Old Time Re-creation
on the Kent & East Sussex Railway

Press Release
19th October 2010

Nowadays the Kent & East Sussex Railway carries some 90 000 passengers a year, many of whom combine a trip with a visit to the famous Castle at Bodiam or shopping in Tenterden.

Some sixty years ago, however, many of the trains ran as mixed – formed of a single coach and a few goods wagons – or comprising just the coach on its own. Indeed there were so few passengers that often trains ran empty.

Such a formation may well have included Terrier No.32678 working a coach known as a "birdcage" because of the prominent lookout for the guard. On Saturday 23rd October, in association with the K&ESR, The Terrier Trust who now own 32678, are running a special charter with "birdcage" to re-create a typical train of the short-lived British Railways era. 32678 famously headed the last regular passenger train from Robertsbridge as far as Rolvenden on 2nd January 1954.

Proceeds from the charter will help to offset costs of a new chimney for the line's other Terrier No.3 "Bodiam" which was once owned by the old K&ESR, having first arrived at Rolvenden in 1901. As BR No.32670, she worked one end of the very last passenger special between Robertsbridge and Tenterden Town on June 11th 1961 – a day that also saw the closure of the Hawkhurst branch from Paddock Wood.

These closures, which were associated with the third-rail electrification from June 12th that year, were then followed by the closure of the Westerham branch in the October – part of the formation of which now lies beneath the M25.

To help mark the 50th anniversary in 2011, The Terrier Trust – who now own No.3 "Bodiam" jointly with the K&ESR – have agreed that the locomotive may run as 32670 for a short period.

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Note to editors

If you would like to video or photograph the re-creation BR single coach train this Saturday, it leaves Tenterden Town Station at 0930hrs. The best opportunity for extended coverage will probably be at Northiam Station, East Sussex from approximately 1110hrs to 1305hrs. Other morning/afternoon timing points may be obtained via the email address given above.