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‍Kent & East Sussex Railway

Members e-newsletter No.71

‍Welcome to the latest edition of the K&ESR's e-newsletter

‍‍From the Chair...

‍The 2023 season has now started in earnest, thanks to a lot of hard work by individuals and teams in all sections of the Railway – and I mean all. Visitor figures have been reasonably encouraging, and our marketing and outreach are reaching new levels. If people don’t want to come and have a day with us, it won’t be for lack of trying. But do please continue to spread the word in all your social networks.

We have already had some new arrivals. 257 Squadron – the largest locomotive ever to run on the line – has settled in and is proving popular with staff and visitors. I know that some think it’s too big for us, but it’s an example of the kind of initiative we need more of if we are to continue to be attractive and provide something new.

‍And the long-awaited kitchen car is finally in service with the Wealden Pullman; excellent in itself, but crucially also enabling the use of Diana to provide enhanced refreshment services on our service trains.

It is the intention to use 2023 to experiment and gain experience with a new range of products and methods of operating, which will be important if we are to remain agile and provide ways of giving our visitors memories that matter. We are after all an educational charity and a tourist attraction rather than a means of getting passengers from A to B. And we need the income to support our charitable aims.

‍There will be challenges ahead, and not everything will go smoothly this year. There will never be enough resource of any kind to go round and enable us to do everything we want.

But if we continue to pull together we have a lot to celebrate and look forward to in 2023, including, for the first time in several years, a full-scale Steam Up weekend with trains running to Junction Road!

Simon Marsh

Chairman 

‍‍‍From the General Manager

‍Unlike some had speculated, the rails did not spread, the bridges did not collapse and a Bulleid Light Pacific looks perfectly at home running through the Rother Valley with a rake of coaches and Bodiam Castle in the background. ‘257 Squadron’ also makes a fine sight climbing up Tenterden Bank. Its arrival on the Railway has generated much public and media interest with TV crews from 3 Channels at Tenterden Station to record its first departure in Public Service on Good Friday. It was not the only historic first that day. The next departure was Mike Hart’s 0-6-0 saddle tank Hastings. This loco first arrived on the KESR and although steamed never ran in service so its first public service was also on Good Friday.

Many asked why did we bring 257 Squadron to the Railway - was it appropriate for a Light Railway? What would the Colonel have said? The reason is simple – we could and we did. My reading of the Colonel is at heart he was an entrepreneur, someone who overcomes difficulties and made things happen. That is my inspiration, we can do things. Like all Heritage Railways we do face some serious challenges, but I believe our railway has the spirit and determination to overcome these.

‍There is so much to be positive about. The Easter Holiday was overall very successful. On Saturday the sun shone, and we had our best loadings. The feedback from visitors has been great. On Easter Sunday, I attended a dawn service at Smallhythe. It would also not be Easter on a Heritage Railway without the Easter Bunny making a guest appearance.

The fantastic news is that Geoff Colvin, our Chief Station Master, is now Visit England’s 2023 Tourism Superstar: this was by public vote and Geoff won. This really does give the K&ESR a national profile. Hearty congratulations for an accolade well deserved.

We have been awarded a grant for restoration work on some of our buildings - keep an eye out for more on this in future editions of this newsletter. We have also begun a full ecological survey of the line, a very important first step in understanding the extent to which we can promote and interpret the line as a linear nature reserve. While this may also introduce some challenges and responsibilities, being environmental responsible and preserving and enhancing biodiversity is something we need to lead and be proactive on, or we will end up being forced to be reactive.

Continuing on the environmental theme, on Sunday 23rd April we hosted our Spring Fun Day with Plastic Free Tenterden. It is so important we all recognise the damage that free plastics can do to the environment. Despite the wet day there was real joy and happiness being spread with all the musicians and choirs.

We must always remember the Railway is first and foremost a charity concerned with doing public good. It is very much my objective to embed the railway in the community and the community into the railway. So as important as locomotives and carriages are there are many other aspects of the Railway that we have to embrace from rare wild flowers to school work placements, community events to cream teas.

On Friday 21 the Railway welcomed a high-level delegation from Jamaica in partnership with Birmingham University, who wish to use the K&ESR as one of the case studies for the reopening of Jamaican State Railway (closed in 1992), the important quote of the day: “you have shown us it is doable, there is nothing to be scared of”. Thank you to everyone they met on making them feel welcome and giving an insight into what it takes to preserve a heritage railway.

On locomotives, Marcia has returned from her holiday to the Mid Suffolk and the Class 33, 33202 has returned for another season.

‍Robin Coombes

General Manager

‍‍Bodiam Update

As with many other departments the wet weather in March curtailed activities but with some warmer, brighter days the grounds and gardens are now receiving some attention. The tractor mower is back in action and the hop poles have been re-strung. A freshen up of the paintwork on the PMV paint store/workshop vehicle has been started.

The new timetable will allow us a few more train-free Tuesdays and we've already started to clean and repaint the crossing gates. The enlarged shop layout has improved trade to the extent that the adjoining platform store is being converted into a stock room. Work to install insulation has begun.

Malcolm Burgess

‍Railcar W20 Update

Work continues apace on the railcar.

The ceiling installation is virtually complete, apart from the luggage area, and flooring has been laid in the small saloon, vestibule and luggage area. The latter will allow the return of the heating engineers, as scheduled, on April 24th to complete the installation. The team has opted to use sheets of ‘Buffalo Board’ in place of the tongue and groove flooring. Buffalo Board is a fully approved material for use on rail passenger vehicles and is easier and cheaper to lay. Its use will provide a longer-lasting floor and will be undetectable once the insulation board and lino has been fitted. More ‘Buffalo Board’ has been delivered to allow the flooring to be laid in the large saloon and vestibules during May.

It is worth noting that the team intend to restore the railcar to as close to its GWR or BR condition as possible. However, W20 will be a working vehicle, not a museum piece, and with a view to longevity and practicality in future service, some ‘improvements’ will be incorporated. So far this includes the laminated glass, base-layer flooring material (see above), heating system, and ceiling insulation and sheeting. The luggage area will have a smooth surface (rather than slatted wood) to allow easier wheelchair and buggy access, foam will replace springs in the seating (as current C&W standard), replica LED lighting will be installed and a fire-detection/extinguishing system will be fitted. The team work closely with the K&ESR management team, as well as our Independent Competent Person (ICP), to ensure that all modifications are acceptable in advance of the change being made.

‍‍It was intended to refit the original wooden boiler housing in the luggage area to preserve the original appearance, but when it came to stripping and repainting the woodwork it was discovered to have an asbestos lining sheet incorporated. Arrangements were made to have this removed by a specialist contractor and the woodwork was quickly returned, old paintwork stripped and the housing reinstalled in its original place. The wood has been fire-proofed and will be primed and scumbled and the original, refurbished (but non-operating) control equipment refitted. The heater water tank enclosure, to the right of the compartment door, will also be refitted now that the flooring is down.

The materials and design for the seating have been approved by the ICP and the moquette has been ordered. This is to the original 1940 ‘Green Shell’ pattern, the looms for which are now owned by Camira Fabrics and located in Lithuania! The material should be delivered in June whereupon the railway’s regular upholsterer will be asked to commence the restoration of the seats.

New ICP-approved, high tensile bolts have been procured for the transmission and prop-shafts have been cleaned and painted and re-installed.

Chris Mileman and Neil Edwards

W20 Group

‍‍Commercial Update

‍Despite the awful weather, the season has got off to a promising start with some glowing feedback received from customers about how much they have enjoyed their visit with us over the Easter holidays and the friendliness of staff. Below is a lovely example of this and there are plenty more glowing reports on social media.

“I wanted to take the time to email to say what a wonderful visit we had to the railway on Thursday. Myself and my two boys absolutely loved our day out despite the intermittent rain. I can’t praise the staff at both stations and on the train highly enough. There was a particular gentleman, whose name unfortunately I did not catch, who took the time to explain all about the railway and the workings to the boys and show them the station. He answered the multitude of questions the boys had. He was an absolute gem and the boys are still practising the finger detaching trick! I am so grateful to everyone for creating such a wonderful memory and for inspiring the next generation. We will definitely visit again and recommend to anyone to visit! The bunny hunt was also fantastic and added to an excellent day. 

Thank you and keep up the great work keeping our local heritage alive!”

The Easter bunny also made a guest appearance over the Bank Holiday weekend which went down a storm with some children copying the hopping! Thanks Catherine and Tori for helping with this.

‍May events

This years 1940s weekend promises to be a big one with lots of re-enactors and vehicle owners having signed up for both Tenterden Town and Bodiam Stations and an enhanced 8 departure train service for visitors to easily enjoy the entertainment down the line.

Over the late May Bank Holiday our Steam Up weekend will not only offer a whole host of different railway related activities designed to showcase the K&ESR, Northiam Station will also be very much a destination with an extended tea-room facility offering home-made cakes, small traction engines, fairground ride and hopefully a miniature railway.  At Tenterden there will also be fairground rides and a varying display of 1960s cars and bikes over the weekend.

If anyone would like to help with car parking over the 1940s weekend or at the Northiam tea-room over the Steam Up weekend, do please let me know.

KESR Promotional leaflet

Following visitor feedbck, this leaflet has been updated to include a timetable showing operating days. To facilitate flexibility of operations, the leaflet does not define which type of haulage will be in use on any given day: that information is provided via our website and social media.

Group Visits

Group bookings for this year-to-date are particularly strong, following targeted marketing to group travel organisers - which is great news as this helps us with our planning and provides secure income throughout the year.

This year we have produced a poster highlighting the main events taking place throughout the year. If you know of suitable locations that are willing to display these, please contact Caroline Warne directly via cwarne@kesr.org.uk

Heather Packham

Commercial Officer 

‍Bodiam Camping Coach

The Bodiam Coach is now open for the 2023 season and taking commercial bookings which are coming from customers who previously have not encountered the Kent & East Sussex Railway. This is exactly the target market to whom we wish to be aiming our marketing.

Both the Coach and the K&ESR appear to be well received by our new guests, including the K&ESR General Manager! Robin had hoped to spend the week basking in the early spring sunshine on the decking, but nfortunately for Robin, the moment he set foot in the coach, the temperature dropped and the heavens opened! By the weekend the weather did improve and relaxation on the decking was in order.

‍“I spent a few days at 'the other end of the line' at Bodiam, thanks to Bryan Atkins for organising the Railway's Holiday Coach for me to gain a new perspective and to appreciate just how good it is. Could there be anything more relaxing than a quiet read, sitting in the sun, with fresh strawberries and ice cream from the Station Shop or sitting in the spacious lounge and watching trains pass ? In the evening there was the magical arrival of the Wealden Pullman on its romantic journey through the High Weald." 

The Coach facilities are illustrated on our website: railwayglampingcoach.co.uk and our Facebook “Bodiam Coach Company”. All aspects of social media are vital for effective marketing of holiday accommodation and we are presently held back by the need for someone with experience to help support us with this aspect. If you have such skills and would like to help please email: Bodiamcoach@gmail.com

As a fledgling business we are most encouraged by the initial bookings but as expected there will be a few late availability vacancies during the summer months, which we are happy to offer to KESR Members at a 25% discount. For details of late availability dates for KESR Members, please email : Bodiamcoach@gmail.com

Bryan Atkins

‍K&ESR AGM

Annual General Meeting in St. Mildreds Church, Tenterden on Saturday 4th November 2023. More details will be circulated in July.

John Cobbett

Company Secretary

‍Situations Vacant

Casual Hospitality Assistants

We are currently seeking Hospitality Assistants to undertake a variety of duties, working in our Gift Shops, Catering outlets or traveling onboard our trains to provide an at-seat service selling a wide range of gifts, souvenirs, food, drinks and alcohol. We are famed for our warm & friendly staff, so to find out more about how you could be a frontline ambassador for the K&ESR, visit https://kesr.org.uk/vacancies/hospitality-assistants/ or email catering@kesr.org.uk

‍Volunteer Pullman Attendants

We have vacancies for Pullman Attendants (waiters) and Bar Stewards on Saturday evening and Sunday Lunch Wealden Pullman services. There's full training available, so the only requirement is that you'd like to enjoy meeting and working with great team of people! To experience our lovely new kitchen carriage first hand, contact Meg Gooch mgooch@kesr.org.uk

Newsletter Archive

Have you missed a newsletter? Have you recently joined us? Whatever the reason, you can browse recent editions of this newsletter at https://kesr.org.uk/members-e-newsletter-archive/

Tenterden Terrier Online

As a member of the K&ESR, you can receive notification when ‘The Tenterden Terrier’ magazine is published online by registering your details at

https://kesr.org.uk/tenterden-terrier-online/

‍All editions of ‘The Tenterden Terrier’ are now available to view or download from our website: to access this fascinating archive, click on the image above or visit https://kesr.org.uk/terrier/

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‍Kent & East Sussex Railway

Tenterden Town Station, Station Road,

Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HE

www.kesr.org.uk

Registered charity 262481

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