32678 Basks in May Sunshine

Knowle looked absolutely magnificent in the somewhat unseasonal mix of sunshine and showers, 22 May; weather more akin to mid-April than late May.

The little Terrier hardly emitted a noise drifting along Rother Straight with the 1150 from Tenterden Town, formed of the five coaches of the Vic-set – sorry, vintage train. This was in marked contrast to the racket from Wainwright a few minutes earlier working the first service train of the day back from Bodiam.

Just under an hour later 32678 drifted into Northiam Station, passing No.25 Northiam about to work the lunchtime Pullman out to Bodiam. Just for once, the sun behaved itself admirably. These two engines are famous in K&ESR revival history for having worked the reopening train out of Bodiam, now over five years’ ago. How time flies.

Observed blowing off at Rolvenden, the pocket-rocket breezed up the Bank in characteristic style, storming over Cranbrook Road crossing with barely a trace of exhaust. Terrier Trust member and Online Video proprietor and cameraman Wilf Watters was on duty there; thanks Wilf !

Transferring to the environs of Newmill Channel for the afternoon, it was soon apparent how much oil seed rape there is in parts of the Kent countryside this year and how luxuriant the countryside is likely to be this year. Only with the returning 1315 round trip did the sun co-operate and coincide with breaks in the undergrowth.

So it was back to Rolvenden to view the return of Knowle on its second trip. The scene was somewhat tempered by increased high cloud but there was opportunity for photographs whilst water was taken from the crane opposite the signal box.

It was great to see the current star of the K&ESR fleet back in service. If we can find out when Knowle is running we will try to post it on the web-site; high resolution JPEG files no bigger than 0.5 MB may be emailed to terrier78@freeUK.com for inclusion in our gallery.

HN-23/05/2005