I traveled on the Hawkhurst branch line in May 1961, one month before it closed. I was fourteen years old and saved my paper-round money to buy the ticket. A perfect sunny Spring day like the one depicted in this film.

Fascinating film of the Hawkhurst Branch. This branch line was the one that should have been saved for preservation instead of the KESR.

Outstanding historical footage, very much enjoyed. Many thanks for uploading this.

This is incredible, I like the details picked out and showcasing the beauty of the buildings and setting.

Thank you so much for posting this video. It's great to actually see the colours of the rolling stock, as opposed to other black and white videos. I was born 3 years before the line closed and grew up in Hawkhurst and the surrounding area.

Thank you for uploading :-))

Great video,must of been a very sad day😔

@moaningpheromones

11 ай бұрын

yes it must have been. must have been - back when people were smarter.

Very nice little snippet!

Where ur channel been all my life

Now under the M25 thanks to Beeching / Marples

If only could see the number plate on that bike as it looks very similar to my late father who would ride out to Goudhurst and Hawkhurst on his motorbike on his days off, he was still a box boy not getting his grade A yet based at North Kent East signalbox, in later years whether at Tonbridge or Cuxton as relief he would often man Paddock Wood signal box. On the last day foto's he's seen clearly in many pictures a gangly young bloke that he was lol He stopped riding bikes when in 1965 he did the "ton up" on the old A25 "road of death" and came off becoming somewhat mangled with bike and requiring a section of metal inserting in his conk and his then Norton Commando was abs totalled and he used the insurance money to buy his first car.

@dodgydruid

12 күн бұрын

Paddock Wood box reminds me too of Orpington A another box my old man used to take me occasionally on nights, was pretty cool the trains running under the signalbox, also remember Orpington B but more modern and not so cool being a linesider lol

I wonder if I could get your permission to employ this footage in a film I am making about this line? I would certainly offer an on screen credit and link to your channel. With best wishes.

@awol116

5 ай бұрын

Hello - Thanks for asking. If you could let me know which parts you would require, as would prefer not the complete film, please. Credit & link is fine, thank you.

@RediscoveringLostRailways

5 ай бұрын

@@awol116 That is really very kind of you - it might be easier to exchange emails, but if I put my email address here, it will probably mark my comment as spam, so if you are able to go to my channel home page you will find my address under the 'view links' button - I'm really very grateful to obtain your permission!

Surely some one could re-run this with some appropriate sound dubbed on, I`ve seen this done on otherwise silent railway videos ?

@alanmusicman3385

11 ай бұрын

And it should be possible to de-grain this a little bit. The film grain is very pronounced.

Realy nice film of the line, is anything left at all ?

@ricktownend9144

11 ай бұрын

Not a lot! Even the 297 bus service (Tun.Wells - Horsemonden - Goudhurst - Cranbrook - Tenterden) is much reduced ...

@martyn6792

11 ай бұрын

@@ricktownend9144 Such a shame