Rother Valley Railway

These blog entries have been updated with additional pictures.

There is a new post with progress on the work on Charwelton.

 

New from the RVR is a report showing the progress we made this week. Was far better temperatures to work in though Tuesdays rain reached parts you never knew could get wet!! We are back laying track next week. https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2026/09/section-5b-track-laying-1.html

 

Would be good to see a video of the track laying in action. Perhaps a speeded up version ?

 

They're busyy making another 360m
https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2026/09/section-5b-track-laying-1.html

 

It is all looking good. I do have one question I hope someone can answer: assuming they can keep up the 360-meter track relaying each week, how long will it be before they run out of trackbed?

 

Patience! Track laying is generally one week per month, not every week. You ask when our wonderful K&ESR volunteer P Way team will run out of trackbed - the construction programme anticipates we run out of trackbed on which to lay any more track around early autumn 2027. Mike

 

Thanks, Mike, for that. For some reason, I had it in my mind that the rapid amount of progress was due to track laying happening every week; glad to be corrected.

 

The pace is really set by civil engineering (bridges/ drainage/ embankments to be rebuilt, coupled with accessibility. Thats why its being done in a particular order, rather than sequentially.

 

Hi Mark, I get that, but comparing it to other railway projects, the reconstruction appears to be lightning fast and, to be honest, most welcome. I do hope to be about in the next couple of years to go for a ride from Robertsbridge Junction all the way to Tenterden and back in the next couple of years

 

From what I've seen of other projects, like the Bluebell's regular replacements, the track laying itself is pretty quick - the time consuming bit is preparing the bed for it to go on, getting it all smooth and at the correct attitude, working out the alignments etc - though that's now become a lot faster too thanks to the introduction of laser measuring equipment.

 

Some time ago Baguley Drewry railcar 9129 was purchased for use on the extension. It’s a lightweight vehicle considered capable of transporting up to 14 people to a worksite over newly laid track. Here’s a blog entry from last year.
https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2025/07/baguley-drewry-railcar-1.html?m=1

The latest Facebook update from the 4253 loco group includes minor works & inspections carried out at Rolvenden in preparation for the move to Robertsbridge.

 

What a useful bit of kit!