Rother Valley Railway

An excellent video. Thanks for posting, Mike.

Thinking ahead to the proposed reopening date of Easter 2028, I couldn't help thinking of the contrast between the sunny weather at the time this video was made and the weather on the last occasion an extension to Sussex's rail network was opened to passengers - in this case just before Easter 2013. On the day the first public trains ran from Sheffield Park through to East Grinstead, it snowed!

Incidentally, there is a highly amusing glitch in the subtitles to the video. When talking about the National Trust's enthusiasm for the environmental benefits of people being able to travel to Bodiam Castle by train, it mentions the resultant reduction in "carbon visitors" as opposed to "car-borne visitors"!

 

The subtitles are auto-generated by YouTube (if you have the "CC" button clicked) - so not the fault of the producer of the video. For an automatic system they are quite good, but from time to time you do see such howlers as you noticed!

Tom

 

Trip on the Kesr today busy services and lots of happy passengers which hopefully will help to swell the coffers!

Sent from my LGN-NX1 using Tapatalk

 

A large group of updates on the extension (both the crossing, and elsewhere):

• Section 5c - 1 of 2 - End Jul '26 activity
• Northbridge Level Crossing - 4 - The rails go in
• Bridge 24 - 32 - Prepping the ballast wall extension
• Section 5c - 2 of 2 - End Jul '26 activity

and also a grouped update:

K&ESR's overall project update

with links to a number of videos:

• Opening overview
• Level Crossings
• Embanking the A21
• Water tank provision
• Network rail connection
• Locomotive & Carriage sheds - Fundraising
• Benefits of the connection

Noel

 

Readers with an interest in laying track on a prepared formation may find this video of particular interest.

Our contractor Andrew Wood invested in this hydraulically operated/laser guided leveling plate to achieve a near millimetre perfect formation top. Gone are the days of laying out sleepers only to find when you put the rails in some of the sleepers are a bit low and have to be crowbarred up to touch the foot of the rail before they can be clipped in place. Enjoy. The video is at:



Mike

 

What is the Black materiel? Road Planings / Tarmac?
How thick 150mm ?
Do you relay on top?
Does it need a pass with a wacker plate or a roller?
How do you place the next load of material? Does the excavator drop the levelling plate and change to bucket?
The beacon being low is it more at risk from being struck?

 

On the GWSR Broadway extension we levelled the original trackbed, then ferried out ballast from a central point with two big dumpers. A JCB then levelled the ballast piles, on terram, to 8 ins high. We tried a laser attachment to the JCB, but our operator found that too complicated, and used the MK1 Gloucestershire eyeball.
Sleepers were laid out in fours, then 60ft rail. Clipping up on the slightly uneven ballast bed wasn't too bad, we had sleeper lifter tools for clipping up any low ones.
The two miles were then welded to CWR.
We did have various issues, but not related to the ballast bed.
Andrew 's equivalent on the GWSR was Stevie Warren, who saw the extension open, but who sadly succumbed to cancer shortly afterwards, in the prime of his life.
Chirpy Stevie is much missed, so we named our RRV after him

 

Having first checked with our engineers I hope the following reply to your questions is helpful;

1. What is the Black material? Road Planings / Tarmac? RVR: The material purchased is Type 4 sub-base.

2. How thick 150mm ? RVR: Correct. C150mm

3. Do you relay on top? RVR: Yes. Track is assembled directly on the finish leveled sub-based material. At a later date the track will be ballasted by train and lifted up through that stone with a tamper to provide the normal under sleeper ballast depth. Then to finish finally tamped to level and alignment. A method that has proved to have work very well for K&ESR on the 3.1/2 mile long section of line from Northiam to Bodiam laid 26 years ago.

4. Does it need a pass with a wacker plate or a roller? RVR: We use a roller - Seen parked in the background on the video.

5. How do you place the next load of material? Does the excavator drop the levelling plate and change to bucket? RVR: The video shows the end of sub base laying on that day. If you look at the video closely not far behind the excavator is an unfinished ditch across the railway where a culvert pipe is being built. What you would normally see would be the subbase material laid out in advance over a long ish lenght to a little greater than finished height using an excavator with a bucket ready for the leveling device to subsequently finish the job.

6. The laser beacon being low is it more at risk from being struck? RVR: Yes probably if you're clumsy!




Mike Hart

 

Thanks for the reply.
Having worked with Laser Dozers and other Controlled plant and equipment, some of my queries are points that I have met on Network renewals.
One point I meant to ask, Can you use the method with steel sleepers?
As the sleepers will bite down into the material by about 35 - 40mm.

 

Mike, thanks for that reply, absolutely loaded with information. It's the first time I've seen type 4 used as a sub-base.

 

Thanks Mark.

Perhaps we ought to call that type 4 sub-base (the black material) 'finishing sub-base' - as there is lots of traditional stone below that along with a sheet of Terram under that?

Kind regards

Mike Hart

 

Another post reveals that work on the crossing moves on: Northbridge Level Crossing - 5 - Early Aug '26

It looks like the re-opening of the road, across a very good-looking crossing, is now not far off.

Noel

 

A further blog update here - I expect that track laying will commence here shortly

 

From what I hear, mid-September is the next scheduled p/way session.

 

Mark

Its

One P Way week in third week August

The two P Way weeks in mid September

Mike

 

Sh. Thanjs

Ah, thanks Mike. I was going off one individual contact.
This is going to be fun!

 

Hi I was lucky enough to have visited Robertsbridge yesterday, managed a quick look around the level crossing site (outside the fence-line ) and then on to the station. So glad to have seen it all, in the flesh as it were, there is a lot going on there. Big thanks to the the member of staff, sorry I should have got your name, who took a very small group of us on a guided tour of the turntable and engine shed site, very interesting and informative. Keep up the good work and I look forward to the opening.