Kent & East Sussex Railway

In the absence of a loco roster on the website, if you are at any point able to advertise when either 2678 or 76017 will be in service, that would be most appreciated - and I know that Brian aka @The gricingowl would appreciate this too!

 

It is often announced on the railway's social media. Unfortunately, the guy who makes the decisions on which locos run is so far up to his unmentionable in alligators that he just doesn't have time to publicise anything. I will ask if there is another way round it, or even if we can get a Shed cam or two (webcams have been mooted before). I know it's frustrating if you want to visit, but want to catch a certain engine. I can honestly say there have been times where if the Rolvenden staff had taken time out to advise the rest of the railway what was due to be running, we might not have been running at all!

 

It would be helpful also to say at least whether the train is steam or diesel. Most railways with the published timetable at least indicate this.

 

For the reasons I have detailed previously, we haven't always been able to do that.

 

That does sound rather odd - dare I say disorganised. What with planned maintenance, number of steaming days and boiler washouts, the roster needs to be planned some time in advance. And even if things do go to rats and the plan changes, with a steam loco needing hours of prep (firelighting, coaling etc) then it should be possible to send a single email to the main office or to make a single facebook post, both of which take seconds to accomplish while the steam pressure builds. Most other railways seem to be able to do this....

 

While I take some of your points, I think you are over simplifying things. While our steam availability was low, something as simple as a broken spring, found by the driver on checking after the loco has long since been lit up, has necessitated the use of diesel. The person who makes the decisions isn't necessarily there at that time of day, if he is due to work that day at all. Rolvenden is not the modern offices we are so used to, where an email or teams message can be pinged in seconds. If no-one who has computer access there is in, then nothing is going to happen.

As an aside, I used to help staff Tenterden platform. On one occasion I went to Rolvenden first, to see an Austerity nearly ready to come off shed, two Terriers also in steam, and a further Austerity with a warming fire in it. I went up the hill, and advised what engines were on that day. After a longer than usual delay, the engines that turned up to run the day's service were the two Terriers, towing the second Austerity, which was having it's fire made up as it came up! There are no guarantees in any of these things.

 

The theory should be that the A set is steam unless something has gone wrong, while the B set is often diesel hauled, or the class 108.

 

Never did get any reply, so why have a contact email.

Sent from my SM-A556B using Tapatalk

 

From KESR Facebook page...

"After a brief holiday in Devon Marcia is returning home. For the last 61 years the 101-year-old locomotive – one of the smallest operational standard gauge locomotives in the UK – has called the Kent & East Sussex Railway home. Originally donated to the K&ESR, the engine was subsequently sold to member Richard Beckett. Following the owner’s passing in 2023 the engine was offered for sale and has now been jointly purchased by K&ESR driver Andy Hardy and Rapido Trains UK.
We look forward to welcoming Marcia home soon and seeing her back in traffic. To find out more about the locomotive please visit www.peckett1631.co.uk"

 

That is wonderful news, as far as I'm concerned Marcia is as much a part of the K&ESR as anything that 'The Colonel' was invoved in, and has spent 60 per cent of 'Her' life under K&ESR auspices.

 

I know Marcia is small but I hope Rapido didn't think it was N-gauge Wonderful news.

 

I would love to see the three 'Petite Peckets'§ working together.

Sadly it seems we are doomed to only have one serviceable at a time.

Maybe "Rapido" could create a common chassis in 00 scale, which could have three bodies for the three full-size locos. Then they could all run at the same time?

(§ P1900 aka 'Flying Bufferbeam', P2012 'Teddy', and P1631 'Marcia')

 

...... and she doesn't look all that different to the first (and last) time I saw Marcia at Rolvenden in July 1967.
Ray.

 

The new owner has commented on Facebook:

"We have some plans for the next few years including a plan to repaint the engine into its original livery as delivered from the Atlas Works. If we can find some Peckett loco buffers they would also be a great improvement over the BR type that is currently fitted.
If anyone has any photos of Marcia during her service life in Matlock, Scotland or Manchester I would be delighted to see them.
Oh and if anyone has any Peckett headlamps they are willing to part with please drop me a line..."

 

If Marcia is in traffic now then you could have 2 together in traffic soon - Teddy's owner has posted on Facebook they are anticipating Teddy will steam again early next year

 

Completely agree with this, steam engines can be tricky beasts. However, hopefully these are rare occasions and normally things go smoothly. So it would seem a pity not to post engine rosters because of this rare occurance. Appreciate (but surprised) that they don't have internet access, but surely they have a phone?
I'll say no more, its a great little railway that is getting better. Communications with the public will no doubt be one of those areas they want to improve in the future.

 

How many of the travelling public are *that* fussed about which loco is pulling their train?

Also, someone having a phone with internet access at the shed doesn't mean that they have access to post info on the website or a forum. Also, if they're having probkems with getting a loco ready, they probably have other priorities than saying "x loco is replaced by Y".

 

Mr Doodle: Kent artist to doodle over entire train carriage - BBC News

 

It's not just travelling public that contribute to heritage railways. I know I am not alone in always buying a rover or event ticket when I visit any heritage railway just for photography. Or, in the case of the Spa Valley Railway Polar Express last year, make gift aided donations as tickets for casual visitors only wanting to do lineside photography were obviously not available.

And, with the KESR one of my three local heritage railways, an example of what the lack of a loco roster does for me can clearly be seen in the visits I make, compared to the Bluebell and Spa Valley Railway that do have loco rosters. In the last year I have been to the Bluebell 9 times, and to the Spa Valley Railway 26 times. As for the KESR with no loco roster, I have been twice in the last 14 years.

It isn't a case of just ringing on the day to try and find someone to tell me what is running. Seeing a loco roster a few days in advance helps me plan my heritage line visits to fit in with other activities.

Just my two penn'orth. Or, in the case of each of the two local heritage railways that have loco rosters, just my several hundred pounds worth.

Bryan B.

 

It’s the same for me, sadly not many do as you and I do when out on a photo day. When I went to the G &W gala they seem very surprised that someone would want to make a donation and had to search out a gift aid form.
A telephone enquiry to another big league heritage line got a rather rude and unhelpful response. A rather silly attitude, I know the majority of linesiders give nothing back but I could have been the millionaire who was going to make a big donation.