in 1964. 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. Fitted with a body similar to those used on buses and sent to the, A pair of railcars. The Tenterden to Robertsbridge section survived until 1961 for freight. [4] Stephens attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army (TA) in 1916 and was subsequently known as Colonel Stephens. This has now been installed (Spring 2023). Emma Ainslie, 45, and her husband Alexander, 45, who own Moat Farm in Robertsbridge in East Sussex, Rother District Council granted planning permission last year but, crucially, the two families whose farms would be crossed by the line do not want to sell their land to RVR. RM 2FMJAE2 - Tenterden, UK. For some, there is no finer sight than a locomotive in full steam chugging majestically through the glorious English countryside. It aims to restore track and services east from the main line railway station to Bodiam. By the 1950s passengers were no longer carried on the line and . In the late 1990s, the company was almost bankrupted but avoided administration due to an error in the bank's loan agreement. General agricultural traffic could be considerable, but was very seasonal. Kent and East Sussex Railway: 12-ton flat Built in 1926 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at Newtonheath as a Banana Van. BBC's 1million star Zoe Ball, 52, lands big new payday for Abba show on ITV. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Kent & East Sussex Railway - Kent & East Sussex Railway . Trying to find the right nursery, school, college, university or training provider in Kent or Medway? Bekijk de beste plekken om te bezoeken in de regio en plan je volgende avontuur vandaag nog. One of RVR's directors is Richard Broyd, who founded Historic House Hotels. Later it was able to achieve charity status, and is led by the Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust. Still in regular use in the 1930s. Purchased secondhand in 1906. [2] A public inquiry took place in the summer of 2021, and the Secretary of State's decision on the order is expected to be given when the inquiry report has been submitted. May have carried No. 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. RM E0YC0N - Robertsbridge Junction, the future terminus of the Kent and East Sussex Railway now being constructed at Robertsbridge station. RVR applied to the Secretary of State for a Transport and Works Act Order on 19 April 2018. Kent and East Sussex Railway | Railway Trips in Kent - Visit Kent The K&ESR was not included in the grouping of the railways into the Big Four in 1923, and continued its independent existence. By June 2012, this further extension was also completed. This is approximately a .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}2+12 miles (4.0km) long section. Most of these will be from the Kent & East Sussex Railway as this is one of my personal specialties, but other lines will be included where possible. The use of compulsory purchase orders on farmland needed for the new track has even been branded The Great Robertsbridge Train Robbery by campaigners.