Kent & East Sussex Railway

The Great K&ESR Gala Weekend. Visiting locomotives - GWR 42XX No.4247 and GNR N2 No.1744.

• HIGHLIGHTS of the weekend
• TIMETABLE Sat 5th May
• TIMETABLE Sun 6th May
• TIMETABLE Mon 7th May

Forword by Neil Sime, Gala Event Chairman 2012

The Gala weekend is very much a “showcase” for the Railway with a varied service of passenger and goods trains along the length of the line, brake van rides, our Carriage Repair shed open to visitors, demonstrations of our “on track” maintenance equipment, a chance to operate a World Record breaking “pump trolley” and a whole host of attractions at the stations along the line offering something for everyone.

We are delighted to welcome ex-Great Western 2-8-0 tank locomotive number 4247 from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall. This locomotive, which primarily worked heavy goods trains in South Wales and the South West of England for most of its mainline working life, is very much a glimpse of the future as a group of Kent & East Sussex Railway volunteers have bought sister locomotive 4253 which arrived on the railway in 2011 in almost “ex-scrap yard” condition. Excellent progress has already been made on a long term restoration project and you can find more details of this and another exciting development for the Railways future motive power elsewhere in this book. We are very much looking forward to gaining experience of this type of locomotive on the railway during 4247’s visit as hopefully in the not-too-distant future our own example will be hauling regular passenger services on the line.

Our second visitor is owned by the Gresley Society, comes from the Great Central Railway at Loughborough and is an example of a type of locomotive used extensively on passenger services out of Kings Cross and Moorgate stations in London to the suburbs of North London. Ex-Great Northern Railway 0-6-2 “N2” Class locomotive number 1744 had a long career on these mundane but important duties from its introduction in 1921 until withdrawal from service following the arrival of more modern motive power in 1962. It’s performance over our challenging line has been awaited with interest by loco crews and watchers alike and the pairing of this veteran locomotive with our Vintage Coaches is definitely a mouth-watering prospect.

Whilst the Kent & East Sussex Railway community as a whole will be very much involved in the event during the weekend, the Gala has been planned and organised by a committee of volunteers and full-time staff from across the Railway. This group has met regularly for the past ten months and the diversity of the offerings this weekend, reflects the enthusiasm and hard work of that group of people and many others who will make this special weekend possible. I’d like to thank them all for their contributions and hope that the Gala will be a fitting tribute to their efforts.

It just remains for me to wish all our visitors a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. I hope that the enthusiasm of those making this event happen, is as evident to you as it is to me and that you visit us again soon, and perhaps join the Kent & East Sussex Railway Company to help us achieve the exciting future that you will see a glimpse of this weekend.

GALA FARES

 
The fares to the left are basic All-Day Rover Tickets. Other variations are available including two and three day tickets.

K&ESR Members should contact the Sales Office for details of discounted tickets.


Shuttle Bus Service (Sunday only)
To avoid planned engineering works on the mainline between Paddock Wood and Ashford we are offering a shuttle bus service between Robertsbridge and Northiam on Sunday, connecting into and out of South Eastern services between London and Hastings to link into frequent K&ESR departures from Northiam to Bodiam and Tenterden.

On Monday there will be a shuttle bus service between Tenterden and Headcorn to connect into/out of mainline services from London.

View & download the timetable here

Bus Service to Bodiam Castle
There will be a shuttle bus service available on Sunday and Monday for those passengers wishing to visit the popular National Trust attraction across the River Rother from the station.

The 12-page Souvenir Brochure will be available from all stations from Saturday morning at £2.50.

It contains the working timetables for each of the three days plus loads of information about the locos, the RVR and what can be seen and enjoyed at each station each day. There's a beer tent at Bodiam, crane and tamper displays at Wittersham Road, our record-breaking pump trolley will be in operation for visitors to have a go at Northiam whilst at Tenterden there's a 5" gauge miniature railway to ride on plus a model railway layout.