Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway

Address: P.O. Box 300, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 2DZ
Telephone: 01795 424899 Email: info@sklr.net
Line Length: 2 miles Gauge: 2ft 6 inches
Route: Sittingbourne to Kemsley Down
Service: May 28, 29, 30 / Sundays - trains will only travel from Milton Regis (Asda) Halt to Kemsley Down
Tickets: Adult £4.00, Child £2.00 return
Parking: Asda car park ME10 2PD
Web site: www.sklr.net YouTubevideo location map

Many large manufacturing companies in Britain had in the 1900s their own railway lines, this was a convenient way of transporting raw materials and manufactured goods to a dock or the main line.

In 1867 Edward Lloyd & Co. built a paper mill in Sittingbourne. A 2ft 6 inch narrow gauge railway was constructed from the mill to a wharf at Milton Creek in 1906. At first horses were used on the railway but later in 1908 two 0-4-2ST steam locomotives were purchased from Kerr Stuart.

The facilities at the dock soon became inadequate for the expanding paper company so construction began in 1913 on a new dock on the River Swale. This would be able to accommodate sea going ships. Work on the dock stopped during Word War I so it was not completed until 1919.

A new paper mill opened in 1924 to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for newsprint after the War. Situated at Kemsley between Sittingbourne and Ridham, this was the largest paper mill in Europe. Further locomotives and rolling stock were purchased to run on the railway which operated 24 hours a day.

The Bowater Group took over ownership of the paper mill in 1948. Further expansion in the 1950s culminated in the railway having 13 locomotives and 10 miles of track, including sidings. Although mainly used for moving pulp and newsprint, the railway also provided a passenger service, carrying employees to the paper mill.

Consultants were appointed in 1965 to access the viability of the steam railway. They concluded that it would be more efficient and cost less to use a fleet of lorries. Bowaters accepted the findings but decided they would like part of the line to continue as a preserved railway. Contacts were made with the Locomotive Club of Great Britain in 1969. The Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway (SKLR) was formed. Two miles of track, three 0-4-2ST and three 0-6-2T steam locomotives were donated to the new organisation.

In 1986 Bowater sold the paper mills, there have been a number of owners since then. Paper production ceased at the Sittingbourne mill although at Kemsley it still continues, this is now owned by St Regis Paper.

After December 26 2008 no further public trains ran. Negotiations began with all the interested parties with a view to securing the long term future of the SKLR. No passengers were carried in 2009 although in 2010 a limited service operated to celebrate 40 years of preservation.

Passenger services start again on May 28 2011 from Milton Regis (Asda) Halt to Kemsley Down. Unfortunately in the time the railway has been closed the vandals and metal thieves have done their worst at Sittingbourne Viaduct station. It will therefore be some time before the volunteers can get the station in a condition suitable for the public.

Six steam locomotives are at the SKLR they are three Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST called 'Premier', 'Leader', 'Melior' and three Bagnall 0-6-2T named 'Apha', 'Triumph', 'Superb'.

Spa Valley Railway

Address: West Station, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
TN2 5QY
Telephone: 01892 537715
Email: enquiries@spavalleyrailway.co.uk
Line Length: 5½ miles Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Route: Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge
Journey Time: 30 minutes
Service: March 31 / April 1 - October 28 Saturdays & Sundays / April 5, 6, 9, 12, 13 / May 7 / June 7 - August 30, Thursdays / June 4, 5, 8, 15, 22 / July 27 / August - Fridays, 17 / September 6 / October - Saturdays & Sundays / November 1 - 4 / December - Saturdays & Sundays, 7, 31 •
Tickets: Tunbridge Wells to Eridge Adult £10.00, Child £5.00 Tunbridge Wells to Groombridge Adult £8.00, Child £4.00 unlimited travel on day of issue
Parking: Pay and display car parks in Tunbridge Wells (not owned by railway). Free parking at High Rocks Inn TN3 9JJ. No parking at Groombridge station
Website: www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk YouTubevideo location map

Tunbridge Wells West Station: Refreshments, gift shop, model railway, Victorian engine shed.

Groombridge Station: Refreshments, picnic tables

Eridge Station: Connection to the main line

The East Grinstead, Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells Company was granted approval in 1862 to construct a railway in an eastwards direction from East Grinstead to Tunbridge Wells. While the route was being built the company was acquired by the Brighton and South Coast Railway. Only built with a single track it was not expected to be an active line. Opened on 1 October 1866 there were stations at Forest Row, Hartfield, Withyham and Groombridge. Tunbridge Wells West station was impressive terminus, complete with a clock tower. In later years Groombridge became a busy station serving lines from four directions.

On 2 January 1967 the route from Three Bridges to Groombridge closed to passenger traffic. Diesel electric mutiple units were used to continue the service between Eridge and Tonbridge. Trains went via Groombridge to Tunbridge Wells West, through the tunnel to Tunbridge Wells Central to terminate at Tonbridge. Closure for the Groombridge to Tunbridge Wells West line came on 6 July 1985.

A preservation society was formed with the aims of operating the route as a preserved railway. After a long hard struggle they were rewarded when they acquired the line in the early 1990s. The Spa Valley Railway (SVR) was the name chosen for the railway. No trains were run until winter 1966 when a ½ mile stretch opened. By August 1997 there was a passenger service over the three miles of track to Groombridge. There is an extension to Eridge which is complete all that is required is the red tape with Network Rail to be finalised.

Tunbridge Wells West station has lost the elegant buildings with only the platforms left. Fortunately the original Victorian loco shed is still intact and used by the railway. At Groombridge the SVR could not raise the funds to purchase the station buildings so a new station has been built.

The extension to Eridge became operational on 25 March 2011. Services to Eridge are usually hauled by steam engine one way with diesel operating on the return journey. Most off peak services run to Groombridge only and are hauled by steam locomotive.

At present there are three resident steam locomotives in working order at the SVR they are No.47493 LMS 'Jinty' 0-6-0T, No.62 RSH 'Ugly' 0-6-0ST and No.3135 TKh 'Spartan' 0-6-0T.

Further photographs of the Spa Valley Railway can be found in the Photo Gallery

Kent and East Sussex Railway

Address: Tenterden Town Station, Station Road, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HE
Telephone: 01580 765654 Email: enquiries@kesr.org.uk
24 Hour Talking Timetable: 01580 762943
Line Length: 10½ miles Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Route: Tenterden to Bodiam Journey Time: 50 minutes
Service: February 11, 12, 14 - 19 / March 18, 24, 25, 31 / April 1 - October 28 Saturdays & Sundays / April 2 - 6, 9 - 13 / May 7, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 30, 31 / June 6 - September 27 Wednesdays, Thursdays / June 4, 5, 8, 26 / July 10, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 / August - every day / September - Tuesdays / October 29, 30, 31 / November 1, 2, 11 / December - Saturdays & Sundays, 24, 31 •
Tickets: Adult £15.00, Child £10.00, Family £42.00 (2 adults and 3 children) unlimited travel on day of issue
Parking: Large free car park at Tenterden, Northiam has parking, no parking at other stations
Website: www.kesr.org.uk YouTubevideo location map

Tenterden Town Station: Gift shop, refreshment rooms, play area, carriage and wagon workshop, picnic area, Colonel Stephens Museum (extra charge).

Rolvenden Station: Locomotive workshop and viewing area.

There were a number of previous attempts to build a line to Tenterden before Colonel Tom Stephens proposal for the first light railway in 1897. The Rother Valley Railway as it was called ran from Robertsbridge to Rolvenden, it opened in 1900. Tenterden was not reached until 1903, two years later the line extended to Headcorn. At this time the name was changed to Kent and East Sussex Railway (KESR). Ambitious plans were agreed in 1906 to extend the railway further from Headcorn to Maidstone. Land was bought but the funds required to construct the line could not be raised so the project was abandoned and the land sold off.

The KESR was not part of the grouping in 1923 and continued to be an independent company. As an economy measure petrol engined railbuses were introduced. Colonel Stephens died in 1931, a year later the railway became bankrupt. A receiver was appointed and the KESR continued operating a further sixteen years. During World War II there was an increase in activity when the line was requisitioned.

In January 1948 the KESR became part of British Railways. A survey of the track and rolling stock showed both were in poor condition. Even so a passenger service continued up to January 1954 with goods being carried until complete closure in 1961.

A preservation society was formed just before the line closed. There was a thirteen year struggle with many impediments put in their way by British Rail and the Ministry of Transport. The only brick building on the railway was Tenterden station. Considering closure to passenger traffic had taken place in 1954 it was not surprising that the wood and corrugated iron buildings at the other stations had gone.

After a great deal of work, trains ran again in 1974 from Tenterden to Rolvenden. On 16 June 1978 the line was extended to Wittersham Road station. By 1990 seven miles of track had been laid to Northiam. The present terminus at Bodiam was attained in 2000 as a Millenium Project.

The following steam locomotives are operational No.3 LBSCR 'Bodiam' Terrier 0-6-0T; No.32678 LBSCR 'Knowle' Terrier 0-6-0T, No.753 SECR 0-6-0ST, No.14 Manning Wardle 'Charwelton' 0-6-0ST; No.65 Maunsell SR USA Class 0-6-0T, No.23 Hunslet Austerity 'Holman F Stephens' 0-6-0ST; No.24 Hunslet Austerity 'Rolvenden' 0-6-0ST; No.1638 GWR 0-6-0PT plus a number of diesel locomotives and DMUs. The collection includes 'Terrier' class engines which would have worked the line in the early years.

Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

Address: New Romney Station, New Romney, Kent TN28 8PL
Telephone: 01797 362353 Email: enquiries@rhdr.org.uk
Line Length: 13½ miles Gauge: 15 inches
Route: Hythe to New Romney Journey Time: 1hr 5mins
Service: February 21 - 27 / March - Saturday & Sunday, 28 - 31 / April 1 - October every day
Tickets: Adult £15.00, Child £7.50, Family £39.50 (2 adults and 2 children) unlimited travel on day of issue
Parking: Large car park at Hythe station CT21 6LD, parking at Dymchurch TN29 0PJ, New Romney TN28 8PL, Dungeness TN29 9NB
Website: www.rhdr.org.uk YouTubevideo location map

Hythe Station: Refreshments, souvenir shop, refreshments, locomotive turntable.

Dymchurch Station: Refreshments, souvenirs, picnic tables.

New Romney Station: Refreshments, souvenir shop, engine shed, children's playground, picnic tables, model railway.

Dungeness Station: Refreshments, souvenir shop, picnic tables.

Count Louis Zborowski ordered two locomotives from the Colchester works of Davey Paxman. Unfortunately he was killed in a racing car accident in October 1924. A close friend, J.E.P. Howey, a wealthy landowner took over responsibility for the two engines. The idea was to have an express dual track miniature railway serving a popular tourist area with properly equipped stations and all run to a published timetable.

The locomotives had been designed by Henry Greenly and he was commissioned to find a suitable area for the new railway. A route was chosen from Hythe to New Romney in Kent, it was ideal with easy gradients to allow for high speed running. After some opposition the Light Railway Order was granted in May 1926.

Work progressed on the 8¼ mile of dual track and railway construction. Meanwhile orders were placed to Davey Paxman for five more locomotives which were delivered in time for the official opening on 16 July 1927.

Howey decided to extend the line to Dungeness, permission was granted on 12 July 1928. Two extra locomotives were required because of the extended line, these were built as Canadian Pacific 4-6-2's they came into service in 1931.

During the war the government took over the line using it to run troop trains and transport materials. One of the trains was armour plated and fitted with guns. When the railway was returned to Howey's hands there was a great deal of restoration to be done including relaying the track to Dungeness. It was decided the extension to Dungeness would be single track only.

When J.E.P. Howey died in 1963 the railway was in a run down state. The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (RHDR) was purchased by two bankers in 1964, they sold it after four years to a group of twenty one local businessmen. Restoration of the track, carriages and buildings was made but this left the finances in a dire state. Attempts were made to sell the railway with no interested parties coming forward, so closure was threatened. This brought matters to a head with W.H. McAlpine of McAlpine Contractors pledging interest in the line. In 1972 the new owners took over, major expenditure was made to bring the line back to a high standard.

Even though the line is a quarter size everything else is built to a one third scale. There are 11 steam locomotives which date from 1925 - 1937 they are No.1 'Green Goddess' 4-6-2; No.2 'Northern Chief' 4-6-2; No.3 'Southern Maid' 4-6-2; No.4 'The Bug' 0-4-0; No.5 'Hercules' 4-8-2; No.6 'Samson' 4-8-2; No.7 4-6-2 'Typhoon'; No.8 'Hurricane' 4-6-2; No.9 'Winston Churchill' 4-6-2; No.10 'Dr. Syn' 4-6-2; No.11 'Black Prince' 4-6-2 and two diesels. The engines are capable of pulling twelve carriages at speeds up to 25mph, which is equivalent to a scale speed of 75mph.

A visit to the RHDR is an excellent day out for adults or children, a trip on 'The World's Smallest Public Railway' is always memorable.

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