Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

Thanks very much, seems the only reason where you'd need to change is if travelling from Victoria, and then at Oxted, rather than Uckfield.

 

On Sundays, the Uckfield services are (mostly) a shuttle from Oxted so you'd have to change if you went on a Sunday regardless of which London terminus you used.

JP

 

It is well worth a visit. The railway makes a nice day out and the town itself is worth seeing esp around the Pantiles.

There are also some decent pubs along the railway if that takes your fancy.

 

Tunbridge Wells services also call at London Bridge, they start from Charing Cross.

 

Check our timetable for details before choosing Tunbridge Wells or Eridge, some of our operating days are to Groombridge only. All yellow timetable days are Groombridge only.

 

Thanks all for the great advice. NP at its best. Will certainly look up the timetable before setting any dates, and will definitely be checking out the ale situation,

 

For photographs of our new BG No.92111 please see here: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/enthusiasts/Gallery/In_the_Works_/

For full details, including timetable, of our Groombridge Old Station Building re-opening day please see here: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/events/Groombridge_Old_Station_Grand_Reopening_Sat_26th_April/

 

Our 2014 operating season commences this weekend and in use will be Class 73 E6047 on the Saturday and Class 10 D3489 'Colonel Tomline' on the Sunday. The 73s last scheduled public runs prior to bodywork overhaul and a repaint are this Saturday.
The stock will be DEMU 1317 and trains will operate to a purple timetable. First TWW-ERD departure is 1010 and the first ERD-TWW departure is 1110.

All fares are half price so for 50 miles of travel you pay just £5 for an Adult unlimited travel ticket.

Please visit http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/visitor_information/Timetable/ for our timetables, a full Steam and Diesel service commences on Saturday 29th March.

 

That's a good enough reason to visit.

 

You have the Huntsman at Eridge just on the corner before the station car park. If you fancy a bit of a walk along the A26 there is also the Neville Crest and Gun, I'd allow 20-30 minutes to reach there but it is a lovely pub.

At Groombridge there's the choice of two! The Junction Inn which is outside the station and across the road towards the village, about a 5 minute walk, it is however undergoing a change of ownership at the present time. I'm not 100% sure whether it's reopened. Up in Groombridge village around a 15/20 minute walk there's the Crown Inn which is thoroughly recommended!

In Tunbridge Wells we've a large number of pubs however the closest ones to the station are the Duke of York on the Pantiles and the Sussex Arms just off the Pantiles, these are about 10 minutes from Tunbridge Wells West. If you venture a bit further away there is the Compasses and that is opposite a very good Fish and Chip shop, about a 10/15 minute walk from Tunbridge Wells West and has the old Grove Tunnel close by.

We do of course have our own on train bar car 'Kate' which serves bottled Ales and Cider, we are going to hopefully be introducing our own bottled ale in the very near future and also start reintroducing barrels of local ale on our Fish and Chip Trains.

 

And not forgetting the High Rocks hotel with its own station.

 

Its a nice Inn at High Rocks albeit rather expensive, the Rocks give good views of the trains and on a hot summers day the garden is also an ideal spot to see our trains arrive and depart.

 

A quick update from around the SVR after this weekend.

Ugly - Was in service over the weekend on the first steam turns of the season. She will be in service for the majority of this year as a suitable replacement for the Jinty has not been found.

Both 31206 and 33063 were in traffic hauling trains this weekend. Both locos will be hauling trains over the coming weeks as the ED is now due to be withdrawn from traffic for bodywork repairs and a repaint.

Sutton - Work this weekend concentrated on completing the second water tank ready for leak testing. The interior of the tank requires further painting but other than that it is now ready. Work also commenced on the tank shroud which covers it. Due to location it sat at Tenterden, both the tank and shroud have suffered far worse on the fireman's side than the driver's.

Coal Hole - Almost all the walls are now erected ready for the concrete floor to be cast. We have one left to put up but this requires a couple of second hand 'I' beams to be purchased.

Matt

 

Has Spartan been sold or just not going to be used?

 

Never been to Spa but have been persuaded to attend their Diesel Gala / Beer Festival.....

 

Spartan hasn't yet been sold, currently having some work done.

The Summer Diesel Gala is 1st - 3rd August this year and we're planning around 10 local ales plus some ciders to be in attendance.

 

Should be a good day out

 

Don"t miss it, i manage to get bladdered every year

 

Will it be 31206 last running ?