The journal of the Rother Valley Railway Supporters’ Association
£1.50 – all proceeds to the RVRSA and the railway
RVRSA Committee for 2025/2026:
Bob Evans - chairman
David Felton - treasurer
Jack Evans - lottery
Paul Hayes - engineering lead
John Gardner - events
Steve Griffiths - secretary & Phoenix editor: griffithss@rvr.org.uk
Other RVRSA managers:
Bob Evans – bookshop
Paul Simpson – membership secretary
Directors:
The Rother Valley Railway
Robertsbridge Junction Station Station Road
Robertsbridge East Sussex TN32 5DG
telephone: 01580 881833
RVR e-mail: reception@rvr.org.uk
RVR website: www.rvr.org.uk
RVR Facebook: www.facebook.com/RVRailway
RVRSA membership: membership@rvr.org.uk
Rother Valley Railway Ltd
Mike Hart OBE – chairman and construction project director
Richard Broyd CBE
Bob Evans - RVRSA liaison
David Felton - managing director, finance director & company secretary
David Keay
Dr Stephen Murfitt
David Slack BEM - operations director
Company managers:
Registered Office: as above e-mail: reception@rvr.org.uk
Peter Barber - permanent way/engineering mgr
Faye Carney - gardening group mgr
Alasdair Stewart – construction project mgr
Brian Richards – project engineer
Trevor Streeter - media & electronic services mgr
Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust
Trustees: Gardner Crawley (chairman), Mike Hart OBE (deputy chairman), Dick Arblaster, Richard Broyd CBE, Helen Douglas, David Felton, David Keay, Dr Stephen Murfitt, David Slack. Address etc as above
Phoenix copyright: The Rother Valley Railway Supporters’ Association
Material for the winter issue - to the editor by 1 December
Your comments, letters, articles and photos are always welcome - simply post /deliver items to the station or e-mail them to editor@rvr.org.uk
Any uncredited material has been produced by the editor Printed by PrintCo Wales, Cwmbran, NP44 5BJ
Printed by A&N Print, Cardiff
Photographers: JE - Jack Evans; SG - Steven Griffiths; TEDS – Trevor Streeter; and named individuals
Welcome
On 27 September 1825 the world’s first steam fare-paying-passenger-carrying train service trundled from Shildon to Stockton via Darlington. There had been many railways before, most dedicated to the transport of minerals like coal from a mine to a quay or jetty, and some carried passengers too. Originally the Stockton and Darlington Railway was planned as just another such minerals line. But in 1823, parliament approved an amended scheme, by George Stephenson, which would include the carriage of passengers and, moreover, be worked by steam locomotive rather than by horse. This was a first for combining several key features: legislation, a public railway open to all and steam locomotion - and is what Rail 200 celebrates this year.
We have our own reasons to celebrate, with the spectacular repairs to Bridge 24 on the ‘missing middle’ (see page 6); RVR’s acquisition of a vintage departmental railcar; and of course RVR’s 125th year (don’t forget to order your celebratory booklet – see page 13).
Our most important news though is that RVR needs your help. RVR members (and K&ESR ones too) will soon be invited to donate to a new appeal for funding the engine shed at Robertsbridge Junction, as will the wider public – stand by for more on this from our new Trustee and appeals director Helen Douglas (see page 4 and 5).
Editor RVRSA (email: editor@rvr.org.uk)
Front cover: Bridge 24 is fixed! see page (photo SG).
Keeping up to speed
https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/ features regular official RVR updates on various aspects of the project – much more detail and more images. For instant notifications via your email (or your own Facebook account) just follow the RVR Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RVRailway.
http://www.youtube.com/@RotherValleyRailwayRVR features all the RVR official videos going back to 2011 as well as new ones, together in one handy location, including videos featuring the 2024 Gala with commentary.
https://www.facebook.com/KentandEastSussexRailway gives all the news from our partners including special offers and events.
Important: do we have your email address? Don’t miss out.
Announcement by Gardner Crawley and Mike Hart
Dear Members We are thrilled to share some exciting news regarding our cherished railway community. A dedicated member, volunteer and former K&ESR employee Helen Douglas has been elected as a Trustee for the Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust. This appointment is a testament to Helen’s commitment and passion for our railway heritage.
In Helen’s new role, as Appeals Director, she will be taking the lead in the fundraising campaign for the necessary facilities at Robertsbridge Junction station. This is a pivotal step toward our goal of delivering on our mission statement of “Reconnecting Robertsbridge to Tenterden - The Dream comes true".
The appeal for facilities at Robertsbridge Station is to supplement the construction of the central section of the railway's 'missing link', which is already kindly funded by significant private charitable donations, to bring the vision to life. Phase 1 of this fundraising project was to raise the additional funds required for the construction of the station building at Robertsbridge Junction. The structure of the station building will shortly be complete, with grateful thanks to K&ESR Director David Nibloe for his work in raising part of the total cost, by way of grants.
Phase 2 of the fundraising project will be to raise the necessary funds for a locomotive running shed behind the turntable, to enable flexibility of services of both steam and diesel trains from Robertsbridge, to ensure we are ready to respond to emerging customer trends when the railway reopens. Phase 3 of the appeal will be for a carriage shed opposite the platform at the station.
Helen’s experience, enthusiasm, knowledge of the K&ESR and the tourism industry make her the ideal candidate to support the aims of the Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust and the K&ESR and work together as one railway to raise these vital funds.
We are confident that Helen’s leadership will inspire our community and help us reach new milestones in our journey. Please join us in congratulating Helen on this well-deserved appointment.
Together, we can continue to preserve and celebrate the rich history of our railway. Your support and involvement are crucial as we work towards these exciting developments. Thank you for your continued dedication and support. GC &MH
Fundraising - Reconnecting Robertsbridge to Tenterden, by Helen Douglas Gardner and Mike’s article above highlights the need for more funds to complete the facilities at Robertsbridge Junction (RBJ).
In the months since the last issue of the Phoenix there has been much behind the scenes activity to pull together a campaign. Breaking down the costs for the various buildings at RBJ is important. Thanks to generous donations, grants and legacies, the station building has gone from a dream to bricks and mortar, and an impressive structure has taken shape under Phase 1. Phase 2 will be the engine shed - the balance required for this vital £600k infrastructure is £350,000 to include facilities such as inspection pits, fuelling, etc - and we need your support to make this happen. Our public campaign to encourage donations to this cause is getting under way soon. More details in the next Phoenix and of course on the website as soon as we launch.
You can also support your railway in other ways - by spreading the word about the appeal and the outstanding progress that has been made on the project so far and additionally by supporting the team of volunteers at community events.
Together we are preserving heritage and building the future.
Project progress,
Over the summer, contractors working for Network Rail have been stabilising the Hastings mainline embankment in the Etchingham direction. Made by tipping ash from locomotive fireboxes, it was showing its age and had visibly started to slip downwards, and was no longer adequately supporting the head shunt needed to get useful length
trains from the national network onto RVR metals. It is anticipated that much of the ballast required for rebuilding the railway will come in via this route.
View showing the mainline embankment repairs nearing completion (TEDS)
Transport of the embankment repair materials to the worksite entailed many lorry movements through the village, sometimes more than fifty in the course of a day on occasion. This has been well-managed.
The repairs themselves have involved unloading these lorries, then storing and placing the materials - involving a lot of on-site movements down the gully just behind and beyond our turntable as the photo above shows. The old gully has been filled. The headshunt itself is due to be relaid this autumn – you can see the blue temporary fencing.
Meanwhile over at Junction Road a number of trees have been removed, to allow surveying work westwards to continue. We thought that a particular specimen might have been home to a bat roost, given the presence of droppings immediately below a text-book example of a suitable split in the bark. However, on analysis of the guano’s DNA by a laboratory, the results came back that the tree had been being used by pygmy shrews which are a similar size to many UK resident species of bats and also enjoy much the same insect-based diet.
A construction access road has been laid west of Austen’s Bridge (Bridge No. 26) - visible opposite. This has enabled repairs to nearby Bridge No. 24, girders of which were removed by its then owners in 2023. Replacement spans acquired from the Bluebell and adapted by Playfoots Engineering Ltd (see previous issue) were placed on the original abutments on 22 August by the two lorries which brought them, (photo opposite) and the required walkways etc then added by Playfoots soon after. In due course there will be excavations below and adjacent to create clearance for the regular seasonal floodwater movement.
prescribed stopping points when trains cross.
Track materials are being moved from RBJ (in the case of rails) and Northiam (sleepers) from respective stockpiles and are being stored in convenient locations alongside the trackbed, ready for assembly. We have also taken delivery of the preformed slabs needed to create the three level crossings. Sixty-nine brand new, eighteen-metre rails have recently been bought from British Steel and delivered to site. RVR has fastenings, pads, ‘biscuits1’ and fishplate nuts and bolts in storage from previous track salvaging and storage exercises. Some of these components will require a bit of attention prior to reuse, and this is an activity that can be undertaken by our regular volunteers, with training. Currently, rails are being welded on wooded jigs opposite the new platform at RBJ. This is being undertaken on an ad hoc basis by mainline accredited contractors McGinley, and will see our stockpile of thirty-foot rails made into sixties. Apart from the track already laid in the station area at RBJ, which is in bullhead rail, the remainder of the line will be laid with flatbottom. It will mostly be jointed with a few welds at strategic points in order to keep joints away from bridges and level crossings.
1 These are plastic pieces which are inserted between rail fastenings and chairs
The station building has progressed well since the last bulletin, and the removal of the scaffolding has revealed its final appearance (below and opposite). The layout of the internal partition walls has broadly been determined and drainage provision for ‘grey water’ has been made and connected to the system already installed during the earlier phase of construction. Subfloor insulation is down. The canopy has been completed and painted, and doors and windows are in place. Interior works are to follow. Below shows the new station building from the west, including main entrance and adjoining ramp (hedging to follow) and small terrace. A pedestrian entry gate is expected to be located on the extreme right of the picture, visible from the mainline station situated across the
Above: Northbridge Street (The Clappers) showing tree clearance for surveying purposes, the original Colonel Stephens Bridge No.6 comprising just two plain girders to the left, close to the works access for the level crossing project. Note the crossing slabs already being stored across the road close to the current RVR buffer stop (photo: TEDS).
Below: the excellent new station building exterior is now complete, including external painting (except a bit more on the windows). Congratulations to all the specialist contractors involved for the quality of the work, and of course the architects, project managers and generous donors. Even the pointing was done by experts in the field. Still to come are internal flooring, door sills, walls and partitions, ceilings and wiring etc. That stray buddleia and debris has since gone.
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Clarifications
The photograph on page 5 of the previous issue referred to ‘Bridge 15’, using the 2011 planning application numbering. The numbering scheme has been amended, and the bridge is now known as 18 as indicated on page 23 below. Similarly, Bridge No. 24 (which has two spans) is sometimes referred to as Bridge 25.
On page 18 I referred to ‘scafftags’. These plastic tags are attached to every scaffolding installation, to identify who is responsible for erecting and maintaining it. They give an emergency contact number in case of problems. These tags are a legal requirement, hence the need to check regularly that they haven’t been interfered with by persons unknown, or simply blown away. RVR currently have no installations.
Membership Matters
Our membership secretary Paul Simpson paid us a visit in late August. He’s still under treatment and in some pain: we gave him our best wishes for his ongoing recovery. In the meantime the Secretary of the Association will handle all membership matters. Thank you to all members who have renewed. A final letter has been sent to non-payers, instead of an autumn Phoenix. They will be removed from our main list if we do not hear from them soon.
We currently have 297 paid-up members Let’s hope our late payers get us over the magic 300! Incidentally, with some much going on, you will want to get all the latest news. A regular email bulletin is planned by Helen Douglas for both our supporters and
those who are signing up as interested. Do I have your current email address so you can keep up to speed between Phoenixes? If in doubt, try me at membership@rvr.org.uk.
Finally, my thanks again for the many donations which members have made this year when renewing their subscriptions. These are very much appreciated and help us in turn donate more to the railway, notably the various running costs at RBJ. We are also working with K&ESR to garner ‘expressions of interest’ from members of the public who want to know about RVR and/or K&ESR, so we can follow up with information. Some may be inspired to join as members, and even new volunteers!
Rail 200 event at Lewes, by John Gardner
I volunteered for the RVR/K&ESR stand on 1 August at Lewes Town Hall, in an event organised by the south-east Community Rail Partnership (CRP) marking 200 years of UK railways. This kicked off with a gentleman dressed in Victorian garb representing Thomas Brassey, a famous railway engineer responsible for many UK and continental railway projects. We then had a talk by members of the CRP, followed by the unveiling of 200 blue plaques which will commemorate people and events on ten railways across the south-east. After a welcome by the Lewes Mayor Emily Clarke, the audience of rail industry managers and the public were free to wander the many stands. Our table featured Gardner Crawley, David Nibloe and Julie Wilkinson and we got a lot of interest, sold quite a few of our recent booklets and signed up many people who want to keep in touch with progress. Note the new RVR pop-up banner telling the 125 years of RVR in pictures showing from the bottom 1900 (hidden); 1961 end of BR era; Today; the Future.
Shop news, by Bob Evans During the construction of our fabulous new booking hall (below) the shop, situated in half of a BY luggage van (right), had to be moved up the platform away from the building works. Our station gates also had to stay closed.
Things have moved on, access is easier now and we’re looking into getting more stock on display and our takings back up again, with more active promotion.
Please, do come and visit us, view the new building, tour the site, enjoy a cup of tea and a snack - any Sunday between 10am and 4pm. See back page for more shop details
With the last standard steam locomotive built in1960 and all steam on the national network gone by 1968, the sixties saw so many changes. Thank goodness for Geoff Plumb, who started taking railway photos as a schoolboy. He soon moved from snapping in his local area to covering all regions to capture steam as it declined rapidly, in over 30,000 images. This new book complements his previous ones about the Southern, London Midland & Western Regions.
All images are dated with full details of loco class, location and journey, including diesels and train types, reflects the changing railways of that time. Geoff is a well-known, published photographer. You get the impression that this book covering his home turf has given him the most pleasure so far.
RRP: £29.99 176 pages, Pen & Sword 240cmx260cm 162 colour illustrations
It’s now available again! Written in 2018 for the 150th anniversary of Holman Stephens’ birth, Brian Janes’ compact history of the Colonel and his various railways was out of print for some time.
It has now been reprinted with minor amendments, and is available from the Col Stephens Museum or the K&ESR station shop at Tenterden Town.
Price is unaltered at £8.99. 100 pages, soft cover.
museum@kesr.org.uk tel: 01732 809143
This 20-page A4 booklet by the RVR team celebrates the railway’s 125th birthday year. It features many photos, a potted history and much more. It covers first ideas of a line to fill the big railway-free triangle between Ashford, the Hastings line and the Romney Marshes, and how this turned into the Farmers’ Line, Colonel Stephens favourite light railway.
Its closure and revival are featured of course, including the current project to reinstate the western end back through to Robertsbridge once more, with reminders of the 30 years of hard work to get to within sight of completion
Order now while stocks last. Available to SA members at the discounted price of £4 by emailing reception@rvr.org.uk or ringing the main RVR number and leaving your details for a call back.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
(a small selection from UKmodelshops.co.uk - please check event details before attending)
West Sussex N-Gauge Model Railway Club show - Shoreham Baptist Church, Western Road, ShorehamBy-Sea: 18 October
Uckfield Model Railway Club show - Uckfield Civic Centre, Civic Approach, Uckfield, TN22 1AE: 18 &19 October, 10am to 5pm
Collectors Fair - Bromley High Sch, Blackbrook Lane, BR1 2TW: 26 Oct, 16 Nov, 14 Dec, 9.45am to 1.15pm – KRJ Vintage Toyfairs
Collectors Fair - Midhurst, The Grange, Bepton Road, GU29 9HD: 26 Oct and 16 Nov 9.45am to 1.15pm – KRJ Vintage Toyfairs
Erith Model Railway Soc. show - Harris Garrard Academy, Thamesmead DA18 4DW: 24 & 26 Jan 2026 10am to 5pm (closes 4pm Sunday) (EMRS)
RVRSA’s Model Railway show (SAMREX) - Village Hall, Robertsbridge TN32 5DG: 23 & 24 May 2026
Robertsbridge station trollies, by Mike Hennessy
“Would you like to take on the job of refurbishing the station luggage trollies?”, Bob Evans said one day. To be honest, I had already eyed up this task and was happy to take it on, little knowing at the time what I had let myself in for. The trollies, mostly sack barrows, are in various states of decay and featuring a lot of rust. I chose two to take home where I could work on them in my own time. Steve Griffiths kindly offered to transport them, just five minutes’ drive from the station. This was on Tuesday 2nd July, and I managed to return the first completely refurbished one by the 23rd
The two wheels on this metal trolley had completely rotted away and the solid tyres were cut and had chunks of rubber missing. The wheels wouldn’t turn and the metal frame was very rusty, but intact. The cross members were of concave form, suitable for carrying cylindrical items like milk churns, gas bottles or even beer barrels.
My angle-grinder was put to good use over the next few days using abrasive wheels and wire brushes to cut out the rust and generally prepare the metal frame for priming. This was achieved using paint already in stock from the banana van.
The topcoat paint colour caused quite a lot of discussion, but we settled on Copper Beech, as used on the station building and platform benches, with matt black for things like handles and wheels. A pair of new wheels with solid rubber tyres was obtained and fitted with split pins they were packed with grease to give a smooth rotation. Job done!
Now onto the next one and more challenges as this involves timber shafts that have partly rotted
Above: east (photo: Mike Hart).
Left: back in 2010, a freshly painted Dougal was snapped moving the three banana vans out of the short siding adjoining the former visitor centre, aka ‘the VSOE’. The yard layout at that time (dating from 1990 onwards) was soon to be removed to make way for the new RBJ station on the same spot (TEDS).
RVR has recently which can carry several volunteers plus tools and material to their permanent way worksites along the missing middle etc! https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2025/07/baguley-drewry-railcar-2.html has more of the story and a video. It’s being tried and tested at Rolvenden.
RVRSA Monthly Prize Draw Results
June D. Skinner – ball 16
July D. Osborn – ball 31
August Rev J. Emmott – ball 17
G. Wyatt – ball 15
H. Douglas - ball 5
A. Slinn – ball 22
D. Lindsell – ball 26
A. Bone – ball 14
T. Fenn – ball 27
Don’t miss out: currently estimated prizes are £49.50, £33.00 and £16.50 Tickets only cost £5 each per month by standing order Contact reception@rvr.org.uk or the shop if you’d like to sign up
The RVRSA Prize Draw is registered with Rother District Council as a Small Society Lottery under Schedule 11, Part 4 of the Gambling Act 2005. Registration number A130
Don’t miss a new two-part BBC TV documentary ‘Michael Portillo’s 200 years of the Railways’ – available on iPlayer
A Good Read, by Mike Hennessy
I visit the public library in Battle quite frequently and always make a bee line for the local history section where there are many books centred around the Hastings and Battle area and several relating to the Rother Valley Railway and the Kent & East Sussex Railway. One book in particular took my attention so I borrowed it. The Kent & East Sussex Railway is written and compiled by Brian Hart and published by Wild Swan Publications.
The narrative is written in a way that leaves you wondering what the next page will throw up about the goings-on of the RVR in those early days. There’s a lot of original text taken from official documents, and minutes of the numerous meetings between the RVR and officialdom extending to all manner of things from level crossings and cattle grids to the overall appearance of the locos and rolling stock (‘to draw their attention to the dirty state of some of their carriages)’! There are numerous photographs of the railway in all its stages and detailed Ordnance Survey maps of the line from the original Headcorn Junction to Robertsbridge Junction. I recommend this book to all RVR people to give them a better understanding and knowledge of our railway. It’s a good read!
Site volunteer activity at RBJ
Paul Hayes writes:
Following the assessment process outlined in the last Phoenix, with RVR Ltd’s agreement Simon and Peter continued working on Titan and made significant progress. The first problem of note was that Titan’s engine emitted dense white clouds of exhaust caused by unburnt fuel, because only two cylinders were firing. One possible cause was blockage of the injectors by degraded diesel fuel. Simon used his ultrasound bath to clean the injectors and the result was a marked improvement in the quality of Titan’s exhaust.
The second problem was a lack of oil pressure while the engine was running, leading to a lack of lubrication if running continued. The cause appeared to be a combination of a blocked oil filter and sludge in the sump, and once addressed the oil pressure became normal. Titan’s elderly Gardner engine is now a runner!
The two panes of laminated glass to replace the broken ones from and back have been supplied and fitted into their respective brass frames, and it’s planned to fit these to Titan’s cab in the next few weeks, a scaffolding tower having already been erected for this job. The cab roof has been treated with black bituminous paint by Dave Liggett. Various outside lights and wipers should be repairable. It’s planned to fix the cab window drop lights, and to paint this locomotive in Maunsell green, under the supervision of Alan Parkes. This small ex-industrial loco lacks the weight and braking power to cope safely with moving more than the odd wagon, given the steep gradients at Robertsbridge, but it’s hoped that a worthwhile future can be found for it.
Dougal is beyond our abilities in the absence of a pit and heavy equipment, but meantime we can make it more presentable, and so it too will probably be repainted in green.
John Gardner has repainted the northern end of the brake van and various other jobs on this vehicle, which now proudly carries an ‘SR’ on both sides. Andrew Slinn is just finishing prepping the southern end of the BY van and this should soon be a gleaming glossy black in time to be coupled to the mess van and shunted under the station canopy. The saggy doors on the east side await a suitable opportunity to take them off for repair, with plywood going into the door frames temporarily to keep the van weatherproof and secure. Terry has added a number to the east side of the 03.
Steve and Andrew have tackled the rotting plywood on one section of the mess van’s hidden side, by securing a better sheet over top of it until such time as we can replace it all with planking (the defective ply dates from about 17 years ago when the adjoining doorframe was narrowed to the original width – the ply only intended to be temporary!). They are steadily finishing a repaint of this east side.
Steve Griffiths writes:
Volunteers John, Alan and Dave venture forth to test and grease the accessible points at intervals, and tackle some of the track brambles and other weeds, a useful sideline when it’s too damp to paint. A new base for the largest of our platform umbrellas has been fabricated and we’re looking into making some smaller ones suitable for going under the two small aluminium tables, which are being painted. The platform gets quite breezy so these bases have to be heavy. With the scaffolding down, we embarked on a tidy-up of the platform and track nearby, and a newly-restored traditional sack barrow has been added to the display under the canopy. If you fancy joining in our efforts, just come along any Sunday or Wednesday and talk to us.
A workshop tidy up is planned, triggered by a collapse of some very elderly shelving at one end and a need to clear the decks a bit. Additional shelving and more hooks are needed. It’s a good job for those rainy days. Bob’s new woodstore is complete, and soon the adjacent tent will be rationalised. We have been asked to start prepping fishplate bolts for the tracklaying task ahead. Another job for rainy days.
We’ve enjoyed some fine gardening weather but very little by way of decent rainfall until the end of August. It’s been a challenge to keep everything growing especially with the need to save water in this part of the country. We decided early on to follow advice and water by hand rather than rely on hosepipes, and worked out a way to do this using the gardening trolley and a plastic dustbin and trug full of water. With 100 yards of bed to cover this took time. We were glad when the rain arrived, even if nobody else was!
The RVR bridges
As our railway’s name suggests, the route is close to the River Rother for much of its length. Much is therefore in flood plain and the river and its various associated streams and channels are crossed many times. The ‘missing middle’ between Junction Road and Northbridge Street, features six bridge projects – that is to say, structures that look like bridges even if water isn’t always flowing below. These are listed below, and it’s hoped to detail RVR proposals for each in coming issues. Nos. 1 to 5 were completed in 2011.
The original line bridges were simple affairs in the light railway tradition, consisting of a pair of girders perched on concrete abutments, without decks, walkways or railings. A fine example is Bridge No 6 at Northbridge Street, next to the road. Nowadays this won’t do. Moreover, as well as needing to be much safer the bridges will need to be capable of handing the heaviest of trains – far heavier than anything envisaged by Colonel Stephens
RVR has long had bridge spans stored at Rye Harbour, and several were employed as Bridges 2 to 5 (see above), having originally come from the mainline railway at Staplehurst. They are sometimes known as the Dickens Bridges, because they replaced the one that was damaged by the railway accident involving Charles Dickens in 1866.
Bridge No.6.2 Located at Northbridge Street, very close to the site of the level crossing. The original two girders survive, along with the abutments
Bridge No. 12. This is located east of the A21 Robertsbridge bypass, crossing the Mill Stream at an angle. The original abutments remain in place.
Bridge No.18. This double-span bridge is located a few hundred yards west of the site of the former Salehurst Halt. The original beams remain in place.
Bridge No.19. This single span bridge is close to Salehurst Halt. The span has been removed and the abutments have been damaged.
Bridge No. 24. This is a double span bridge, sometimes referred to as 25. The original Colonel Stephens girders were removed and disposed by the landowner in 2023, before RVR took control of the site. Two second-hand spans (see page 7 of the previous Phoenix) have been adapted and installed by way of repair.
Bridge No.26. About 800 yards west of Junction Road, this is Austen’s Bridge. It was built in 1943 by the Southern Railway immediately alongside the original Colonel Stephens bridge (the abutments for which can still be seen). It was badly damaged in 2023 when still in private hands, and recently repaired in situ by Playfoots for RVR (see Phoenix issue….) and painting also completed. Some minor work is still needed.
2 Numbering gaps reflect the fact that culverts and redundant items are included, and numbering has changed over time.
Above: in the summer of 1957 a hoppers special rounds the bend near Bridge No.1 at Robertsbridge, with 32670 and 32678 pushing at the back (photo: John J Smith). Below: RVR’s steam locomotive Charwelton should be back in action next year. The now rebuilt boiler will be added to the restored frames before too long. ‘No 14’ was one of the earliest locomotives on the relaunched K&ESR, arriving at Tenterden from Sproxton Quarry in 1963 and giving long service thereafter. The 1917-built Manning Wardle loco hasn’t run since 2017, needing substantial restoration. It’s on loan to K&ESR (photo: TEDS).
This wonderful photo was sent to us earlier this year by new member Brian Thompson, who wrote as follows:
As someone who has had a connection to Robertsbridge since I was christened in St Mary’s Salehurst in 1945 and had all his summer holidays in Robertsbridge, it is about time I joined the RVRSA. As a young child my parents would take us for a walk to Bodiam and then, after visiting the castle, return by train to Robertsbridge.
My mother’s ancestors (Butchers) came to Robertsbridge with the new owner of the Abbey Estate shortly before Victoria came to the throne. Her grandparents ran the village Post Office until the First World War, so their photo albums are very interesting, apart from the lack of names I enclose a photo of the staff at Robertsbridge station circa 1900. They would have known everyone in it so didn’t need to write their names on the back!3 So I have no names to pass on. Hope it is of some interest as I imagine the station is no longer manned!4
It's thought that the photo, taken on the up platform, may include both SECR and RVR staff. The figure seated centre is assumed to be stationmaster Arthur Erneast Lord, if the photograph was taken between 11/8/1891 and 31/5/1900. Note the large water tank with the lean-to greenhouse alongside, in the background
3 Editor’s note: then as now it is important to posterity that we organise and label our photos, including digital collections. Nobody else has our knowledge!
4 Ross is the station manager nowadays (and an RVRSA member) and I have sent him a copy of this photo for his collection.
WELCOME TO RVR’s SHOP
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We’re located on the platform at Robertsbridge Junction Station Opening times are Sundays 10am–4pm Tea and coffee while you browse!
Tel 01580 881833 for all enquiries, or email reception@rvr.org.uk.
Our address is shown on page 2
We no longer accept or sell magazines
We no longer accept items for sale on commission Donated items are very welcome (but not magazines please)
We can mail-order items advertised here – just contact us with your address and requirements and an invoice will be sent to you. Photos on request.
Above: Buff up your RVR knowledge with this fascinating softback book by member David Penn on the original project in the late 1890s, focussing on the little-known tale of who backed it and why. £8.65 + p&p.
RVRSA’s A4 size booklets:
The Robertsbridge Turntable - project detail, 24 pages, £5
The 2024 RVR – K&ESR gala at RBJ in photos, 4 pages, £1
Rother Valley Railway 125th outlines history plus today’s project, 20 pages, £5.
- while stocks last. member discount. P&P is extra
Vast stock of s/h railway books as always, organised by subject. Plus DVDs., jigsaws, RVR pens, stickers and fridge magnets, and original vintage cast iron rail chairs, painted or unpainted.
Sold!: Bachmann 00 gauge BR(S) 'Lord Nelson' class no. 30861 - in the wrong box was sold just before we went to print!
Left: lots of 00 gauge models Or go clockwork with a large selection of classic Hornby tinplate Ogauge wagons and similar items. Too numerous to show!
Special treats:
A rare unmade Kitmaster Beyer-Garrett, 00 gauge.
An unmade white-metal kit for a Hastings DEMU, possibly by MTK £60 (left).