KESR’s/RVR Junction Road weekend, 19 & 20 March 2011

Plans are well in hand for the above event, which will feature KESR trains running over the RVR metals between Bodiam and Junction Road. It is hoped that Charwelton, as RVR’s first steam loco, will be rostered for the services. Trains running west of Northiam will be topped and tailed because of the lack of a run-round at the Junction Road end.

Please note that there will be no views of or access to the railway at Udiam Farm or Quarry Farm which are private property; and no parking anywhere in the vicinity of Junction Road, for road safety reasons.

RVR and KESR members will be entitled to discount tickets on these days, while regular volunteers will be able to travel free on production of a suitable “grade” card, which we plan to introduce for RVR volunteers shortly.

For further details, please keep an eye on the RVR or KESR websites which should have more information as it becomes available.

Charwelton

The last issue announced that RVR Ltd was taking ownership of the steam loco Charwelton, our cover girl for this issue. She arrived at KESR as long ago as 1964, and for many years has worked as No 14. The previous owner Rick Edmondson decided to sell the locomotive, and RVR has been able to buy it through the great generosity of an anonymous benefactor. I am sure we would all like to extend ur most grateful thanks to whoever this benefactor may be, assuming that he or
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she gets to read this article! Charwelton will of course continue to be based at Rolvenden, operating under a hire agreement with RVR Ltd, so that it remains available to our sister railway. KESR will continue to maintain the loco, and indeed we understand that a umber of repairs have been recently undertaken now that the future of the
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locomotive at KESR is assured. Charwelton is an 0‐6‐0 saddle tank from the well‐known builder of smaller industrial and contractor locomotives, Manning Wardle of Leeds, and was completed in 1917. She worked the ironstone quarry lines of the Parkgate Iron and Steel Company of Charwelton, Northants for many years, transferring to another quarry owned by this firm at Sproxton, Lincs until 1963, after which she was transferred to the then newly formed KESR for preservation. It’s hoped that he will be in action on RVR metals during KESR’s planned Junction Road eekend in March (see diary dates below).
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Charwelton at

VSOE Upgrade

With the departure of the cafe and kitchen from the VSOE building last summer, work has been moving ahead steadily on converting the northern end to a museum/information/visitor area. Walls have been reclad, a store cupboard built, and (donated) carpet laid to create a more welcoming area for visitors. Here they can (soon) view future developments, absorb some RVR history, and enjoy a drink and a sit down. Our various railway artefacts are waiting to be displayed, with project information, displays, and hopefully audio visuals in due course.

Buffet Problems

In the last Phoenix we described how work had started to install a visitor buffet in the privately owned ex BR Mk 1 saloon coach. Unfortunately the owner of this vehicle changed his mind after work had started, and it is no longer available. He says he will remove it from the site shortly, and has declined to sell it to us. Naturally this came as a blow to those who had worked so hard on getting the vehicle ready inside and out, made worse by having to undo hours of effort on plumbing and electrics, and two sets of stairs. But we are never downhearted for long.... We are considering options for visitor catering at the Robertsbridge site.
Meanwhile, teas and coffees, cold drinks and confectionery are of course available for all visitors, in the RVR shop, every Sunday.

Editorial

More good news in this issue of Phoenix. Let’s hope we can keep this up all year!

Not only is RVR the proud owner of a steam locomotive, Charwelton - see page 9 - but we now understand that work is in hand on new detailed drawings for tackling the bridges that lie between Robertsbridge and North Bridge Street, signalling again the Trust’s aim of making this stretch the next planned extension of our railway. We understand too that work is planned to shot-blast and paint the old Staplehurst bridge sections remaining at Robertsbridge, so that they are ready to be used when needed. What is more, promising discussions have been held with the Railway Inspectorate about our requirements for road crossings. No further details are available just yet, but these new initiatives show the head of steam building up these days, and the tantalising prospect of a start to some significant new work before too long, authorities permitting.

KESR continue with plans for what is now being called the Junction Road weekend. The dates now are 19 & 20 March 2011, and special KESR trains will run along the RVR eastern extension near to Junction Road, bringing passengers there for the first time since the enthusiasts’ specials of the 1960s. See below.

It looks as if KESR are taking quite an interest in us these days, with a positive tone evident in both the Terrier and statements from the management. For example the new KESR chairman Geoff Crouch said on being elected “...I also look forward to future developments which in cooperation with the RVR will one day see services extended to Robertsbridge, thus completing the work started so many years ago by our founding fathers”.

We’re delighted to welcome four new regular volunteers to the RVR fold this autumn, namely Jack and Bob, David and Mark. We will try and hang on to them.

This issue includes a short piece about proposed changes to the RVRSA constitution to add two new classes of membership. Our AGM is now set for 28 May 2011, and we are hoping for a good turnout.

May I wish all our readers a happy New Year. It promises to be an exciting one.

Steve Griffiths (editor)