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WELCOME
TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TERRIER TRUST |
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Winter Images by Neil RoseA delightful piece reproduced for its inclusion of “Knowle” It was one of those dull winter afternoons that you cannot capture on film, damp, chilly with rain not far away as the low leaden clouds scudded in from the south-west. Cars had their headlights on, necessarily so as duck fell early. I took myself first to Northiam. I donned my HV vest and headed westward along the line towards Bodiam, intent on studying the new signalling layout at first hand. Very quickly I was in a different world, one that lacked people, no houses in view, without road noise. I scrunched my way along the ballast, the line curving away from the station, which was soon hidden from sight. After incessant rain over previous days, the Rother had burst its banks and so the valley meadows were awash, with little lakes lapping up almost to the railway fence. On the other side of the line land-drains gurgled noisily. The steely colour of the light lent to a monochrome image. Branches and debris from recent storms littered the four-foot. I eased my way past two wagons at the operational limit where the depth of ballast surprised me: Colonel Stephens would have been truly amazed! Curiously the new stone from the Lizard [peninsula] contained flecks of colour, unlike the usual greys of granite used for railway ballast in the south-east. The only signs of life were large skeins of geese making their way against the wind and seagulls enjoying their new watery playground. The Outer Home signal from Bodiam stood high and stark, as a sentinel awaiting its train. Hard to believe that it was brand-new. The signal’s red aspect was already broken: was this a shooter’s target or an accident in construction? The line beckoned enticingly ahead up the valley but I retraced my footsteps away from this solitary place. As I walked back towards the station, the last train of the day arrived, announced by the locomotive’s white exhaust smoke above distant trees. A few minutes later the engine cam e into my sight as it ran around its carriages. In the gloaming it was unrecognisable at first. Or was it? I saw figures silhouetted. Only on a Terrier could they stand outside the cab like that. As I reached the station platform sure enough there was “Knowle” at the head of four vintage coaches and an old bogie carriage; a true K&ESR train. In the cab a solitary oil lamp showed the water level in the gauge glass, otherwise the only illumination was the orange glow of burning coals. Soon the few passengers gathered themselves back into their seats, crossing gates were opened and the guard displayed his green lamp. With little noise “Knowle” started its train over the crossing for its final trip of the day. Within seconds only the red tail lamp was visible, disappearing towards Wittersham. The station resumed its slumbers.. |
| Charity
No. 1050480 |
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I overtook the train and stopped beside the road above Rolvenden level crossing. Standing there, I watch car lights moving like glow-worms in the distance as dusk gave way to darkness. The timber yard lamps were not yet on and the only illumination at the station filtered from the signal box windows. The signalman had made his cabin cosy, if the lingering pall of smoke from its chimney was anything to go by
The engine whistle sounded shrilly. Soon a smudge of white steam could be seen, then the dim lights of the carriages. The distinctive Terrier profile became distinguishable as it drew closer. The train coasted past the signal box where no doubt the loco man and signalman exchanged a rapid greeting as well as tokens. At the deserted platform it halted for the level crossing gates to be swung across the road.
At Cranbrook Road it was raining gently but otherwise still, the road deserted. To the train’s crew undoubted relief the crossing was manned. I saw the crossing keeper was deep in conversation with someone in his box, seemingly oblivious to the approaching train. A warning bell rang and my fear the train would be stopped was dispelled. A toot of the whistle sounded as the driver acknowledged the opening gates.
With a steady, even beat and a trail of white exhaust smoke hanging
low over the train,
“Knowle” made brisk progress over the crossing. Passengers
seemed oblivious to the outside world as they approached journey’s end.
I listened to the sound of the engine as it pounded up the final stretch of
line until, suddenly, there was total silence; its climb up Tenterden Bank
was over.
- E N D -
Footnote:
The “four-foot” is the term to describe the part of the permanent way on a standard gauge railway between the running rails
HN-07/12/2006