Kent & East Sussex Railway

I see from Wikipedia, that source of always 100% correct information (but despite errors I do use it and like it a lot!) that 76017's boiler ticket expires in 2026.

If so, is that correct and does that mean (all caveats including fire risk applying of course), that is it likely to continue to be available for normal service train rostering for the rest of this year please?

I ask as I very much enjoyed my short visit yersterday, and would like to spend time exploring other KESR locations to photo 76017. With the Rolvenden station area, where public access is permitted, top of my list to check at present.

Any advice on locations the Wittersham Road end of Rovenden station much appreciated. I prefer to be where part of the railway infrastructure is visible - and by that I mean not just the track, sleepers and ballast!

Bryan

 

I have not yet heard it confirmed whether 76017 is staying for the rest of the year. Sadly, there is no public access to the Wittersham end of Rolvenden station beyond the end of the platform and the viewing gantry. The fields either side are private property, and I can't even think of any footpaths that would get you down to near the line.

 

I remember many years ago, a couple of walkers had made their way (by public paths) as far as the crossing at Harvesters.
The lady of the couple was apparently worn out, having underestimated the difficulty of the route.
They started to walk along the track towards the sewage works, and had to be escorted off site (via the Carriage Shed access track way).
Luckily there was a qualified volunteer available to be sent to get them.

So in theory there is a route, but definitely not recommended. And the only part of railway infrastructure visible from the farm crossing, is a distant view of the carriage shed, with sewage works.

 

There appears to be a couple of public footpaths south of the carriage shed but nothing else. Google Kent public rights of way to find more. https://webapps.kent.gov.uk/countrysideaccesscams/standardmap.aspx

 

Thanks for that Steve. I had already found them on the OS map - I have been using them since I first walked; almost! These days I have an annual sub (£35 per year) that gives me unlimited access online plus the ability to print any sections for my own use.

Bryan

 

I presume that the first crossing South of Rolvenden station is the one that only has a view of the new carriage shed and the sewage works?

Not sure what the difficulty of the path would be to me from Rolvenden station, some styles are now a bit of an issue - somewhat of a change from my Bavarian mountain 'walking' days, plus Snowdon in winter more than a few times!

But if that first xing doesn't give a view of the station area it's no point going there in warm weather; no loco exhaust and no decent railway infrastructure to build a photo around.

Bryan

 

The 'Harvesters' crossing, is indeed a long way south of the carriage shed, and completely out of sight of the station.

 

As you correctly identify the problem with photography south of Rolvenden station is that the railway is blocked from view by the Sewage works. There is actually a public footpath along the Sewage Works Access Road almost to the gate for the works themselves which then goes up the hill to circumnavigate a wooded area and then back down to cross the field behind the works diagonally and reach the railway at the aforementioned Harvesters Crossing.
Im not a railway photographer myself but observation of the species from the footplate and the guards van is that they are relatively rare along that stretch, they mostly seem to get very excited on the other side of Rolvenden Staion around the open crossing to Orpins Farm. There is also a public footpath at the top of the steepest part of Tenterden Bank known in railwayspeak as "haystacks".

 

@Fireline Sorry to bother you. Any ideas on the planned roster for this weekends event please?

 

Not at this moment in time. I believe that 76017 is unlikely to appear though, so probably both Austerities.

 

Haystacks was always my preferred location in the days I could get to the railway easily. Great in the winter when the leaves are off the trees from both sides (if the sun is not out). Although one snowy Santa year I did fear I had frostbite after about 3 hours.

 

One reason for the popularity of the Haystacks crossing and the area nearby is that most locos face Tenterden and as @paul1609 has pointed out, it is situated at the steepest part of the climb up to Tenterden, so the loco will be working hard at this point. The relative paucity of photographers the Bodiam side of Rolvenden is quite understandable as the locos are unlikely to be working hard on what is much flatter terrain - indeed, for much of the rest of the journeyto Bodiam (or Robertsbridge when the RVR Is complete), the line runs fairly close to the River Rother or its tributaries. Having said that, there are still a few short but quite steep humps, notably the Northiam side of Wittersham Road and between Northiam and Bodiam.

It's interesting how mnay posts there have been on this normally quiet thread recently, primarily due to a number of forum members' interest in No. 76017, which, unusually, faces smokebox first out of Tenterden; hence the need to find alternative photographic spots. A big thank you to @Fireline for keeing us informed on the roster. I hope that I can manage a run behind this loco while it is still based on the K&ESR.

 

Thank You

 

Latest information is that it's Northiam, Swiftsure and Knowle this weekend. That is, of course, subject to the usual caveats. Hopefully we won't have to resort to our wartime Class 14!

 

That's what's happening today at least. 2678 Knowle on vintage carriages.

 

Only just. Northiam wanted a day off, but the shed staff weren't having it!

 

Just had the duty list for this weekend. 76017 is scheduled to be the service engine on Saturday and Sunday, with the DMU on the B set. Northiam takes over on Monday, and should be out on Tuesday as well.

 

With all of this information about K&ESR loco allocations now available, I'm looking forward to hearing that their visitor figures have sky-rocketed with all the extra Natpres members now attending. Then again ...

 

As one here who asked for loco information, I went down as a result, and only to photograph. And as I went to Wittersham Road and Northiam stations and not Tenterden, and couldn't buy a day ticket, I made a Gift aided donation when I got home worth, in total, more than the day ticket price. That is my normal approach if I don't travel and also don't get near a ticket office - I am certainly not alone here in doing that.

So even though I am an 'extra Natpres attendee' I won't be counted in their visitor numbers.

Bryan

 

@richards comment annoys me i wonder what he contributes to our hobby apart from snide comments regularly on here