On Friday November 27, the Marshlink Steering Group (part of the Sussex Community Rail Partnership) was told some rail services will improve, and others may, at its Annual General Meeting at Rye Town Hall with local Member of Parliament Amber Rudd present (pictured above).
Kevin Barry, Community Rail Development Officer for Marshlink, spoke about events in the past year and about what is planned for next year. Last year the John Ryan garden was opened near the railway station, and currently there is an installation at Bexhill Station which shows pictures of Bexhill in Canada and Bexhill in Australia by local artist Louise Kenwood. Next summer there will be a memorabilia exhibit at the Rye Station.
Also at the AGM were Kevin Boorman, chairman of the Marshlink group, and David Scorey, a director of train operator, Southern.
This month Winchelsea and Three Oaks stations will get a seven day service from December 13. The Sunday service was cut about 10 years ago, but is now to be reinstated after much local lobbying.
However services may be affected over the Christmas/New Year period as London Bridge Station will be closed from the afternoon of December 24 until January 4. Services will be routed to other London stations. If you are traveling to London during this period please check on the National Rail website.
There was discussion about improving the service between Hastings and Ashford, the main problem being that the line from Ore to Ashford is not electrified, and there is a shortage of diesel trains.
The latest idea is to add a diesel engine to the electric “Electrostar 377” trains so that the train can run as a diesel train from Ore to Ashford, and as an electric train on the rest of the line – and this could be available in two years.
The extension of Highspeed services to Bexhill from Ashford was also still on the table as part of the “Kent route study” for 2016 ; and it could be in government funding plans for 2019, and possibly be up and running by 2022 – at least six years on, and maybe longer.
Photo: Ray Prewer