Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) is inviting railway enthusiasts to spend New Year’s Day in the company of its steam trains.

Steam locomotive Marcia will haul passenger services for the first time in more than four decades. Marcia is over one hundred years old and is the Railway’s smallest engine.
 
Peckett No.1631 ‘Marcia’ was built by Bristol-based manufacturer Peckett in 1923. The locomotive appeared at Kent & East Sussex Railway special events for many years. However, the loco moved to Devon when owner Richard Beckett died in 2023.

Last year, Marcia returned to Kent and East Sussex, brought back by new owners, K&ESR volunteer driver Andy Hardy and his model railway company, Rapido Trains UK.

Rapido Trains raised money to maintain and operate Marcia by selling model wagons. Recommissioning work has now been completed and Marcia is now ready to run in service.

Whistle Up

At 12 noon on 1 January, historic engines at more than fifty heritage railways will blow their whistles simultaneously – including Marcia. This will mark the start of a year of celebrations of the two-hundredth anniversary of locomotive-hauled passenger railways.

Organisers claim that this will be the largest-ever mass railway participation event.

New Year’s Day services

K&ESR will run three shuttle services from Tenterden Town Station to Rolvenden.

Two other steam locomotives will join Marcia in running the trains.

Onboard dining will be available on some services.

Tickets

Visitors can buy tickets in advance from the K&ESR website or at the station on the day.

Visitors also have the option of attending only the ‘whistle up’. They will need a platform ticket, which costs just one pound.

For anyone needing to blow away the cobwebs on 1 January, how about taking in some steam, rather than letting some go?

Kent & East Sussex Railway