The Kent and East Sussex Railway is a preserved steam railway which makes for an excellent family…read moreday out. Formerly a classic rural branch line, it has an interesting history and runs through stunning scenery.
History
Plans to link the ancient inland port of Tenterden to the rest of the railway network were made throughout the 19th century, but it was not until 1900 that a line from Robertsbridge (on the Hastings main line) to Tenterden was opened, extended to Headcorn on the Ashford main line in 1905.
The line was built under what was then new legislation as a cheaply engineered 'Light Railway', running along the beautiful Rother Valley past Bodiam Castle to reach Tenterden. The engineer was the famous Colonel Holman Fred Stephens, who built and/or managed some 16 light railways in rural parts of the UK.
The line survived as an independent operation after the First World War which saw most of Britain's railway companies amalgamated into the 'Big Four', but struggled financially from the 1930s onwards. After nationalisation in 1948, traffic ebbed away even faster, and the line was closed to passengers in 1954, and the Headcorn to Tenterden section closed completely. The Tenterden to Robertsbridge section survived until 1961 for freight.
Preservationists fought hard to secure this unique line, which reopened in stages from 1974, to its present length in 2000.
The Route
The line runs from its headquarters in the attractive market town of Tenterden down through the valley of the River Rother to Bodiam, just five minutes' walk from the famous castle. The line follows marshland for much of its length, and part of it is even below sea level!
Tenterden has a car park, shop, cafeteria, carriage shed and a small museum. The next stop is Rolvenden, the original terminus in 1900 and home to the loco shed.
The next stop, Wittersham Road, really is in the former marshlands, and the ditches alongside the railway were once part of a crayfish farm. The line now joins the Rother Valley proper, towards the station at Northiam. This too has a large car park. The line then continues, with fine views of Bodian castle, to the small country station of Bodiam.
Plans are afoot to reopen the section to Robertsbridge, but this is a significant undertaking (with a river and three road crossings to reinstate). The work is being undertaken by the Rother Valley Railway (http://www.rvr.org.uk) .
The railway has an eclectic array of rolling stock: in keeping with its rural background, all but one loco are tank engines, and there are diesel locos and railcars as well. One of the best features is the prevalence of pre-war passenger coaches, including rare pre World War One 4-wheeled main line stock, and some very comfortable former Southern railway coaches from the 1930s.
The railway lays on a number of regular events, including popular 'Thomas the Tank Engine' days, gala days with extra locomotives in steam, and Pullman dining trains - a good excuse to dress up!
Practicalities
There are car parks at Tenterden and Northiam, but not at the other stations, and refreshment facilities, a shop and museum at Tenterden. For information about disabled access and facilities, (including car parking, toilets and trains) see their website.
All in all, this makes for an excellent day out.
