Kent & East Sussex Railway

It is, but Rolvenden wins because of having the loop outside the platform. It's an extra level of faff which just makes you scratch your head and think "why did they build it like that?". Which is precisely what piques sufficient interest to learn about it.

 

Barcombe (two stations south of Sheffield Park) was like that, and I can think of other southern examples. I think the reason was that if you never intended to pass passenger trains, then only having one platform (and associated buildings) saved money in construction. No need for a second platform, waiting shelter, footbridge etc. The loop then really acts as a place to shuffle wagons around on goods trains, but isn’t designed (or signalled) for passing moves. If in turn it isn’t a passing place, then signalling is simplified as it doesn’t act as a block post.

It’s only in the preservation era where most trains are passenger trains and frequently the timetable requires peak line occupancy that such a layout looks like a faff. If your normal passenger service is one train in steam shuffling between each end of the line and maybe a single goods train that runs at most once per day (and perhaps less) it probably isn’t a particularly inconvenient arrangement.

Tom

 

Tom, there was a loop opposite the Rolvenden platform into the 1980's, but the platform was too small for the growing services. At some point, the decision was taken to increase the depth of the platform, and move the loop down to it's present position. To be fair, the loop spent most of the 70's and 80's full of dead locos and rolling stock, so it wasn't exactly much use anyway!

 

Was it a competition then?

 

This is actually an interesting picture of Rolvenden, when the loop was available. Even then, it was outside the platform, so required drawing forward to run round:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-pelican-railways/16209806149

 

I don't understand the question. If you re-read the preceding comments they make perfect sense. (I think.)

 

The Rolvenden loop and ‘dump siding’, with a similar lineup of locos, also appeared in a 1970s episode of ‘Tomorrow’s World’ from about 2:25 in this video. And, as we all know, the reporter's prediction that this light-railway idea would revolutionise rail transport came true in every detail. As always on Tomorrow's World.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=407769039596132

 

Ideal for trips from Northiam to Great Dixter House

 

People might enjoy the 'before' and 'after' pictures?

Before:



This is from December 1984.
Loop on the right, plus siding opposite the platform (which can't be lengthened because of the water tower)

 

During:

This is the layout in July 1985. Note the distinct kink in the through road, which has been slued in anticipation of the 'after' layout. The siding opposite the platform has been removed.

 

Another 'during':


This is December 1988. The longer platform has taken the place of the former through road, and now skirts round the water tower. Beyond, through road and loop have changed places!
It's still Rolvenden though, as the sign says...

 

And this is the 'after':


It's from June 1989. Platform nearly finished.
But wait, what's this big new upright in front of the water tower now....?

 

pmh_74 said: ↑
It is, but Rolvenden wins because of having the loop outside the platform.
Well, you said Rolvenden wins, so I assume you turned it into a competition for best K&ESR station. I think they are all delightful! Nevertheless, Wittersham Road is the most rural and Rolvenden potentially the busiest so little point in comparing them. Just enjoy them both! Enjoy them all!!

 

Apropos of nothing, I've just been undertaking a deep dive on K&ESR things, and found an article that says the girders supporting the Rolvenden Water Tank are the frame of the Pickering steam railcar that had a brief life on the railway in the 1930s. I never knew that!

John

 

I don't know if this is the article @Selsig saw but here's a link to Brian Janes' account of the Pickering steam railcar. It arrived in 1905 and was (probably) used until about 1914, lingering on until 1943. As stated in the article no photos of it in service have been found but it may well have seen more use in service in the early years than has sometimes been reported.
K&ESR Pickering | colonelstephenssociety.co.uk

 

I know this story about the Pickering frames, but looking at the water tower I can't really see evidence of them. At least it's not obvious. (it needs to be for me )

 

At one time there was a toy museum opposite the station, but that closed some years ago. Northiam has Railway Retreats, a collection of holiday lets in converted rolling stock and there is a sizeable camp site nearby (I believe partly on the site of the former Northiam Cattle Market which was established as a result of the opening of the railway). Northiam is also the only station apart from Tenterden Town with car parking for visitors. The KESR has put a toe in the water this summer by running a train starting from Bodiam at 9.50 on 6 dates to assess demand starting from the Sussex end of the line.

 

The story of the Pickering's frames is fairly well known, but like so many of these stories it 'Could' be 'True' in many ways, I suppose that the thought of the frame being mounted on legs with a water tank on top is the most 'Romantic', but equaly the frames could have been cut into shorter lengths and used to make a frame for the tank, or maybe the frames, complete or otherwise were used as re-inforcement for the concrete base on the platform for the tank legs, or maybe it was used for 'A' tank, elsewhere in the yard rather than 'The' tank on the platform, or was the existing tank at Rolvendon a replacement for the Pickering tank? All stuff to think (But not to hard) about. I used to go to Rolvendon as a kid and don't actually remember a tank, but then with rows of loco's there at the time, would I have taken any notice? I do however remember the remains of the power unit of an early sentinel railcar at Rolvendon, the eventual fate of which (having been sold in good faith by the KESRPS) can only really be described as Shameful.

 

Pictures of the underside of ‘The’ Rolvenden water-tower, constructed in the 1940s at about the time the Pickering was scrapped are here:
https://locoyard.com/2016/05/06/beh...x-railway-rolvenden-tour-2016-02-water-tower/

and here:
https://locoyard.com/2016/05/06/beh...x-railway-rolvenden-tour-2016-01-water-tower/

As @clinker says, who knows what bits if anything was recycled. There was a war on y’know

 

Lovely first visit to the K&ESR on Friday, video included, featuring Swiftsure on its 2nd and 3rd departure from Bodiam, before starting to climb of Tenterden Bank, followed by shunting the locos around on shed in the evening.