Enthusiasts Visit Kent & East Sussex Line in 1949
by Ralph Gilliam

First published in issue 99 of The Tenterden Terrier Spring 2006
Reproduced with permission of then-editor Mr P.D. Shaw
and current editor Mr B. Janes

Ralph Gillam recalls the Norbury & London Transport Club’s excursion on 9th April 1949

Leaving Victoria on a dull April day behind Schools class No.30908 “Westminster” on our way to Tonbridge, heads turned to view the engines outside Hither Green depot; surprisingly a G 0-6-0 tank No.259 rested amongst assorted WD 2-8-0s along with a Z class tank No.950. Tonbridge brought a change of trains and we left behind 34080 [“74 Squadron”], this Battle of Britain class engine being just eight months old in marked contrast to our next item of motive power that awaited us at Headcorn.

Here, with its injectors gently singing sat a surprising sight, freshly overhauled and given a new identity stood the former LSWR 0-6-0 0395 class No.3440, now bearing 30576! The cloth-capped fireman, an old K&ESR stalwart, kicked the floor level water lever and the singing injector abruptly ceased its tune, at the same time eyeing our group of about eight enthusiasts; he was obviously not used to seeing strangers in such numbers. The guard busied himself seeing us aboard a dark green coach that had a light green patch that had been hastily applied to cover the letters Kent & East Sussex Railway; the contours of the lettering defiantly showing through this layer of paint.

A handful of regulars had already taken their seats when the guard, with a final look around, signalled to the driver that he was ready to leave; a sharp blast of the whistle and our 66 year-old veteran with its A12 Jubilee class tender and two ex-K&ESR coaches pulled away. The lengthy curved platform receded behind us but there was one more surprise; in a siding amid two foot high grass sat row upon row of wheels! Then we realised – these were the remains of less fortunate items of rolling stock taken over by British Railways the year before and burnt down to the axles the previous summer by apprentices sent up from Ashford Works; the stock being deemed not fit to run on the main line.

As we passed through pretty countryside still not yet awakened fully to the call of spring, it was clear that efforts had been made by the former administration at Tonbridge to smarten up the line in readiness for its takeover by the numerous managers from Waterloo who had descended on the line the previous April. I don’t think they were fooled by the newly painted handrails at wayside stations or the stretches of fresh concrete posts and wire fencing that could be seen on sections of the route.

Frittenden Road saw a little lightening of the grey clouds as the timeless everyday scene of a rural railway was played out. A parcel left, a passenger gained, the time of day passed with a bystander. Then a whistle for the crossing and we slowly passed on our way through fields with distant views of farm cottages and cattle who had seen it all before many times and took scant interest in our progress. 30576 had been “on loan” since 1941 and fresh from its Ashford overhaul was destined soon to sever its connection with the K&ESR, returning in the following January to more familiar territory only to be condemned in December 1950. But here a final fling on passenger workings gave her a chance to amble through the Kentish countryside as we in turn enjoyed a journey of Arcadian delights.

Continuing amid budding hedgerows our progress slowed as prolonged whistling heralded the road crossing at Biddenden Station; here housewives left and joined the train, a few moments passed before we were on our way again. Unbeknown to me at the time the old K&ESR ledgers rested secure in the station loft; rescued after closure they turned up at a Norbury Club auction some 20 years later and I secured them for a nominal sum. They were packed with waybills, correspondence and other interesting ephemera illustrating the life and times of a Colonel Stephens railway station.

More whistling for level and occupation crossings punctuated the journey as the old coaches bounced and swayed along the light rails of the ash ballasted track bed as we came to High Halden Road. The tall double-sided signal post guarded the open level crossing at the platform end stood surveying our train with lofty distain as once again the business of the day was leisurely transacted before allowing us on our way.

Gently curving track brought the train into a cutting that culminated in a short tunnel that the engine acknowledged with a shorter blast of its whistle, then out again and on towards the crumbling platform of Tenterden St.Michael’s Halt. No-one wanted to leave or join the train and speed was picked up again along the short tree-lined curve into Tenterden Town Station.

The bustle of a busy Saturday was much more in evidence as parcels and passengers were unloaded, the little railway was serving its community as it had done for some 45 years; according to the Railway Press of the time the Southern Region had hinted that the future was bright for the former K&ESR. Talk was of upgrading and through route usage but I suspect that reality was beginning to already cast doubts upon these seeds of optimism.

During our wait the unusual presence of a group of enthusiasts – they usually visited only in ones and twos – was acknowledged and we were shown “the Office”. Here many redundant K&ESR items lay about on shelves and in drawers; wagon labels, pre-addressed postcards to Head Office in Tonbridge dated 191-, and the greatest prize of all a porter’s cap with the embroidered lettering K&ESR! All these items were freely handed out to members of our party. I didn’t get the cap but was pleased with the items I did get.

A sharp blast of the old engine’s whistle brought us back to the train and we were soon off down the steep gradient to Rolvenden where we detrained. Here more surprises awaited us. We were given the run of the yard where the fading blue enamel sign nailed to a signal post still proclaimed that it was the Rother Valley Railway’s property “Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted, by order of H F Stephens General Manager”!