Bodiam as 32670 pilots a train at Newmill Bridge in October 1985 picture copyright H.Nightingale
 
WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TERRIER TRUST

Preserving the K&ESR Heritage -
The Terrier Trust by Gerald Siviour

First published in issue 84 of The Tenterden Terrier Spring 2001
Reproduced with permission of then editor Mr P D Shaw

In the 1990s the railway had three Brighton Terriers, but none was in working order. Former Rother Valley Railway No.3 “Bodiam” (BR 32670) had lain derelict and boilerless for several years; No.2678 “Knowle”, was a kit of parts lying around the site at Rolvenden; [K&ESR] No.10 “Sutton” (BR 32650) had been withdrawn from service due mainly to the condition of its cylinders.

Terriers have been synonymous with our Railway since its earliest days, for No.3 had joined the locomotive fleet in 1901. Photographs of trains taken right up to closure in 1961 almost invariably feature either a veteran 0-6-0 01 class tender engine [since World War II] working at the Headcorn end or a Terrier at the Robertsbridge end of the line. Many members felt that the Railway was not being true to its roots and was loosing out commercially by neglecting its Terriers. On the initiative of member Tim Stanger, a meeting was held at the Vine Inn on 16th September 1995 to discuss the situation. It resulted in the formation of The Terrier Trust, whose general objective was to safeguard the interests of the Terriers on the K&ESR and in particular to restore the oldest and longest serving, the former No.3 “Bodiam”. We now have over 150 members.

In its BR livery and number 32670 returned to Rolvenden in 1964 following closure of the Hayling Island branch and saw considerable use in the 1970s and mid-1980s in the ownership of Ron and Vic Wheele of Brighton. Eventually they wanted to sell, raising the prospect that the K&ESR would have to renovate the engine and then see it depart to another home. A price of £40 000 was eventually agreed and raising this became the first objective. The scheme adopted was that the locomotive would be jointly owned by The Terrier Trust and the Tenterden Railway Company, each contributing £20 000. A 50% down payment was made to its owners and “Bodiam” passed into joint Trust/Company ownership at a ceremony in the Colonel Stephens Museum on 7th November 1996. The balance was paid by July 1997. The Trust raised its share through donations and subscriptions by members and various fund raising activities such as an annual Pullman Dinner, model railway exhibitions and the organisation of excursions.

It was agreed that restoration of No.3 would be jointly funded by the owners, although the financial difficulties of the TRC has meant that the Trust has had to shoulder a much larger proportion. The new boiler, supplied by Israel Newton, was built as one of a pair, the other being for the Isle of Wight Railway, who also bought “Bodiam’s” old boiler. The Trustees decided to seek a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant and in order to have the necessary survey done as quickly as possible; the chassis was sent to Ian Riley’s Locomotive Works at Bury in Lancashire in August 1997. He estimated the full cost of overhaul and re-assembly at £104 000 and on this basis an application for Heritage Lottery Funding was submitted. Unfortunately, it was rejected on the grounds that several Terriers were working elsewhere and our engine was not therefore unique.

Despite this setback the Trustees decided to go ahead with most of the chassis overhaul at Bury before it returned to Rolvenden for completion. Much of the work has now been done, although not as quickly as we might have hoped. This is because like most othercontractors, Ian Riley has a vast amount of work in hand with a workshop full of engines undergoing overhaul, some with mainline deadlines to meet. Nevertheless we are doing all we can to ensure that our chassis comes back as soon as possible to be united with its new boiler and return to service in the blue livery of the Rother Valley Railway which it carried when it first came to Rolvenden a century ago. In the meantime readers might to look out for a Hornby 00 gauge model of the engine in blue which should be in the shops by June of this year.

                                                * * * * *
Charity No. 1050480

 

Throughout the late 1990s work continued at Rolvenden on the rebuilding of Terrier 2678 (“Knowle”) then owned by Rick Edmondson, and this re-entered service in June [May] 1999 in the SR black livery it carried when on loan to the K&ESR from the 1940s [1940] onwards. Thus our railway was once again graced by a working Terrier, but in October 2000 No.2678 was put up for sale. Although Rick expressed the wish it should stay on the K&ESR and offered it at a preferred rate we still had to raise £80 000 in a very short time. The Terrier Trust therefore led an appeal to all of its members and those of the TRC and Locomotive Trust and the response was quite overwhelming. Donations from thousands of pounds to much smaller sums came flooding in and by late November £73 000 had been donated or pledged. The Trust therefore paid £40 000 and became outright owners of the engine on 27th November 2000; the balance is due on 1st June 2001 ad we are still open for donations if anyone would like to contribute.

Although the increase in passenger numbers since the railway extended to Bodiam has reduced the amount of work for small engines, they still have the capacity to generate income in a way no Austerity ever could. For example on 15th February [2001] No.2678 and a mixed train were chartered by a group of photographers who paid £500 each to the TRC and Terrier Trust and more bookings are in prospect for the summer. It is intended shortly to repaint 2678 into lined BR lined black livery to provide a contrast to the blue planned for “Bodiam”.

* * * * *
Meanwhile in the station yard at Tenterden sits No.10 “Sutton”, now looking distinctly in need of some tender loving care. It is intended that it will receive a cosmetic repaint this year.

Originally purchased from BR in 1964 it was intended for display on a plinth in the centre of the newly created London Borough of Sutton but it is widely felt now that this is no longer an appropriate way of preserving this historic relic. The Trust therefore feels it has a duty to investigate the possibility of guaranteeing its long term future at Tenterden so that money can be spent on restoring it to the working fleet in the longer term. Matters need not stop there for neglected and out of place amongst rows of Canadian engines in a cramped shed near Montreal is the former LB&SCR No.654 “Waddon” still with its A1 smokebox as “Bodiam” was until 1943. Surely it could be found a more appropriate home…

                                    -           E          N          D         -
                                                                                               
Footnotes: 

Again, this article has been slightly edited. “Fenchurch” is presently presented in pseudo-A1 condition on Bluebell; the Terrier actually closest to original A1 condition is No.82 “Boxhill” in the national collection at York

32650 is now being restored on the Spa Valley Railway at Tunbridge Wells

Elsewhere on this website are pictures of the recent cosmetic restoration of “Waddon”

This issue of the magazine featured on the cover one of the finest railway photographs ever taken, let alone on the K&ESR. It was recorded by the renowned photographer and author Mike Esau and features 2678 “Knowle” working round Orpin’s Curve with the special mixed train of 15th February 2001 just before sundown. The side of the train glints a golden glow and the white exhaust hangs perfectly above the train

It is still possible to find new Hornby models of “Bodiam” in the shops but they are now becoming rather scarce.

 

HN-08/12/2006

ART PRINT BODIAM KNOWLE GALLERY NEWS & EVENTS ARTICLES ABOUT US CONTACT HOME LINKS
Content and Images © The Terrier Trust | Webdesign and Graphics © 2005-2007 O.N.C.Design™ All rights reserved.