The Rother Valley Railway and Kent and East Sussex Railway are to be connected, after the government approved the rebuilding of a ‘missing link' five years after Rother Valley Railway submitted its application.
The Secretary of State for Transport has issued an Order under the Transport and Works Act which allows the Rother Valley Railway (RVR) to reinstate a section of railway track between Udiam and Robertsbridge, linking to existing sections of track and completing the rail link between Bodiam and Robertsbridge Junction.
The Order gives RVR statutory authority to build the new railway and maintain the new and existing lengths of track as a heritage railway between Bodiam and Robertsbridge Junction.
At Bodiam, the new railway will join the existing heritage railway to Tenterden. It will cross the public highway at several level crossings.
The railway line between Robertsbridge and Tenterden was closed in 1961, and will now be restored by the completion of a missing section of line between Junction Road at Udiam and Northbridge Street in Robertsbridge.
The section of the line between Bodiam and Tenterden was reinstated in 2000 and is operated as a heritage railway and tourist attraction by Kent and East Sussex Railway (KESR).
RVR argued that its plan would deliver significant benefits. It will provide a new connection to the mainline at Robertsbridge, which will open up a direct public transport link to the heritage railway.
This in turn would encourage visitors to use more sustainable means of transport to existing attractions such as the railway itself, Bodiam Castle and Tenterden. RVR estimates that the scheme will result in additional revenue on the national rail network of around £355,100 per annum.
The Inspector had supported the application but recommended modifications, which have been included in the Order.
The application for the Order was made on 19 April 2018, but over a thousand objections were registered, with only 224 letters of support. An Inquiry followed, which was conducted mostly online, but also with a one-day in-person session on 27 July 2021 at the Woodlands Enterprise Centre.
Chair Simon Marsh, Chair, issued this statement on behalf of K&ESR: “The Order represents a significant achievement and is the result of years of dogged determination in the true style of Colonel Stephens.
“The project gives us a huge opportunity to continue the development of our Railway as an attraction allowing visitors to experience a bygone age and as a hub for volunteering and the preservation of heritage artefacts and skills. It will also open up a new hinterland for us.
“There will of course be challenges ahead, some of them quite major ones. I am sure that we can overcome them. In the meantime, let's savour the moment and look forward to the realisation of the dream of the early preservationists.”
Fantastic! As a retired railwayman (signalman, movements inspector and signalling manager) in the area, Robertsbridge was one of my boxes, it is great to see this venture coming to fruition, it’s long overdue! Well done to all the hardworking staff that have been able see the job done.
This is great news. Commonsense has prevailed. Congratulations
Congratulations from Brum. I have always followed the K&ESR from the days of my youth and I am 83 now. I contnue to follow with interest, the Colonel would be pleased !
A blast from the past.
As a teenager on a bicycle tour in Kent back in springtime 1961, I came across the A21 level crossing – it was a quiet road in the middle of the countryside.
It was so very ordinary, as was so much precious stuff back then . . .
Speaking as an ex-fireman on the K&ESR, I know that engineering studies, planning and private negotiations with land owners has been going on for the best part of 30 years, and I’m delighted for all concerned that their patience and persistance has paid off at last!
It won’t be an easy link to build, but having seen what the P-Way team have overcome in the past, there’s no doubt at all in my mind that the link will be built.
Floreat Vapor!
This is fantastic news. Something I’ve been hoping for for a long long time. Good luck with progress on the building of this
I wonder who were the people that objected to this, and why did they not want it.
The Highways Agency objected (reasons set out here: https://www.southeastfarmer.net/section/news/government-agency-objects-to-line/) but their objections were addressed (and, I think, resolved) in the course of the enquiry.
There was another objection on the basis of fears it would cause flooding.
That’s interesting; but, I think, groundless. Having worked on the line for years as a fireman before I moved north, I know that the K&ESR P-Way crew have extensive experience of setting up adequate measure to enable effective drainage. They know what they’re about!
Many Nimby’s in Robertsbridge have kicked off about it. I live there myself, & you’d think the railway was going to bring the apocalypse judging by the melodrama they’re creating on village pages. None of the criticisms are consistent & many contradict each other.
From what I read in the local papers before I moved out of the area, many locals were convinced that the only reason those two farming families came out so strongly against the proposal was because they hoped that way to push up the price they’d be offered.
Wow!!! At long last. One of the most exciting bits of heritage railway news for a very.long time. Well done for persevering
Well done I wish the railways every success