PRESS RELEASE
19 June 2025
Keep Summer on track at the Kent & East Sussex Railway!
If you're looking for special days out this Summer then make tracks for the award-winning Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR).
The Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Award winner and recently-crowned Best Family Experience in Kent in the Muddy Stilettos Awards has both special events and money-saving offers to help make the most of weekends and the summer holidays, starting with the return of its popularKids Go Free offer. This offer, giving free travel to any child under 16 travelling with a fare-paying adult on regular services, will run from the end of July to the end of August, helping to make family outing budgets go further (see website for full terms and conditions).
And for adults and seniors who live within the TN postcode, then theSummer Season Ticketcould be the perfect choice, enabling unlimited travel on regular services (not during special events) between 23rd July and 31st August. This can be purchased in advance or on the day of travel for only 10% more than a one-day Freedom ticket. Proof of a TN postcode address will be required for each visit, along with the season ticket pass.
The K&ESR'sDiesel Gala Friday 18th - Sunday 20th Julywill be a real feast for traction fans young and old. The three-day event, which is part of the heritage line's Rail 200 celebrations, willfeature a packed schedule of services, locomotive driving opportunities and trade stands. A special shuttle bus service between Headcorn Station and Tenterden Town Station will also be in operation.
This year's line-up celebrates both the practical legacy and enduring charm of a generation of locomotives that shaped the post-steam era. It includes two iconic guest stars of the old Southern network: British Rail Class 205 ‘Thumper' Unit 1118, with its distinctive sound and look, and Class 50 no. 50017 ‘Royal Oak' in the striking and very familiar livery of Network SouthEast. After the phenomenal success of last year's event, advanced online booking is strongly recommended.
Make the most of High Summer days by choosing to travel on one of the specialEarly Bird train serviceswhich will run most Wednesdays and Saturdays from 23rd July until the end of August. Departing for Bodiam from Tenterden Town Station at 08:45, this will give passengers longer to use their tickets and explore both ends of the line, including Bodiam Station's hidden garden. Tucked away beside the station it's lovingly cared for by the volunteer staff - a great place to relax and have a family picnic before taking the train back to Tenterden.
Photo by Robin Coombes
There's something extra-special for very young train lovers when the railway hostsTrain Time UKin the marquee at Tenterden Town Station for three days from Tuesday 19th to Thursday 21st August, offering play sessions for the under-fives. Little conductors, drivers and guards can join the fun playing with interactive toy train set ups for hands-on, imagination-fuelled railway adventures from 10:30 - 4:30 each day. The sessions are free and no booking is required.
Photo: Train Time UK
Just over a week later, the railway will host its firstModel Railway Exhibitionon Saturday 30th August at Tenterden Town Station, featuring a variety of different displays to appeal to all ages. The exhibition will include a variety of layouts, showcasing different iconic railways in miniature. The model railway builders themselves will be on hand to chat about their painstaking creations and a variety of model railway items will be available for sale.
For a small donation, visitors will also be able to enjoy rides on a charming 5"gauge railway throughout the day.Entry to the exhibition is £5 for adults and £1 for children or free when train travel is purchased for that day.In addition, there will be a special vintage carriage service between Tenterden and Rolvenden hauled by steam favourite ‘Marcia' included in Freedom tickets or for separate purchase and as part of the Kids Go Free offer.
To check all event details, offer terms and conditions, train times and to book and save, visit:www.kesr.org.uk
-ends-
For further information and to confirm attendance please contact:
Alison Miles, Press Officer, K&ESRamiles@kesr.org.uk/ 07900 691116
About the Kent & East Sussex Railway:The Kent & East Sussex Railway is a renowned heritage railway based in Tenterden, Kent, UK and operates as an educational charity. Built by Holman F Stephens, it was the first light passenger railway in Britain in the early 20th century and is today one of Britain's most loved and original heritage lines and celebrated its 50th anniversary of reopening in 2024. With a rich history spanning over 120 years, the K&ESR offers visitors an authentic steam and diesel-powered railway experience through 10½ miles of Wealden countryside in the beautiful Rother Valley, a designated National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the railway prides itself on preserving railway heritage, operating a diverse range of locomotives, and providing a unique glimpse into the golden age of rail travel.