Kent & East Sussex Railway

Water troughs, now thats an idea , As regards lighter coaches, we only have what we have, we do not have the luxury of spare ready to run pre grouping coaches, we do have a large number of vintage coaches, all that if i can be totally honest because of past mistakes have been allowed go to rot and now its questionable if they are economic to repair, and at the same time our commercial business would like to see more on board catering and a second coridoor rake with an RU ,this of course will be a mixed maunsell / mk 1 rake aimed at providing full dining services to attract additional high class dining custom .

 

À propos Austerities, USA tanks and what Colonel Stephens would have done, he bought a hefty shunting tank for the KESR. It was very rapidly found wanting for the traffic demands of a long railway, loaned out to another line in his empire more suited to such a machine and eventually exchanged with the SR for more suitable motive power and a couple of carriages ...

Tom

 

The C&W dept have been slowly working their way through the older stuff. Obviously the main corridor fleet has to be kept fit too. Now that there is covered storage for restored vehicles, they should not need redoing so often and perhaps more can be added to the vintage fleet, but it will of course be a long job.

 

Actually there are alternatives, aimed at the same market at least one of which has proved much more lucrative.

PH

 

You are further down the quasi main line slope than I feared.

PH

 

Wasn't 'Hecate' purchased with a view to hauling trains up the Sutton Valence incline on the proposed Maidstone extension? I don't think it was ever intended for ordinary service between Robertsbridge and Headcorn.

 

Come to think of it, there's a joke in there about Colonel Stephens buying a useless engine for a pie in the sky extension, which suggests that he had more in common with a lot of modern day preservationists than you might think.

I want to make it clear that I'm not talking about 4253 here. I'm thinking more of things like the Plym Valley Garrett.

 

Since your main issue seems to be getting the heaviest trains up Tenterden bank, why not just double head for that last bit on the occasions when a smaller loco is in use? With a diesel if necessary. It seems to me that you're just looking for problems rather than solutions.

 

I think 'on the cusp of' is foreshortening the required timescale somewhat!

Now the axle loading has been upgraded, I would still like to see 1618 actually run on the line it was originally based at. I guess there can't be too many others who remember it in steam in Tenterden yard, as I do.

 

So the KESR intends to become just another railway where a GWR engine pulls a set of BR Mk 1's . I rather think you are losing something unique.

 

That sounds good to me. The GWR 2-8-0Ts are one of my favourites!

 

Some people are as old as you



The motorbike is my BMW R69

 

I have a photo and a short sound recording of it doing just that.

 

The first time i ever went to Tenteden, i can remember seeing the U boat, i must have been quite young , late teens/ early Twenties, i can remember being told she's to heavy for our line, it was back when everything was painted green with black and yellow lining , and chocolate and cream coaches , if i remembered right , i caught a Hastings demu from waterloo east, changed at Tonbridge then a bep from there,

 

I dare say we'd love to, if you're willing to find the extra crews for us, and pay for the additional fuel.

 

Metropolitan carriage no. 353 is on loan to the K&ESR from the London Transport Museum for 18 months https://www.facebook.com/KentandEastSussexRailway/posts/1173108242818454

353 has Colonel Stephens light railway heritage, as it was sold to the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway in 1907.

 

And find the extra staff to carry out the additional wash outs, the repairs , the fact is that we never have a large enough pool of voluenteers, i used to work in C& W , as well as loco, and like everywhere, its hard to find people who want to get their hands dirty, there is only always just enough engines, or coaches, at the moment the only big engine we have is 1638, with charwelton or the Norwegion, both i think are limited to 3 and 4 coaches as the smaller engines, in the next few months hopefully the pannier will be joined by 21, and 25, but ideally 21 should have been out by now, but as ever other needs get in the way, 32678 is having a boiler inspection and retube, to be able to see out the last 2 years of its ticket, 65 is awaiting a full ten year, 32670 also i believe has also reached the 10 year mark, 6619 needs extensive boiler repairs and a full 10 year overhaul, and of course, there is only limited funds availible 6619 was expected to have a fast turn round, but the extent of the repairs has meant a re think, on what comes in once 21 and 25 are out.

 

I've only visited the KESR once, due to the distance involved, but I loved it. The scenery is OK but nothing special, but the things that made it really delightful were (i) the stations (ii) the vintage carriages. There was also a Mk 1 set running behind an austerity, but I opted for the vintage set where possible.

So long as the KESR continues to run its vintage set, I won't be that bothered about the motive power. Obviously I'd prefer a Terrier or a P, but once you're in the carriage it doesn't make that much difference.

I agree that the KESR should not sacrifice too much of its character, but there has to be some compromise. Much as I love the vintage coaches, the Mk 1s are probably more practical for a full length journey with a young family.

Must visit again sometime soon.

 

The times i have ridden the cushions i prefer the vintage stock, but one critism i have is every other coach we have seems to be a brake vehicle, i would love it if we could assemble a complete SECR rake, we have the 2 four wheelers, and one on its way, if its not already done the family saloon, and the birdcage, if we could do another SECR 4 wheeler, and the other birdcage it would be a more uniform rake, oh plus the district, others such as the LMS brake, i do wonder, if we could swop for another SECR vehicle ?we already have the chatham 4 wheelled brake, the birdcage brake, another Birdcage Brake , prehaps on some days we could run a mixed train with a vintage brake , and several wagons, but it would have to have some kind of sponsorship so we didnt lose money on it, most likily in connection with some a photo shoot

 

Would a new-build Ilfracombe (as suggested somewhere above) get 5 coaches up Tenterden bank? If so I hope someone will build it some day though the difficulties of starting up such a project, compared to a rebuild, should not be underestimated.

Locos and coaches will come and go but it is also important to consider the atmosphere of the railway itself.

Tenterden has already become a bit of a catering/retail park, although it somehow retains a good deal of its charm - perhaps because many of the developments have been done piecemeal rather than part of some grand (but bland) plan.

Rolvenden was flattened prior to preservation, apart from the water tank (allegedly containing bits of the steam railcar). Redeveloped as an engineering hub Rolvenden will continue to expand since the company was wise enough to buy some of the surrounding land a few years ago when it became available.

Wittersham Rd is not the original building yet it is potentialy one of the most authentic light-railway station sites since it attracts so few passengers, therefore no commercial considerations.

Bodiam has been deliberately conserved as a light-railway station with just a longer platform and a couple of little huts added, long may it remain so.

Northiam is also relatively unspoilt although with less attention to detail. Every now and then someone suggests it needs a footbridge to link the two platforms but this would ruin it forever.

Not quite sure where my musings are leading really so I'd better stop now. Perhaps the Ffestiniog is a good model for the K&ESR to learn from. This railway's commercial side is as successful as any heritage railway you could think of yet the FfR has managed to retain enough of the charm and character which made the original volunteers want to preserve it.