Rother Valley Railway

I would wait for the next edition of the Tenterden Terrier.............

 

Also, the document is from the company's point of view. 5668 is owned by a separate company, and the overhaul is likely to start once 4253 is back in one piece.

 

Didn’t hear any complaints about a certain 4-6-2’s visit last year…

 

I can't wait - hoping it's good news for all the above locos.

Yes indeed - I know some 5668 components've already been worked on when there was time in between 4253 commitments.

 

Track Survey Number 5. https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2024...qNOY6FEodYnwW3Hwyfli6JUjn5zYXLNGgZ2qzNGorQiek

Including Austen's Bridge, which appears to be in a poor condition from the photograph.

 

And following this another blog entry with images of the clearance work at Bridge 6 which is by The Clappers/North Bridge Street.

 

If there are no plans to overhaul 1638 why was it sent down to Leaky’s in Devon?

 

I believe the repairs were planned, but on dismantling the level of work needed was greater than planned. Therefore it will wait for additional funds.

 

It’s been lifted off it’s wheels but doesn’t look as if anything else has been done

 

The photographs certainly pose a lot of questions- what is the nature of the dumped concrete, and what did it once comprise?
It appears that at some point in the recent past, 2 web sections of the plate girder beams have been flame cut from the bridge, and dumped on the trackbed immediately west of it. These are visible in the foreground of the 360° picture. The question (which I perhaps shouldn't be asking on a public forum, but it's the only place available) is why?
Also, 2 of the drone shots show the (apparent) removal of the waybeams on bridge 25, which was evidently not done by the RVR, and it looks as though a haul road was constructed for this purpose.
Am I the only one getting an uncomfortable feeling from some of this?

 

Did you also notice the statement "Images 19-30 are deliberately withheld."? I'll make no comment about what that might mean...

 

It is rather concerting, though, if the railway is finding bridge girders removed, and some permanent way infrastructure damaged. would that have any impact on the price the landowners get under the CPO powers? can the landowners, once the land is claimed, under CPO powers, legally remove superstructure belonging to the railway track bed? or others, with, or without consent of the landowner?

 

With regard to Images 19-30 being withheld I was somewhat puzzelled since the numbers for these images do not appear on the 'index' pictures. We can only speculate as to where these are and what they show.

There was a window between the approval of the TWAO and it being made which would have given opportunity for the Bridge Beams to be removed. The damage to Austen's Bridge was reported on this forum last year - My understanding is that it is repairable in situ.

Earlier pictures show that this portion of trackbed has been fenced and I assume that there is CCTV along this route. Image 13 shows some plant working I assume for RVR. This implies that there is a right of access over Moat Farm land for access.

 

I can feel a conspiracy theory coming on.........

 

There are a couple of new posts on the RVR blog over the weekend. The most recent concerns Bridge 25 - click HERE - there are pictures of the remaining abutments and of the replacement Bridge spans along with some interesting text.

 

Ref the last picture, can see the can of WD40 and what appears to be a Crow Bar but can't help thinking that big hammers and Gaffa Tape are missing from the picture..

 

Plus a dropped work glove and a life expired wire brush

 

Well spotted!

 

But what's the car body on the top of the container?

 

Looks to be fibreglass, so a kit car body of some description, minus its front end but i don't recognize what make it might be, but it's quite distinctive with those rear flares,