No 85, Hastings

A real treat for you steam aficionados today. One of the best days spent on the railway even though I was only a lowly crossing keeper working the gates at Cranbrook Road - which is on the most spectacular parts of the line as engines work hard up the gradient to Tenterden.

In addition to the usual 5 train service we also had two engines undergoing trials and testing with empty carriage stock prior to entering traffic which I only found out about yesterday.

No 85, Hastings you know about having featured in Saturday’s blip. Here she’s working the magnificent Victorian set past the crossing. I did video one of the three runs. I know this will be of great interest to Catspaw who remembers seeing this loco when it was last on the railway in the 1960s. See if the link works: https://youtu.be/vSGJgdnJiCs

The extra could easily have been the main blip too. This is “Terrier” No. 3 Bodiam (running as LBSCR No. 70 Poplar) whose 150th birthday is this year. Terriers are synonymous with the KESR and both ours will be part of Terrier 150 celebrations on the railway on 2nd to 5th June: https://terrier150.co.uk/current-schedule-of-events/. This loco has been part of the line for over 100 years. https://kesr.org.uk/our-heritage/steam-locomotives/. Come and have a look if you can! Be part of the Jubilee celebrations on the KESR.

The engine has been painted in its original colour which is known as “Stroudley’s Improved Engine Green”. Whatever you might think, Poplar looks resplendent as she drifts down the hill from Tenterden. And chimney first, which is very rarely the case.