Author

Tom Cunnington

Date

13th September 2015

Reading Time

3 minutes

 

Narrow gauge railways are not to every enthusiast’s taste, many believing that locos and stock to the small dimensions necessary to run on such lines could not possibly do very much of a job of work other than potter about hauling tourists along a short length of track. Yet the Sittingbourne & Kemsley, built to 2’6” gauge, was an intensively worked railway which was operated 24 hours a day 7 days a week right up until 1969, as members discovered on the MRC’s visit there in early September.

The railway was constructed to connect Bowater’s mills at Sittingbourne and Kemsley with Ridham Dock on the River Swale (a tributary of the Thames) and carried paper and the raw materials for its manufacture, along with passengers. The latter were provided at the beginning and end of each shift for the employees of the company.

Nowadays, the SKLR is in the hands of a preservation group and operates a rather less frequent service over only part of the original route. Paper making is now concentrated at Kemsley (the mill at Sittingbourne having been demolished), but much of the railway’s surroundings are still industrial. The MRC group travelled in former workmens’ coaches behind Leader, a Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST built in 1909 to shunt at the mills and at Ridham Dock. (“Mainline” trains were hauled by larger 0-6-2Ts, of which the Society has two, although neither are in use currently). The first kilometre of the route today (including the terminus at Sittingbourne) is on a reinforced concrete viaduct over a 100 years old and one of the first and largest to be built. The other end of the line is at Kemsley Down situated alongside the Swale, where the loco shed and workshops are situated. There is also a café, much appreciated by members, plus a small museum and shop.

The other railway the MRC visited, the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway, was a complete contrast.  A 2 foot gauge line constructed privately on a farm, the landscape through which it is laid is rather more attractive, being mostly through woodland. It is rather shorter than the SKLR, but its track is immaculate and weed free, its facilities (loco sheds and workshops) are extensive and impressive and the service it runs is much more intensive. There were 3 steam locos and 1 diesel hauling passenger trains during our visit with a 2^nd diesel hauling a demonstration goods train in between. As if that was not enough, there was also a parade of vintage tractors, demonstrations of stationary steam and petrol engines in operation, traction and showmen’s engines, veteran cars, an LGB layout and a beam engine whilst a steam organ provided musical accompaniment at the café!

 

The weather was sunny and bright and I am sure those members who participated found both railways of interest. Thanks are due to those who offered the use of their cars to ferry members to Kent, all of whom were named David, namely David Bell, David Wilkins and Andrew David (!)

David Cox