Kent & East Sussex Railway
Heritage steam railway running ten and a half miles between Tenterden Town and Bodiam through the Rother Valley.
- When
Operates most of the year — many weekends, plus weekdays in school holidays and through summer
- Where
Tenterden Town Station, Station Road, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6HE (with stops at Rolvenden, Northiam and Bodiam)
- Info
Visit the official website or follow on Facebook for more details
The Kent & East Sussex Railway is one of the great Light Railways of England, restored and run since 1974 by volunteers. Steam and heritage diesel trains run ten and a half miles between Tenterden Town and Bodiam, through deep cuttings, over level crossings and across the Rother Valley — fifty minutes one way.
The Tenterden end has a small museum, a buffet and a station signal box; the Bodiam end is a five-minute walk from the National Trust castle. The line hosts beer and cider festivals on its platforms, gin and Sunday lunch services in the dining cars, and Santa Specials through December.
Stay at The River Haven
Tenterden is a 30-minute drive from Rye. Park there for the day, ride to Bodiam, walk over to the castle, and ride back. Stay at The River Haven and pair the railway with the Tenterden CAMRA festival or the Battle of Hastings re-enactment in October.