The Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) is holding no less than three major events in May, including a special ‘little and large show’ as the railway’s smallest engine shares the stage with its largest ever locomotive visitor.

The K&ESR will mark the Coronation weekend with a three-day Best of British event from Saturday 6 to Monday 8 May.

Visitors are invited to dress as a (past or present) royal; pose for a selfie with the King; collect a crown or flag, then board the King Charles III special with a free Coronation Activity Sheet.

Whether or not you are a royalist, you can enjoy the display of British cars and bikes and a children’s funfair on the concourse at Tenterden, or visit the Station Tea Room to enjoy a classic British food option: Sausage Saturday, Delicious Desserts on Monday and what could be more British than a Sunday Roast!

Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May sees the return of the railway’s popular 1940s Weekend: two days of nostalgia, recreating the sights, sounds and fashions of the ‘40s with trains leaving every 45 minutes (eight departures each day).

With entertainment at both Tenterden and Bodiam, visitors can fully immerse themselves in the ‘40s atmosphere created by re-enactors, authentic dance performances and musicians, plus period vehicles, displays, food demonstrations and even hairstyling. They are advised to keep a look out for the notorious ‘Viv the Spiv’ with his black-market goods!

A limited number of platform-only tickets will also be available on the day to enjoy the ‘40s vibe and station entertainments: £6 for adults and £4 for children at Tenterden station or £4 for adults and £2 for children at Bodiam station.

Platform tickets are refundable against train tickets if you decide to travel.

The late May Bank holiday weekend (Saturday 27 to Monday 29 May) brings Steam Up, the railway’s first steam festival since the pandemic and its largest showcase for many years.

Leading the heritage line-up will be Battle of Britain locomotive 257 Squadron, the biggest engine ever to ride the line.

This will be one of the loco’s last appearances in Kent before it returns to the Spa Valley Railway in June. In contrast, the railway’s smallest locomotive, ‘Marcia’, will also be in action.

An impressive roster of other steam and diesel engines includes much-loved ‘Swiftsure’, ‘Sapper’ and newly-returned-to-the-rails ‘Hastings’.

A new, intensive timetable will see trains running beyond Bodiam to Junction Road for the first time in many years, following several months of clearance, fencing, and trackwork, undertaken in collaboration with the Rother Valley Railway Company. In its heyday, Junction Road was the traditional stop for hop pickers making the annual pilgrimage from London to Kent, although it is no longer a station.

Two trains will work on one platform at Tenterden, while at Northiam both platforms will be in use, giving passengers the novel experience of changing trains to travel to Bodiam and Junction Road. A shuttle service will enable passengers to visit the Rolvenden Locomotive Works.

Both the Tenterden Carriage and Wagon Workshop and the Rolvenden Works, which are not usually open to the public, wil be open throughout the weekend. At Tenterden, this will provide a rare opportunity to see the impressive restoration work being undertaken on GWR Diesel Railcar W20 and to talk with the K&ESR volunteers involved in this work.

At Rolvenden, visitors can see several locomotives under repair, including the Ford Diesel, 4253 and USA Tank No 65. Elegant and much-loved Terriers ‘Poplar’ and ‘Knowle’ will also be on display.

Members of the K&ESR volunteer engineering team will be available throughout to answer questions and explain what it takes to maintain these beautiful and historic machines.

Dependent on the weather, and with separate ticketing, there will be a miniature railway at Northiam, children’s fun fair rides at Rolvedon and Northiam, where there will also be traction engines on display. There will be displays of classic cars and 1960s scooters at Tenterden, where platform tickets will be available for those not planning to travel. The Tenterden Tea Room, Gift Shop and Museum will be open and there will also be an extended tea room offer at Northiam station with home-made cakes.

Due to the likely high demand for all these events, the railway recommends that you book in advance. Tickets bought in person on the day will be more expensive.

For all the latest information, please visit the Kent & East Sussex Railway website.