Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

They returned in early January.

 

The following is a copy of an email I have just sent to our volunteers, and is a great piece of news from the Spa Valley Railway.

"Good evening, everyone,

I have some extremely good news that I am delighted to pass on. I've just got off the phone with Stewart Robinson, the Managing Director of Sonic Rail Services (SRS) and the owner of Class 33/2 33202 'Dennis. G. Robinson, BR Standard 4MT 80078. Both locomotives have visited us on several occasions, starting way back in 2014.

Aside from the usual conversation about life, the world and railways, Stewart took me by great surprise to say that Sonic Rail Services is gifting all the recent track work, materials and labour costs for the track that SRS replaced at Broom Lane to the Spa Valley Railway. The machines, track, and material costs total approximately £60,000; this enormous saving and generosity cannot be underestimated, and I was taken aback by his and Alex Robinson's kindness. This gift also extends to the Volker Rail tamper, which Stewart arranged through SRS. The cost savings for this and the work it did were in the thousands of pounds range, slotting into the tampers' extremely busy mainline schedule.

I've personally had the pleasure of knowing Stewart for around 12 years, and he is a preservationist through and through. Always available on the phone and a person to call upon for anything infrastructure or railway-related. This isn't the first time he has supported our railway, and I am sure it won't be the last. He is taking a look at his yard tomorrow for a new set of points to help rectify the infrastructure issues we currently have with the platform line points at Tunbridge Wells West!

I am sure you will all join me in passing this enormous thank you to Sonic Rail Services, and long may our relationship continue.

Kind regards,

Jonnie Pay
General Manager
Spa Valley Railway"