Southern Steam - The Westerham Branch [2 of 3]

The Westerham Valley Line was a 4 1/2 mile branch from Dunton Green (on the South Eastern Main Line) to Westerham in Kent which opened in 1881 and closed as a result of fierce competition from buses in 1961. An early preservation attempt failed, and much of the trackbed is now buried under the M25 London Orbital road. This film, made in 1961 on the eve of closure, begins at Dunton Green behind an H Class 0-4-4T and a push pull set. We proceed to Chevening Halt, Brasted Halt and the teminus at Westerham. In the next sequence, a 4EPB electric unit arrives at Dunton Green and we embark on another journey up the line. We call at Chevening Halt for a look around, and to witness trains in operation from the lineside. We then skip to Westerham for more views of this once extensive station complex. Next we see footage from the final days of operation, including L1 4-4-0 No. 31739 and Q1 0-6-0 No.33027 on entusiasts specials.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• westerham
• branch
• southern
• south
• eastern
• british
• rail
• railways
• railway
• steam
• chatham
• flyer
• wainwright
• maunsell
• bulleid
• chevening
• dunton
• green
• brasted

[AustinSomerset]

@061369317 Oh yes. The rise of the "Never Never"! :) I remember the hushed voices that surrounded the talk of our neighbours trading in their Mk II Ford Consul for a shiny new Datsun Sunny 120Y and paying for it ....... in....... gasp! .....Installments!!!! Now you can practically get cars free with packets of Corn Flakes such is the ease of their affordability!

[061369317]

@AustinSomerset True enough, however, it's individual car availability which is the main culprit.

Ban individual cars, don't improve roads, and people shall live happily near the collective

farm or state factory they work in.

Also, just think of the charm of life before railways brought thousands in ever more crowded and polluted cities, when horses were the best transport mean...Is it me, or too many rail fans only like progress until it makes their preferred toy (the steam engine) obsolete ?

[AustinSomerset]

I remember that within a few months of it's opening - there was an accident on the M26 branch of the M25. The tailbacks were horrendous - despite the fact that that same traffic had been using the A roads just a little while before. It proved to me as a teenager that roads just bred traffic - Something it took the experts another twenty years to recognise.

[mtjharman]

Priceless !