Rother Valley railway reconnected

Looks like the RVR has now been reconnected to the national network reestablishing the link that was removed in (I'm guessing) 1972-3?

http://rvrailway.blogspot.co.uk/

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNwGCN02MfA/VQxjfLxj94I/AAAAAAAAhGo/G9ZVFTRJJJ4/s1600/P1070362.JPG

 

Congratulations all round! Does this make them the shortest (for now) Heritage Railway with a mainline connection??? Either way, well done to all concerned

 

Well done to all - it's a fantastic achievement. How are things developing with regard to securing the missing couple of miles between Robertsbridge and the Head of steel west of Bodiam?

 

Nice to see a line that does things the logical way. A main line connection first then, extend outwards from it. Instead of starting in the middle, then extending even further away from the main line, not towards it.

 

Very usefull for bringing in ballast once they start to relay the track, i think the line has its own tamper and lining machine so i would imagine that would work its way towards Robertsbridge once the actual track is reconnected, but of course that’s going to be quite a few years away yet at a guess about 3-4 , 3 to get the land and purchase orders, and aa year to lay in the level crossings and to lay the track.

 

i assume the bluebell worked out bringing in ballast by rail was cheaper? bring it in by rail , make a stockpile at Robertsbridge or lay ballast as the track progresses , if they transfer the tamper by road so that the PW train is all at the robertsbridge end

 

I don't have any idea of the relative costs but the NYMR have started bringing in trainloads of ballast and they have a non-rail connected quarry on their doorstep. It may be simply down to the quality of the stone, though.

 

Tamping can wait until there is a set of rails to run on. KESR members have 2 tampers (1 plain line, 1 S&C), a regulator and a TRAMM. I believe there is a smaller regulator at the RVR end of the line as well.