Rother Valley Railway

I suspect that RVR have paid maybe with a small discount. The transport would not have been cheap.

 

Most probably to just wave a flag and say we still produce rails

 

Spot on right! Mike

 

A station update on the blog Station Building -32.1 Late Aug update | RVRailway News. Good to see the scaffold down and door and some window in. A way to go yet with internal fitting out to be done. An important part of the project which is very visable to the public..

 

Getting close to the station buildings finish

https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2025/08/station-building-32-late-aug-update.html

 

It's looking superb. However, I can appreciate the costs involved in achieving such a look.
Trevor, I note your comments regarding the still to be built carriage and engine sheds, and the costs inherent, particularly in regard to materials; "no one wants to see a farm building construction where a heritage brick building should be".
Or should it?
Without ever having seen any artist renderings of the proposed buildings, in my own minds eye, I had pictured them to be simple steel framed constructions, finished in a Colonel Stephens style, ie corrugated cladding, although using suitably coloured or painted (ie. buff) fibre cement, rather than galvanised steel. Of course, any doors or windows would still need to be in appropriate period style.
I'm figuring that something like this has probably been considered at some stage, but just thought I'd stick my oar in and mention it, as it does seem to have the dual advantage of being both cost-effective and reasonably authentic.

 

Network Rail's work to stabilise their mainline railway embankment at Robertsbridge are nearing completion. One of a whole series of embankment and cutting repairs going on along the railway between Hastings and Tonbridge. With those works complete the 300m long headshunt siding used to access the old bay platform siding, and over to the RVR site, will then be re-commissioned so enabling much longer trains to get over onto RVR metals, and ultimately to Tenterden. RVR has been pleased to provide its land, where the new loco shed will be built, for N rail use as a base camp for their embankment repair works. Progress with that is pictured on the RVR Blog page at:

https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2025...zAR7wLvMmJt6fzm2t2_aem__xMO0h9RV0AWiWnYb2OI5Q

 

Blog updated with further progress with the station building. Station Building -32.2 Late Aug update | RVRailway News Looks like all the windows are in now. I suspect that the 'First Fix' will be taking place soon.

 

Robertsbridge (RVR) Station looks really fantastic, especially when you think, there was never a separate station for the old RVR, Hopefully the time will be here soon, when I can get a train from St Leonards Warrior Square, get off at Robertsbridge, cross the car park, and board a train for Tenerden

 

I believe Colonel Stephens always regretted not having a separate station at Robertsbridge, as he resented having to pay the South Eastern & Chatham/Southern Railway for the use of their platform.

 

Didn't the original RVR build part of the existing station? I am sure I was told that by one of the volunteers on a visit to the station.

 

The station building at Robertsbridge predates the RVR by some 50 years, being designed by William Tress in that distinctive Italianate style shared by several other stations on the line, notably Wadhurst and Stonegate, each with those characteristic round-topped windows and flattened gables, a style quite out of fashion by 1900.
I can't honestly think what else the RVR could possibly have contributed, unless they had something to do with the original footbridge?

 

Stephens also thought the SE&CR were overcharging for water from their tank used by K&ESR engines and installed a wind pump feeding a water tank near Northbridge Street level crossing.

 

Getting those repairs done along the way. Bridge 25 (2011) Bridge 24 as of TWAO)



https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2025/08/bridge-25-27-repair-installation-of.html

 

What a stunning picture!

If my memory serves me right, while helping with the extension to Bodiam I heard of a sudden 2ft high flood wave from Robertsbridge going down the valley, and that the farmer had to jump on the (3ft high) railway embankment to escape. That sort of event is what this bridge, over what seems to be nothing at all, is meant to alleviate.

 

Update on the update, with the 2nd span going in:
https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2025/08/bridge-25-272-repair-installation-of.html?m=1
That's an impressive operation. Also a very expensive one. I hope that some of this can somehow be clawed back.

 

Having just made a donation to the rebuilding fund, may I make a suggestion?
You may find that donors will be more motivated if they can target their funds more specifically, eg,
Station building fund, carriage shed fund, engine shed fund, etc. rather than the slightly amorphous extension fund as currently is?
There is a psychological effect to knowing that your hard-earned is being targeted, rather than just going into a general "pot".
Personally, I would have liked to have sponsored the creation of decorative barge boards on the southern gable end of the station building, which currently looks rather plain, but there was not an option to do so.
Do you see what I mean?

 

Would I be right in thinking that the next stage will be to put in the drainage, build up the embankments to the same hight as the bridge, and allow everything to settle, before proceeding on to the next bridges? or will they go in, then the entire formation built up, leaving the formation ready for bottom ballasting before track laying can start sometime next year, after the level crossings are in of course.

 

Although I am not involved with the RVR directly, I will pass that on.

 

I assume that the walkway will be added later.