Spa Valley Railway and Uckfield line.

[shredder1]

Spa Valley Railway and Uckfield line. Tuesday 27th December 2016.

I was down at number one son`s for the week over the Christmas break, taking an early afternoon train after work from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston and then negotiating the tube to Kings Cross before connecting with a Great Northern service to Sandy on the Bedfordshire borderlands. Family time over Christmas and the trains don`t run on Christmas Day and Boxing day anyway, so my first day out was Tuesday and fortunately it was an off peak day, so I was on an early train from Sandy to London Kings Cross, 04.45 to be precise. Arriving in the Capital just before 06.00 and taking the opportunity to photograph the standing Virgin 91`s awaiting duty after their Christmas break.

It was next the underground to Waterloo as I wasn’t really sure if the Southern strikes had gone ahead, they hadn’t, so I focused on trying to get the Uckfield line under my belt, A line I had never done before, so from Waterloo I took a train to Clapham Junction and again changed at East Croydon, and didn’t have to wait long before a Class 171 Southern DMU took me down the line to Uckfield. Returning as far as Eridge on the same train, as I wanted to check out the station layout there and was surprised to find trains were running on the Spa Valley Railway at the time of my visit, and the first one was due to arrive at 10.45.

It was however only 09.00 by the time I had arrived and Eridge has no facilities for hungry cranks, so I jumped another train back down to Uckfield to kill some time and find somewhere to eat. Returning to Eridge in time for the arrival of the first train from Tunbridge Wells West, led by a class 33 on the front and former industrial saddle tank on the rear.

I had an excellent visit to the Spa Valley Railway, took one ride into Tunbridge Wells West and had a look around the locomotive sheds and yard, the original station building is preserved albeit in other use as the line once continued to Tunbridge Wells other station. Returning to Eridge after a lovely visit, and leaving the Spa Valley Railway, I next took a train back up to West Croydon, a favourite station of mine and I wanted to see some of the new 700 class Thameslink units and photograph any 319`s that were still running. After a selection of photographs at East Croydon, I boarded a Thameslink 700 class to London Blackfriars and later under the Thames to St Pancras International, walking through to Kings Cross for a Great Northern Service, an Electrostar, back up to Sandy. It had been a long day, but a very satisfying one, many thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy the photographs.

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...67342544116.1073742606.100001125840218&type=3

 

[Techniquest]

I didn't think the Spa Valley Railway would be running either at this time of year, good news that it was though. I need the line, anything in particular of interest on the line (scenery etc)?

 

[steamybrian]

The Spa Valley refreshment facilities at Eridge station do not normally open until around 1000 which is well before the first train departing at 1110 hrs. The splendid original station at Eridge has received much admiration and the Spa Valley Railway received an award from Network Rail for the restoration of its buildings and platform. The buffet car on the train should have been open.
The original station building at Tunbridge Wells West is now a Smith and Western restaurant although with a Grade 2 listing it retains much of its railway character including the original wood panel ticket office.
The Spa Valley Railway also operated on December 31st, January 1st and (today) 2nd but will now close for maintenance until reopens on Saturday 4th February using Thumper class 207 no. 1317 and then every weekend with a variety of steam and diesel . We are always pleased to escort visitors on a guided tour around the restored steam locomotive shed at Tunbridge Wells West although please ask station staff for a guide as all visitors must be accompanied.
The scenery on the Spa Valley Railway travels through a mixture of open countryside, woodland, Groombridge village and the suburbs of Tunbridge Wells. The stations range from the town station of Tunbridge Wells West, High Rocks set in woodland serving a pub.!, Groombridge in the centre of a village and Eridge a typical country junction station remote from the village it is serves.

 

[shredder1]

I didn't think the Spa Valley Railway would be running either at this time of year, good news that it was though. I need the line, anything in particular of interest on the line (scenery etc)?

Yes it was a lucky visit really, mince pie specials, I know one or two railways run them in the north, of interest for me at least was the original motive power depot survives at Tunbridge, and is in use although station buildings survive, albeit not actually on the railway, at Tunbridge Wells West and Groombridge were the new line had to be diverted slightly to pass some new build, not a bad little railway though.

 

[Cowley]

I still need to do the Spa Valley, was wondering about doing it the weekend of the Bluebell diesel gala. Looks interesting and they're obviously quite pro diesel.
Some of the stations look interesting as well.

 

[shredder1]

The Spa Valley refreshment facilities at Eridge station do not normally open until around 1000 which is well before the first train departing at 1110 hrs. The splendid original station at Eridge has received much admiration and the Spa Valley Railway received an award from Network Rail for the restoration of its buildings and platform. The buffet car on the train should have been open.
The original station building at Tunbridge Wells West is now a Smith and Western restaurant although with a Grade 2 listing it retains much of its railway character including the original wood panel ticket office.
The Spa Valley Railway also operated on December 31st, January 1st and (today) 2nd but will now close for maintenance until reopens on Saturday 4th February using Thumper class 207 no. 1317 and then every weekend with a variety of steam and diesel . We are always pleased to escort visitors on a guided tour around the restored steam locomotive shed at Tunbridge Wells West although please ask station staff for a guide as all visitors must be accompanied.
The scenery on the Spa Valley Railway travels through a mixture of open countryside, woodland, Groombridge village and the suburbs of Tunbridge Wells. The stations range from the town station of Tunbridge Wells West, High Rocks set in woodland serving a pub.!, Groombridge in the centre of a village and Eridge a typical country junction station remote from the village it is serves.

Thank you very much for the infomation, I had a meal in the buffet coach at Tunbridge Well West, I can certainly recommend it, a lovely railway.

 

[djpontrack]

I still need to do the Spa Valley, was wondering about doing it the weekend of the Bluebell diesel gala. Looks interesting and they're obviously quite pro diesel.
Some of the stations look interesting as well.

The Spa Valley line is excellent. I did it on the 31st of July 2015 when they had their diesel gala on. I don't know much about the Bluebell railway as I've not done that yet.

 

[Cowley]

The Spa Valley line is excellent. I did it on the 31st of July 2015 when they had their diesel gala on. I don't know much about the Bluebell railway as I've not done that yet.

I'll definitely try and do it this year, I like the look of it.
The Bluebell really is lovely, although I require the new extension so I haven't done all it. Horsted Keynes is one the most impressive preserved stations in the country I reckon, never had a diesel up there though.

 

[Greenback]

The Spa Valley Railways had done a great job. It's a nice little line, nothing really spectacular but I enjoyed Groombridge and Eridge stations. I reckon they've done the best they can at Tunbridge Wells West, too.

The Bluebell Line is excellent as well.

 

[Kite159]

A line which is on my wish-list to visit at some point (The Spa Valley line that is, rather than the branch line to Uckfield served by under-powered DMUs)