Four Little-Engines
and a Diesel

With pre-season – February half-term running and Thomas©TM   – all but a memory, the main running season gets underway at Tenterden this coming weekend, 20th and 21st March, with Branch Line Weekend.

This feature event, sometimes held in the past in high summer, looks increasingly sure of its comparatively new home in the schedule, strongly backed up by both the Kent and then Weald Big Day Out events a week later and then a slightly earlier-than-average Easter to follow.

And with the country slowly emerging from the worst winter in 31 years, since 1978-9, there is bound to be delayed spring colour in abundance over the next few weeks.

Branch Line Weekend 2010 is set to be similarly dynamic and like the Gala at the beginning of May, just seems to get better and better.  Although somewhat undesirable from an economic operational point of view, the availability of four small engines is going to make the two days exceptionally attractive, with two facing each way.

Joining the Terrier Trust’s two stalwarts and the SE&CR P-class No. 753 will be “Charwelton”, which is making a most welcome return to service after some nine years on the bleachers.  Underlining the rarity of this combination of steam power will demand some careful research; certainly the little grey cells are going to be needed to be stretched to determine when “Bodiam” and “Charwelton” were last seriously worked on the same day.

Fundamentally three train sets – Mark One (light green), SE&CR and a hybrid Vintage – will be worked on a 45-minute schedule with further variety in the shape of two freight trains.  One will be in BR-livery; an attractive combination with 32678 that was such a feature at the 2009 Gala whilst the other, termed “Early Freight”, will a mix of pre-grouping and Private Owner stock. 

At the risk of echoing an early verse of the “12 Days of Christmas”, one is represented by the Class 03 Diesel D2023 that is lined up for two Tenterden Town to Wittersham Road round trips at 12.20pm and 2.35pm with the “BR Freight” on both days.

Also harking back to the Gala 2009 is the use of the new facility that will allow locomotives to be changed at Bodiam station.  This means that whatever takes a train to the top of the hill (Tenterden), will march it back down again some 20 minutes later.  Whether forwards or backwards matters least with small tank engines, but this procedure ensures satisfaction one way or the other!

Less appealing but unavoidable with the available stock, space on the railway, and with this high frequency of service, is going to be the mishmash of locomotives and rolling stock on many workings over the two days.  And although the full public timetable is now available online, it is worth underlining some of the patterns and interesting workings.

Starting on Saturday, No.3 ”Bodiam” is the first changeover locomotive.  To achieve this, she works the “Early Freight” from Rolvenden at 09.40am.  The returning “Charwelton” rightly takes pride of place with the opening train on the Vintage at 10.30am, completing its third round trip of the day by bringing the aforementioned freight back from Bodiam in the evening.

The second Tenterden departure at 11.15am sees 753 teamed up with the SE&CR set and the third at noon, 32678 with the light-green Mark One set, albeit bunker first.

In order to bring the “BR Freight” to Tenterden, 32678 starts off by running light to Wittersham Road with a scheduled departure from there once “Charwelton” runs in with the first passenger working.  32678 returns the freight as far as Rolvenden in the evening after her two round trips, but there is a bonus working after that, piloting “Bodiam” up the Bank with the last passenger round trip at twilight.

The schedule for Sunday is not dissimilar to Saturday although both freights now start from Rolvenden.  32678 again works the “BR Freight”, not unsurprisingly, though this time works it out to Wittersham then back up to Tenterden some 20 minutes earlier.  The “Early Freight” is to be worked by 753 and with “Bodiam” replacing “Charwelton” on the first service, this means that there are five instead of four facing passenger departures from the principal station.  The latter has a much quieter day, working just two round trips; the last back from Bodiam top-and-tailed with 753.

32678 is stepped up to the second working by its earlier arrival to enable her to return the “BR Freight” to Wittersham Road in the early evening, hitching a ride back to Rolvenden by rear attachment to the last train of the weekend.

This means that the orientation order throughout the day will be in pairs instead of alternate.

HN-15/03/2010