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Spa Valley Rail Appeal

Thursday, 9 January 2025 18:12

By Martin Webber

The Tunbridge Wells heritage railway says it needs to raise £300,000 to replace a corroded bridge.

The Spa Valley Railway says it must take action before the corrosion reaches a point where it can no longer run trains.

The railway takes passengers on steam and heritage diesel locomotives between Tunbridge Wells West, High Rocks, Groombridge and Eridge stations.

It's one of the area's major attractions.

But Spa Valley railway's future is at risk due to the state of the Broom Lane Bridge (shown below) which lies between High Rocks and Groombridge.

Spa Valley Railway says the corrosion is not unexpected from a bridge built in the 1890s.  But after inspections a speed restriction has been imposed and the bridge has recently been tested to demonstrate it can still carry rail traffic.

The railway says a repair was considered but expert opinion was that full scale replacement would cost a similar sum to a repair and would offer a longer term solution.

It says the plan is:

Phase 1, a certified replacement bridge design, will cost around £30,000; thanks to our savings, we have engaged a company specialising in bridge design, construction, and installation to start work immediately. We aim to have this completed in the first quarter of 2025.

Phase 2 involves constructing and painting a new bridge, estimated to cost around £70,000, we aim to start this as soon as the design is certified.
 
Finally, phase 3 involves removing the old bridge and installing the new one, estimated to cost upwards of £200,000.
A Statement from Spa Valley railway continues:
"We won’t be able to do it without your support, and we are appealing to anyone who could help ensure we can complete this enormous project and replace the bridge in 2025.
 
"We know a bridge isn’t glamorous, but without it, we might be unable to run trains over the entire length of our railway.
 
"We would be extremely grateful to anyone who can donate to our appeal or participate in our fundraising activities."
 
This link enables people to donate:
 
The first fundraising plan is for a sponsored walk along the length of the railway.  The "Stride the Line" event on Sunday 2nd February will cost £20 for a ticket. See:

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