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WELCOME
TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TERRIER TRUST |
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Your closing paragraph in Number 6, Vol.8 of The Farmers Line calling for correspondence has inspired me to put pen to paper. You ask for thoughts and criticisms, so for criticisms first. Congratulations on your Open Day to celebrate “Bodiam’s” Centenary. I hope it was successful from the organisers point of view. I for one enjoyed my visit immensely, and I was encouraged to see so many other supporters present. At 15p admission was excellent value; would anyone have objected to another 5p or 10p Car Park charge (I would not) and it would have raised quite a few extra pounds. The sight of “Bodiam” and her colleagues making full steam across Wittersham marsh may have been very impressive and photogenic, but the REAL K&ESR was never like that. With respect, this, for me, was the “prostitution of steam for the benefit of the camera” I first travelled on the K&ESR in 1943, and in those days real travellers were the passengers, not enthusiasts. Whilst I welcome Steam Preservation Societies and fully agree with and admire their efforts, I also regret that the young enthusiasts of today will never feel the same atmosphere which pervaded the real thing. So much for well-meant criticism, now for a thought. During
the LB&SCR ear locomotive naming was standard practice,
the company drawing inspiration upon, amongst other sources,
the names of villages and towns in Sussex, Surrey and districts
of London, even going as far afield as France and Italy There seems to have been a reluctance, however, to use the names of towns and villages in this most easterly part of Sussex, as I can only find reference to the following:- No.182
Hastings B Class What about Northiam, Beckley, Peasmarsh not to mention Rye and Battle? Does anyone know if these names were ever used, and if not, was there a reason? |
| Charity
No. 1050480 |
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No.5 “Rolvenden” was purchased from LB&SCR in 1905 at which time it was known as No.671 “Wapping”; this locomotive was originally numbered No.71, and was the first Class A1 loco to be built, coming out in October 1872. “Bodiam”, or rather No.70 (later 670) was one of a batch of a further five with an 1872 building date. Now, on page 5 of K&ESR Stockbook we are told that No.5 Rolvenden had been cannibalised during the 1930s to rebuild No.3 Bodiam If some researcher could prove that your present No.3 Bodiam in fact contains more of No.5 than of No.3, then out present Bodiam could claim to be the first A1 Class Locomotive instead of One of the First! Doubtless such a suggestion will be scorned as unethical by professional railway historians Cyrill R Knapp See Stephen Garrett’s article on page 15 - Editor - E N D - Footnotes:- This letter has been reproduced because it is impossible to précis into the Terrier database of items involving Terriers in the history of The Tenterden Terrier now being continuously worked on. It raised some very valid points which are as applicable in today’s Heritage Railway industry, both particular to the K&ESR and generally within the industry, as Mr Knapp perceived them in the early 1970s. Certainly it is as easy to under-sell a product/event as it is to oversell. Locomotives have always been known by their frame identification; in the history of the preserved K&ESR, boilers in the two USA were swapped. The Farmers Line was the name of the house magazine that preceded The Tenterden Terrier. One wonders what Mr Knapp would have made of photographic charters, let alone events like the Spring 2005 Gala on the West Somerset Railway! Apoplexy springs to mind. HN-24/11/2005 |
