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‍Kent & East Sussex Railway

Newsletter - April 2025

‍‍Welcome to the latest news from our Railway.

‍In Tribute to Geoff Crouch

‍It was with great sadness this month that we bid farewell to our longstanding supporter and Trustee, Geoff Crouch. Over a remarkable span of more than 50 years, he gave his time, energy, and formidable expertise to the railway in many ways — as Chair, Deputy Chair, Finance Director, and Permanent Way Manager, among others. 

His contribution helped shape the K&ESR into what it is today. We give thanks for Geoff’s life, and for all he gave to this railway over so many decades.

He leaves behind a legacy that will not be forgotten.

Geoff’s funeral will be held at St Dunstan’s church, Cranbrook, TN17 3HA, at 11:00 on Tuesday 13th May, with a private cremation the following day. Geoff’s family shared that all Kent and East Sussex Railway colleagues will be very welcome to attend.

Could You Help Us Shine
at Community Events?

Events outside K&ESR - like Tractor Fest, Spirit of Tenterden, or the Bodiam Funday & Dog Show - can help us reach new audiences, recruit new volunteers and raise awareness of our Railway. We need help to plan external events whilst our team is busy focusing on attracting visitors to us. 

Don’t worry, you won’t be doing all the work! You'll coordinate what's required, liase with the organisers and find helpers. Here are the events we’d like to attend this year – with your support…

• Robertsbridge 800, 21 June, Coordinators - Julie Wilkinson (K&ESR) & Sarah Tagart (Volunteering) (combined stand/marquee with RVR)
• Spirit of Tenterden Festival, 4-6 July 2025 – can you help?
• Bodiam Funday & Dog Show, 5 July – can you help?
• Tractor Fest, 16-17 August – can you help?
• South Eastern Ashford Open Day, Ashford, 23 August – can you help?
• Kent Scouts - Lower Grange Farm, near Maidstone, 16 November – can you help?

If you could help oordinate role with any, some, or all these events, please use the form on our volunteering web page https://kesr.org.uk/volunteering/

‍Working Weekend in France, October 2025

We are looking for volunteers of all ages to make up a party of 15 people who would like to enjoy some time in France and further the links between our two Railways. Our regular Twinning annual exchange working weekend with the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme is due to take place on their network in the Baie de Somme. 

There will be a varied program on offer with CFBS providing most of the meals on both days (excluding breakfast). We have been advised that CFBS are happy to provide a steam locomotive for running on the Cayeux line, so that those who would like to prepare, fire and drive it can take turns under supervision. There will obviously be other tasks to carry out as well.

We plan to travel over on Friday 10th October so that a punctual start can be made on Saturday for working days on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, returning on Monday. Free accommodation for up to 15 people is available on a Corail coach with couchettes. You’ll need to bring a sleeping bag, unless of course you prefer to opt for hotel accommodation (at your own cost).

If this interesting weekend away appeals to you, please contact David Brailsford on d.brailsford@talk21.com before the end of June 2025.

The Bodiam Coach, a Unique Self-Catering
Stay in our Beautiful Station Garden

The Bodiam Coach, a two-bedroom self-catering accommodation that sleeps up to 5 people, is a popular holiday destination with all but a few weeks already booked for 2025! We expect to fill the few remaining vacancies (in September and October) as the year unfolds. If you or someone you know would like to find out about availability, a booking calendar is published online at www.railwayglampingcoach.co.uk. Are you curious to have a look around? You would be most welcome! Please find a “green day” on the Availability Calendar and email Bodiamcoach@gmail.com for a tour.

We’ve recently made a few improvements to the interior, and outside, we’re cultivating the bank adjacent to the coach to encourage wildlife. 

We’re keen to plant more shrubs - Honeysuckle, Pyracantha, Pittosporum and Salvia – but they can be very expensive. If you’re cultivating cuttings, or have spare shrubs or garden plants, we would be very grateful for donations – and happy to collect! Please contact Bodiamcoach@gmail.com. In return we’d be delighted to extend an invitation to our annual Bodiam Coach Supporters BBQ in the summer. Look forward to seeing you there!

‍Paid Casual Vacancy

A casual paid vacancy has occurred in our Domestic Team at The Bodiam Coach, Bodiam Station. Light cleaning and bed changing. All materials provided. 3 hours, twice a week Monday and Friday starting at 10.15am. £15 per hour. Transport available from Tenterden, Rolvenden, Sandhurst area if required.

If you know of anyone who would be interested in this position, please ask them to contact Bryan Atkins email : Bodiamcoach@gmail.com

Help Us Build the Future of K&ESR

We’re looking to grow a small volunteer team to help manage and support building works and infrastructure projects across the Railway.

If you have skills or experience in civil engineering, project management, building surveying, architecture, structural engineering, interior design, quantity surveying, services engineering, or technical drawing – we’d love to hear from you!

We no longer have a full-time Infrastructure Manager, so we’re building a team to share the load – from helping with inspections and reports to managing small projects or advising on bigger ones. 

P-Way and Bridge Inspections are already covered, and our day gangs do great work on the ground – we just need a few more people to help plan, coordinate, and keep things moving.

Interested? Please get in touch with Robin Coombes, General Manager, via email (rcoombes@kesr.org.uk) or do pop into Tenterden Station for a chat.

Donations and Legacies

‍Our current appeal is to support the overhaul and return to traffic of the Railway’s Pannier Locomotive No 1638. We are truly grateful to those who have provided lump sum donations towards the project or committed to donating £16.38 per month for three years. Your generosity means that work is underway on the locomotive and can continue in the coming months.

So far, £56,000 has been donated or committed in regular donations, meaning that we have reached around 35% of our target. Please consider supporting this important initiative, whether through a one-off donation or a monthly sum. More details can be found here https://kesr.org.uk/donate/anniversary-appeal/

Leaving a legacy donation can ensure your dedication to our unique Railway lives on, and may offer comfort to loved ones by preserving precious memories.

A donation, of whatever size, makes a real difference. If you would like to remember the K&ESR in your Will, we recommend you speak to your Solicitor.

‍Creating Space to Rest in Peace

‍Did you know we have a Memorial Garden at Northiam Station? Even if you’re aware, you may not know much about it, so to find out more, please read on. 

Fifteen years ago, the Tuesday Group, headed by Graham Hopker, and gardener, Veronica Hopker, suggested the idea of a memorial space to the Trust. They were given funds to cover the cost of setting up a memorial wall, made from railway sleepers, with a fenced garden planned and planted by Veronica. The garden is a peaceful place where loved ones can be remembered, ashes scattered, and a plaque put on the memorial wall. It is not only intended for K&ESR volunteers and staff; anyone who loved steam railways may be commemorated there.

A Wake to Remember

A range of services are available to family and friends who wish to pay tribute to their loved ones on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. A private compartment can be booked on a train, and a wake can be provided with suitable refreshments (e.g. cream tea or ploughman’s lunch). Parties can arrive or alight at Northiam Station to scatter ashes in the garden, visit the plaque, and even have a few appropriate words said by the Railway Pastor.

Memorials Coordinator

Because so much care needs to be taken over the arrangements, we have had a dedicated Volunteer Memorials Co-Ordinator, Wendy Furey, since 2019. Plaques are priced at £30 and take about a month to make and install. They’re provided free of charge to the Railway by Mike Sharp to whom we express our sincere gratitude, and also thanks to Graham, who fits the plaques in the garden.

Any donations for the service are gratefully received. Anyone interested in this service can contact the Trust at enquiries@kesr.org.uk or 01580 765155 or email wendy.g.furey@gmail.com. 

‍Well, Well, Well…

‍A hole appeared and the P. Way Team looked into it!

Whilst undertaking repair work on Northiam No. 2 Cottage, we took the opportunity to explore the security of the well-cover behind it. It soon became clear that the two rotten sleepers and some wiggly tin didn’t quite come up to what could be called a “long term solution” to make the well safe. A few hours with Frim and his trusty digger, and 5 sturdy concrete sleepers later, job done. 

The well is now safely covered.

‍Important Date for Your Diary

‍Please make a note in your diary that our next AGM will be held on 8th November 2025 in Saint Mildred’s Church, Tenterden.

Further information will follow over the summer. 

Thank you to everyone for your contributions – please remember to submit your news to newsletter@kesr.org.uk

‍Kent & East Sussex Railway

Tenterden Town Station, Station Road,

Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HE

www.kesr.org.uk

Registered charity 262481

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