Kent & East Sussex Railway

NNNoooooo, BR lined black and all associated trimmings or it will be pistols at dawn.

Oh, but could we make that late morning rather than dawn please?

Takes a while for everything to be in the right place and working after I get up these days. And I may use that meet-up to test out how well I can sprint . . . . .

 

What was wrong with the old one?

 

Knowing Nick as I do, it is going to be a damn good read.

 

I've just looked at the timetable page https://kesr.org.uk/timetable/ . Most days have either a green or an orange timetable, but there are multiple green ones and multiple orange ones, with different numbers of trains. How can anyone tell which applies on any given date?

 

Only by clicking on the date they want to travel which then links to the right timetable. I think the colour coding is maybe superfluous.

 

Well, that's perhaps the most ridiculous public-facing timetable I've ever seen.
Supposing that I wanted to visit on a day with maximum train rides available and wasn't fussed which day this was... I would just give up and go somewhere else.

 

I notice that a 6 train orange day (say Aug 20) which has a train at 08:45 and the box says "Steam hauled trains in operation" is if you drill down to the full 6 train orange timetable a diesel service.
I was impressed that they were operating what must be the earliest regular stem departure (until I saw they are not).

I agree sets the bar higher (or lower?) for confusing heritage lines websites, although plenty of competition these days for that, when 10 years ago they were all so clear. I guess that this what happens when you let I.T. people near these things.

 

Meant to add this when it got published but forgot.

The latest issue of The Bluebell Times has an interesting KESR photo in the "on this day" section. It shows O1 class 31064 hauling a break down train over the line, in April 1954 - three months after closure! The circumstances are in the caption, but in brief, there was a need to move the Ashford crane to Robertsbridge for p/way works, and due to the restriction son the Hastings line tunnels, it went via the KESR, by then closed. The northern section, as far as Rolvenden, was behind the O1, but beyond that the weight limits precluded that loco, so it was taken forward by a Terrier - 32655 (ex-"Stepney") being used on the return working at least.

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/issue-68.pdf, page 20

Tom

 

The lack of loco roseter is also a bit frustrating, altough I appreciate that the railway has other priorities. Having said that, the K&ESR is the only member of the "Southern Six" which doesn't provide one. I have been particularly keen to find out when loco 76017 is working and it is proving difficult to get an anwwer. The very pleasant lady who answers the phone suggested that it wasn't working over Easter but suggested I e-mailed operations for a further update, which I did, but haven't had a reply. If anyone from the K&ESR who frequents this forum could post an update on when this loco is next scheduled to be in use, I'd be most grateful.

 

I've virtually given up with the K& ESR due to the lack of loco information. Sad as I too would like to see and photograph 76017 a fair bit more. Maybe the Spa Valley, Bluebell or Mid Hants will have it for an event or even a week or two before long.

Or the K&ESR will have another event where it is shown in advance to be running. As in 2024 where, largely due to the lack of loco roster information I made my first visit in 14 years for an event they ran. As opposed to another of my more local SR railways, the Spa Valley Railway, where I made 28 visits in 2024 - they give excellent information about loco rosters etc. As do the Bluebell, and to an extent the Mid-Hants. Plus, a bit further away, the Swanage Railway. And all of those, to some extent, have individuals who give information here, sometimes in excellent detail.

However, the K&ESR continues to operate on what I personally call a 'non enthusiast' visitor basis.

But whatever basis they consider they operate is of course 100% down to those running the railway, and not on a basis that pleases me!

Bryan

 

Fortunately for heritage railways, there are *lots* of enthusiasts who aren't so fussy about exactly which loco appears on which train each day.

Just being there, seeing the locos in action and appreciating the time and dedication which has been put into making it happen.

 

Agreed. And I also agree I am fussy - very fussy.

Although I view that more as being very focussed on those things I am interested in; which I guess defines who I am and how I have chosen to live my life.

That doesn't mean I don't appreciate what goes into keeping all heritage steam locomotives in action, because I do. But I choose to spend my time and money where my narrow focus points me.

Bryan

 

Under *your* radar perhaps.

Try not to generalise too much from your own particular likes and dislikes.

Anyway, there are plenty of "little" heritage railways who happily operate without being the centre of online forum criticism.

 

But anything that could bring an extra visitor or two to the railway is not a bad thing surely? a quick post on social media is all it takes.

 

A bit of an over reaction, there have been plenty of good posts on KESR, but the what train is running is a recurring comment by several people,our main concern is whether steam is running and which trains when we want to visit, and that is the whole family not just me. Had some delightful runs in the past on the railway. But we are only down in that area once a year and have to choose 2 or 3 max out of the 4 main ones during that time, so what is running when can decide the choice often.

Sent from my SM-A556B using Tapatalk

 

Can’t agree that it’s under the radar, hardly a day goes by without Robin Coombes posting on social media about what’s going on. I don’t know how he gets on with the volunteers but he appears to be what our railways need, a businessman who is also a railway enthusiast. As another example, loom how the Severn Valley has come back since the last MD resigned.

 

I think 'under the radar' was spot on from @Big Al

Whether we like it or not, we are now in a world where businesses, very much including heritage railways; large and small, rely to a considerable extent on making the best possible use of, in it's widest sense, social media.

And that has resulted in their existing and potential customer base expecting that use of social media for those products and services they are interested in.

Which means that because of very regular reports on Nat Pres, accompanied by useful links and commentary, I know a great deal more about what is happening down at the 'Rolvenden End' than I do on the operations of the K & ESR at the 'Other End'. That is what social media does.

But the K & ESR have their own business model I am sure. And all those who work and volunteer there must be happy with it, and I do wish them every success with running that historic railway on whatever basis they choose.

Bryan

 

Nail hit firmly on the head!

Most of my heritage line visits are just for photographing specific locos and not travel. But I always buy a full day or event ticket (or make an equivalent gift aided donation), and always try and buy my day's supplies from the railway. And I will also send a gift aided donation for anything that is above my expectations for the day - including social media help in advance. And I doubt very much I am alone in doing that.

All for 'a quick post on social media' as 92 Squadron has just posted.

Anyway. My heritage railway plans for Easter are the Bluebell Railway - @Jamessquared has provided a lot of help here on Nat Pres, along with some really excellent Bluebell website links for enthusiasts. All acted on in the knowledge that last minute changes can and do happen.

Bryan