Kent & East Sussex Railway (GB)

From Stamps of the World
Location of the South Coasts, Kent & East Sussex Railway lines.

The Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) refers to both an historical private railway company in Kent and East Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company.

By the mid nineteenth century, Tenterden was in the middle of a triangle of railway lines. The South Eastern Railway had opened its line from Redhill to Tonbridge on 12 July 1841. The line was opened as far as Headcorn on 31 August 1842 and to Ashford on 1 December 1843. The South Eastern Railway opened its line from Ashford to Hastings on 13 February 1851.

The third part of the triangle was the line between Tonbridge and Hastings which had opened as far as Tunbridge Wells on 24 November 1846, Robertsbridge on 1 September 1851, Battle on 1 January 1852 and to St Leonards on 1 February 1852. Running powers over the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway's line to Hastings having been negotiated.

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The Ashford - Hastings line had originally been promoted to run via Headcorn and Tenterden, but Parliament preferred the more southerly route. In 1855, a proposed railway from Headcorn via Cranbrook to Tenterden failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. In 1864, a proposed railway from Paddock Wood via Cranbrook and Tenterden to Hythe (the Weald of Kent Railway) also failed to obtain its Act of Parliament. A proposed roadside tramway from Headcorn to Tenterden suffered the same fate in 1882. In 1877, the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway was incorporated, and powers obtained to build the northern section of the Weald of Kent Railway to transport agricultural produce and livestock from low-lying land adjacent to Wittersham Road to a better mainline connection. Powers were obtained in 1882 to extend the line to Hawkhurst. The line opened to Goudhurst in 1892 and Hawkhurst in 1893.

The Tenterden Railway was the next to be proposed, running from Maidstone to Hastings via Headcorn, Tenterden, and Appledore. The section from Headcorn to Appledore was authorised in 1892, and agreement was reached in 1896 with the South Eastern Railway over the operation of the line. In 1898, the proposal was abandoned in favour of extending the Cranbrook and Paddock Wood railway to Tenterden and Appledore. This was abandoned in 1899 as too expensive to construct and the South Eastern Railway again backed the Tenterden Railway, but no work was done and powers to construct the line lapsed in 1901.

With the passing of the Light Railways Act 1896 a group of citizens of Tenterden, led by Sir Myles Fenton proposed a railway from Robertsbridge to Tenterden - the Rother Valley Railway. Assent was granted to construct the line under the Act. The contract for the construction of the line was won by London and Scottish Contract Corporation, who sub-contracted the work to Godfrey and Siddelow. The work was overseen by Holman F Stephens, who was appointed General Manager in 1899 and Managing Director in 1900. Stephens attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Territorial Army (TA) in 1916 and was subsequently known as Colonel Stephens.

Postcard showing Kent & East Sussex Railway Train. No printer's name. c1910?.
Postcard showing Tenterden Station. By A. Ridley of Tenterden. used July 1907.
Postcard showing The Railway Station, Tenterden. By A.H. de'Ath of Ashford.

The company maintained its independence in 1923 but was nationalised in 1948. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1954 and the last British Rail goods train ran on 11th July 1961.

K&ESR stamps and Postal History

Range of unused values to 10d from Frittenden Road station. Maybe remaindered?
11d value from Frittenden Road station. Maybe remaindered?
5/- and 10/- unused values from Frittenden Road station. Maybe remaindered?

The 3d from Frittenden Road (#1254) is known on cover to Petts Wood, near Orpington, 17 Feb 1940. The stamp has been completed "TO Bromley" in manuscript. The cover is inscribed "Express - By First Train via Headcorn to Orpington. To be posted on arrival".

Range of unused values to 1/- from High Halden Road station. Maybe remaindered?
6d from High Halden Road station. Maybe remaindered?
10d from High Halden Road station. Maybe remaindered?
5/- from High Halden Road station. Maybe remaindered?
1d, 2d, 3d, 4d and 9d inscribed Tenterden commercially used on parcels to Biddenden.
½d, the only value recorded from Bodiam.

|} A cover with a 7d stamps from Rolvenden to Welwyn taken to Tenterden and the PO GVI 9d cancelled Ashford 12th October 1947 was sold by Grosvenor 9th November 2015.

Heritage Line

It was restored by an enthusiastic group and the first passenger train ran between Tenterden and Robertsbridge on 3 February 1974.

Commemorative datestamp 1 June 1974

The first railway letter stamps were produced on 11 July 1979. Designed by Michael Seymour, there were two 15p values issued se-tenant in sheet of five pairs. 4000 numbered sheets were produced.

Sheet number 2005
First day cover with insert
21 Nov 1979 Father Christmas Special
12 March 1980 80th Anniversary of the Rother Valley Railway
24 Aug 1980 80th Anniversary of the Rother Valley Railway - Bodiam

On 1st December 1980 the 15p stamps were surcharged 20p (2500 of each issued)

Horizontal pair
First day cover (100 produced)

13 May 1981 Three values issued in sheets of 18 (six rows of three). Rouletted 5.

Se-tenant strip 20p-10p-10p
24 May 1981. 20p on cover celebrating the opening of Dexter Halt
9 June 1982. Visit of H.M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother to Tenterden
13 Oct 1982 Ford No 1 B.T.H Diesel Electric cancelled Wittersham Road
4 June 1990. Reopening of Northiam Station