Spa Valley Railway

Closure

Derelict locomotive shed, c1986

As the popularity of the motor car increased, train services were severely cut back due to the lack of patronage, and the number of services passing through Tunbridge Wells West declined as one line after another was closed from the 1950s onwards. First, the East Grinstead to Lewes line closed in 1958, then the Cuckoo Line in 1965, the Three Bridges to Groombridge in 1967, and finally the Wealden Line south of Uckfield in 1969. The line between Tunbridge Wells and Eridge was itself listed for closure in 1966, only to be subsequently reprieved. The line remained open, although in its latter years passenger services were mainly confined to a shuttle service between Tonbridge (via the single line connection to Tunbridge Wells Central - now plain Tunbridge Wells) and Eridge with a few through trains to Uckfield; however there was a depot at Tunbridge Wells West which housed rolling stock for services on the Uckfield and East Grinstead - London (via East Croydon) lines, and there were several empty stock moves early and late in the day.

Following a lack of investment for decades (since Beeching, spending on anything other than essential repairs was non-existent^[3]), by the early 1980s the track and signalling needed to be replaced. British Rail, at the time carrying out an upgrade of the Tonbridge to Hastings Line which included the renewal of Grove Junction, decided that the cost of keeping the line from Eridge to Grove Jn open and undertaking the works, some £175,000, did not justify the outlay. It therefore announced the proposed closure of the line (including Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells West station) from 16 May 1983 which was later deferred after public objections. The Secretary of State for Transport agreed to the withdrawal of passenger services which took effect from 6 July 1985, although the section between Tunbridge Wells West and Birchden Jn remained open for rolling stock movements until 10 August, when the depot at Tunbridge Wells West station was shut.^[4] At the time of closure Tunbridge Wells West station had gas lighting, which was in operation in the ticket office and under the canopy.

Restoration

The Spa Valley Railway (SVR) has its origins in a charitable society formed on 13 September 1985, to purchase and reopen the Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge line. Named the Tunbridge Wells and Eridge Railway Preservation Society (TWERPS), it began a long struggle to reopen the line. The campaign received a setback in the late 1980s when Tunbridge Wells Borough Council gave planning permission for the construction of a large Sainsbury's supermarket complex on the site of the derelict goods yard of Tunbridge Wells West. While the 1891 locomotive shed and station building were protected as listed buildings, the remaining area of the site was obliterated, including the goods shed and signal boxes. However, planning permission was subject to the condition that the developer pay for construction of a new station platform and restoration of the engine shed.^[5]

In 1996 the North Downs Steam Railway relocated from Dartford, where it was experiencing vandalism problems, and merged with TWERPS. It transferred its assets and helped establish a base in the former LB&SCR locomotive shed. Also in 1996, the group acquired the line as far as Birchden Junction. Alongside the loco shed a new platform was built, from where services began running to Cold Bath Bridge (about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) away) in December 1996. Services were extended to Groombridge in August 1997 and to Birchden Junction in 2005.

In 2007, SVR marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of the line by transforming Groombridge into a busy interchange station, with trains arriving or departing every 15 minutes.^[6] The funds raised from this event went towards the "Return to Eridge" appeal to raise £500,000 for the extension to the Uckfield main line at Eridge. On 25 March 2011 the SVR extended passenger services to Eridge, where there is a footbridge interchange with Southern services on the London Bridge to Uckfield line.

In August 2017, a special event (20th Birthday Bash) was held to celebrate 20 years since the reopening of the line to Groombridge, starring a variety of home and visiting locomotives, including BR Standard 4 Tank 80078.

Operations

The SVR provides a way of getting to other local tourist attractions, such as Groombridge Place, High Rocks and the Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells.

The railway holds a number of special event days throughout the year including Day Out with Thomas weekends, Santa Specials, a summer diesel gala and also real ale and cider festival (jointly organised by CAMRA) which is combined with the railway's autumn diesel gala and held each October.

On regular Saturday evenings throughout the year a form of dining train service operates, these are either a Fish & Chip Supper, Murder Mystery or the lines High Weald Belle at seat dining service. The High Weald Belle is named after the countryside the railway passes through and allows passengers to enjoy a five course evening dining experience or on regular Sundays a three course roast dinner. These evening trains are also available for 'ordinary' passengers (although without the meal) to travel on, and therefore provide a means of transport for those who have spent the evening at the various public houses and venues along the line. The late trains prove popular particularly from Groombridge, where passengers can have an evening in the various pubs, and still get back to Tunbridge Wells or Eridge.

The railway operates from February to October as well as Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays in the summer months. In December the railway operates its popular Santa Special services up until Christmas and then runs selected days between Christmas and/including New Year's Day.

During November and January the line is usually closed to the public. This allows the railways infrastructure department time to carry out major track renewals such as installation of new point work, something that Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells West have both benefited from in recent times.

Future plans

There was an extensive, almost self contained, network of lines emanating from Tunbridge Wells until the late 60s. Eridge could provide a natural spring board for extensions to the operational railway. Although there are no published firm plans, the railway has a stated aim to protect the abandoned railway alignments, and it would not seem unreasonable that they may one day seek to extend the railway.

Most obvious would seem to be a southern extension towards Rotherfield on the former Cuckoo Line. Whilst such an extension would be exceptionally expensive, and require an immense amount of work, the Spa Valley has already proven itself more than capable of making the difficult or unlikely a reality.

In the medium term the railway is in need of carriage sidings and a larger maintenance depot for rolling stock. As passenger numbers and train frequency increases, so the need for a carriage depot increases too. The railway has a stated aim to "secure a site for a light maintenance depot" at some point along the line.

Operational Steam Locomotives

Identity	Other Number(s)	Railway	Class	Builder	Works Number	Built	Wheel Arrangement	Notes	Image
Ugly	62	Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd, Corby	Ugly	RSH	7673	1950	0-6-0ST	Operational (February 2018)[7]
'	52322	Horwich Works	A	Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway	52322	1896	0-6-0	Operational. On hire until end of August 2018.

Non-operational Steam Locomotives

Identity	Other Number(s)	Railway	Class	Builder	Works Number	Built	Wheel Arrangement	Notes	Image
50 Sutton (originally Whitechapel)	650, B650, 2650, W9, 515S, 32650	LB&SCR	A1X (Terrier)	Brighton Works		1876	0-6-0T	Under overhaul (2011-08-15)[8]
47493	16576, 7493	LMS	3F "Jinty"	Vulcan Foundry	4195	1927	0-6-0T	Under overhaul (2014-01-09)[9]
68077	8077, 14	LNER	J94	Andrew Barclay	2215	1947	0-6-0ST	Stored (2006-09-06)[10]
2315 Lady Ingrid		South of Scotland Electricity Board, Braehead Power Station		Andrew Barclay	2315	1951	0-4-0ST	Under overhaul (2009-9-28)[11]
No.57 Samson		Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd, Corby	Ugly	RSH	7668	1950	0-6-0ST	Stored (2008-01-22)[12]

Operational Diesel Locomotives

Origin	Wheel arrangement	Class	Notes	Photograph
BR	0-4-0DM	Vulcan Drewry Diesel Mechanical Shunter No.2591 Southerham	Operational (2017)
BR	0-6-0DE	10	No. D3489 Colonel Tomline - BR black with Felixstowe Docks logos. In Service
BR	Bo-Bo	33	No. 33 063 R J Mitchell - Railfreight Mainline. In Service
BR	Bo-Bo	33	No. 33 201. In Service
BR	Bo-Bo	73	No. 73 140 - Network South East. Built in 1966.

Non-operational Diesel Locomotives

Origin	Wheel arrangement	Class	Notes	Photograph
BR	0-6-0DE	09	No. 09 026 Cedric Wares - Entered preservation 22-05-16.
BR	0-6-0DE	12	No. 15224 (Only surviving member, stored awaiting major overhaul)
BR	Bo-Bo	33	No. 33 065 Sealion BR Blue. Built in 1962. (Under overhaul)

Diesel Multiple Units

Origin	Class	Notes	Photograph
BR	101	DTC no. 56408 (latterly renumbered 54408 in B.R. service)
BR	115	Unit 51669+51849
BR	207	Unit no. 1317 (207 017) (Only three-car unit in preservation - currently operating as two car unit)

Electric Multiple Units

Carriages