K&ESR - Made in Swindon 29th May 2017

7822 Foxcote Manor
Pannier Tank 1638
Class 14 D9504

See http://www.kesr.org.uk/whats-on/icalrepeat.detail/2017/05/29/1358/-/made-in-swindon

According to the loco roster http://www.preservation.kesr.org.uk/locomotive-roster

7822 Foxcote Manor is also operating on 29th and 30th April, 1st, 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 27th, and 28th May.

 

Sounds great. But how soon before someone complains that this isn't proper Col Stephens, or a bad step for the KESR?

 

Or they cannot get the right number for their bear on the advert....

 

For many enthusiasts, the archetypal image of the K&ESR is a Terrier hauling a short rake of pre-grouping stock and thankfully, thist image is one which the railway is keen to perpetuate. Unfortunately, Terriers can't manage 5 Mk 1s and with Robertsbridge on the horizon, bringing with it the prospect of a 28 mile round trip, shunting locos like the Austerities and particularly the outside-cylindered USA tanks aren't ideal either.

It is highly unusual for a heritage line which has been going over 40 years like the K&ESR to have to hunt around for additional engines, but that is the reality of the situation with a further extension on the horizon. I do agree that the Colonel Stephens atmosphere will be compromised by Rolvenden beginning to resemble an outpost of Swindon Works, but with so many GWR engines having survived, in many cases thanks to Woodhams at Barry, it's far easier to pick one up in the open market than a loco from the SR. I guess many of us would rather see Billinton radial tanks or SECR 0-6-0s working the extended K&ESR than Great Western engines, but there aren't any going spare and it's extremely unlikely that one ever will. Having said that, I'm looking forward to 7822's visit and am pleased that two thoroughly beat-up Barry wrecks are going to have a useful new life in preservation only a few miles from my home. Mind you, I'll probably be drawing my pension by the time 5668 steams, but 4253 is coming on very well considering the dreadful state it was in when it arrived.

 

if the K&ESR are having trouble sourcing suitable engines, spare a thought for newer lines! It's in the Stephen's tradition to be picking up whatever locos are available and ,back in the day, this included ex GWR iirc. Both 5668 and 4253 (and def the manor) are a bit bigger than ideal, but they were available. What else is likely to be available given the hoarding that the bigger railways indulge in (their locos, their choice of course).

 

Mind you. someone has pointed out that if the K&ESR was still operating under the Colonel Stephens ethos, motive power would probably be Pacers! (to which I might tentatively add Vivarail converted LT stock.) Still, picking up whatever steam locos are available on the second hand market is certainly in the spirit of the old K&ESR and just in case I didn't make myself clear, I do appreciate the GWR locos on the line and am aware that ex-GWR stock did find its way to the old K&ESR. I was just pointing out that if any SR engines had been available, they would have been more appropriate.

 

LSWR Ilfracombe Goods would be just the job

 

Unlikely since the KESR's first ex-GWR loco, 1380, arrived in 1912 courtesy of Mr. Stephens, even before he became a Colonel.

 

The pannier tank 1638 (as opposed to the Mogul (of the same number!) reminds me of locos of that class being drafted in for the Dornoch branch in the Far North near the end of that line's days. Swindon got far beyond its obvious territory!

 

I'd cleared Monday May 29 on my work rota in the hope the KESR might be doing something a bit special that day after the diesel turns last year that I had to miss, and I'm very glad I did. Haven't been there for a proper diesel run since Tamworth Castle and the Hastings DEMU's spells on the line in the early 1990s, and the Manor up Tenterden bank should be sensational.

 

No matter how many times you read it, it's not until you've published something that the error jumps out at you! I'll amend the typo as soon as I regain access to our website (it's currently being migrated).

 

I suspect, although it's not confirmed yet, that there may also be a chance that day to inspect the progress on 4253....

 

I see the corrected version is now in place.

 

and possibly the progress being made on the Longmoor livered USA tank ? the subject of engines is of course a very relivent subject, of course we all love the Terriers and older engines, but times will have to change, as will the whole ethos of the railway once running to Robertsbridge becomes an reality, thats an extra 6 miles per round trip dont forget, Water and Coaling facilities will be needed at Robertsbridge for sure if we are going to continue to operate tank locos, we will need more coaches, more engines availible for traffic , and to look at the longer term needs and how we meet those needs, my feeling is that at some stage to maximize our potensial Rolvendon will need to seriously look at extending and building bettter facilities a proper paint shop, etc, bringing all engineering under one site to maximize the potensial of the availible staff and voluenteers .

 

IMO once the KESR needs to rely on larger locos to maintain services on a longer railway, the magic will have gone. Hopefully there will still be a place for smaller trains hauled by the Terriers and the likes of Charwelton.

 

i would hope so to, and the 4wheelers, the solution need not be hi tech, a coal wagon positioned next to the run round so the crew can top up the bunker , or a raised coal stage will do the job,

 

The Terriers will still be a very big part of the scenery. Charwelton is now owned by the Rother Valley Railway, who have lent her back to us. She has a very important role for us as the go to engine for "Driver Experience" days. She has (for her size), a big cab, simple controls and isn't overwhelming in terms of size. In fact, when she is out of service, we have to juggle between other engines, with none of them really ideal for it.

The P class is important to us, having worked Hodgson's Mill at Robertsbridge, and is another engine that is loved by crews and passengers alike. I dare say all four engines will have roles when the line extends. As there is a shed proposed at Robertsbridge, there will need to be a coaling facility, so that concern will be addressed.

 

I agree that the smaller engines should have a role, and like you i hope that is the case, but that will be for commercial to make that decision, So getting back to the gala, will the Manor be the biggest engine so far to visit the line? Whilst we may be a light railway in the public perception, our permanent way is i would say better than a lot of our competitors , when compared to what it was in the true light railway days, you wont see any ash ballast ,

 

I think the first thing we need to look at is our sentence length....

 

From the Foxcote Manor Society website : -

7822 Removed from Traffic Pending Maintenance
We are sincerely sorry to announce that Foxy has been pulled from traffic while work is done on some mechanical niggles. Work is ongoing and we apologise to anyone who has been inconvenienced by this but we hope you see her running again soon.
7822 is stored undercover at the Kent & East Sussex Railway while work is undertaken. When we have some dates for her to return we will let you all know.