Kent & East Sussex Railway

Over het museum

The Kent & East Sussex Railway grew out of the Rother Valley Railway, built by the light railway promoter Holman F. Stephens, known as Colonel Stephens, and opened in the early 20th century. It was among the first light railways in Britain, equipped with full-size trains but with steep gradients and lower speeds, and it formed part of a longer line that once ran between Headcorn and Robertsbridge. Passenger trains ran from 1900 until 1954.

A scheme to reopen the line from Tenterden was proposed after closure, and the first trains ran on a short section in 1974. The registered charity that now owns and operates the line restored services to Bodiam in time for the centenary of the railway in 2000. Today it runs a 10½ mile line through the Wealden countryside of the Rother Valley, staffed almost entirely by volunteers, and welcomes up to 85,000 people a year.

The railway operates a mixed collection of steam and diesel locomotives, carriages and wagons, and maintains them in its own workshops at Rolvenden and Tenterden. At Tenterden Town station, near the car park, the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum records the career of Stephens and the light railways he ran, and a model railway room tells how the K&ESR was preserved. The station itself contains a former bus station of 1922 that was moved there and is now the refreshment rooms.

Hoogtepunten

• Steam and diesel trains from Tenterden to Bodiam, about 50 minutes each way
• Colonel Stephens Railway Museum at Tenterden Town station, free to enter
• Carriages with old-fashioned family compartments
• Petros, a carriage designed for wheelchair users
• Behind the Scenes tours of the locomotive and carriage workshops
• Rail trail walks and a family nature trail

Vaste collectie

• Colonel Stephens Railway Museum – A museum at Tenterden Town station on the career of Holman F. Stephens and the light railways he promoted and managed; entry is free when trains are running.

Beheerder

Kent & East Sussex Railway Company

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

2026 fares for the train journey between Tenterden and Bodiam: adult £30 online or £33 on arrival, senior £26.50 or £30, child £5 or £15. Discounted tickets are normally on sale online until midnight on the day before travel, and ticket sales at the station depend on seats being available. Entry to the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum is free. Members of the Kent & East Sussex Railway receive concessionary fares. Visitors with a K&ESR ticket get 10% off admission to Bodiam Castle, which is free for National Trust members. Well-behaved dogs travel free in Standard Class.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

A carriage called Petros, built for wheelchair users, has ramped access, wide aisles, moveable seating and an accessible toilet; it has eight wheelchair spaces and can be reserved by telephone or email at no extra cost. There is full wheelchair access to the refreshment rooms, gift shop and Colonel Stephens Railway Museum at Tenterden, and the Tenterden ticket office has an induction loop. Accessible toilets are at Tenterden, Northiam and Bodiam. Blue Badge parking is in the main car park at Tenterden Town and next to the platform at Northiam. The Wealden Pullman dining train has ramped access for wheelchairs up to 25 inches wide. Registered assistance dogs are welcome everywhere.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations

Child tickets cost £5 online, and family tickets are offered; some carriages have family compartments. The model railway room at Tenterden gives each child a token to collect from the booking office. Family nature trails and a Tenterden Family Fun Trail booklet can be downloaded, and a Kids Munch Bag is offered to groups. Collapsible buggies go in the guard's van and cannot be kept at the seat; a buggy park is often provided at special events. Santa Specials and other seasonal trains run in the winter.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Tenterden is about 12 miles south-west of Ashford on the A28, and the railway car park is just over the level crossing at Tenterden Town station (TN30 6HE). Northiam station (TN31 6QT) is next to the A28, a mile north of the village, and Bodiam station is TN32 5RA. Please allow 20 minutes to buy or collect tickets on arrival.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumwinkel

Tenterden Town station has Art Deco refreshment rooms serving sandwiches, cakes, light lunches, local ale and ice cream; Northiam has a small tea room with limited opening and Bodiam a gift shop selling drinks, snacks and ices. Gift shops are at Tenterden Town, Northiam and Bodiam. On-train catering includes the pre-booked Rother Valley Limited restaurant car, fish and chip evening specials and the Wealden Pullman dining train on Saturday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur

The railway offers its locations for commercial filming, group travel with on-train catering, and Behind the Scenes experiences.

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