Southern Steam - The Westerham Branch [1 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 was made in the summer of 1961, shortly before closure. Here we see an ex-South Eastern & Chatham Railway H Class 0-4-4T No. 31533 propelling an ex-London Brighton & South Coast Railway push-pull set along the branch, then call at Brasted Halt, Chevening Halt (now Junction 5 of the M25) and back for another view of Dunton Green as a rebuilt Bulleid Pacific storms past. We now switch to another film of the line. At Dunton Green on the penultimate day, we see a rare visitor to the line, ex-SECR L1 (31739) 4-4-0 on an enthusiast's special. The follwing day we witness the end of operations, as the "Westerham Flyer" takes it's final bow, propelled by an H Class 0-4-4T bedecked with a Union Flag on the smokebox door.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

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

[Mounhas]

@commanderfairfax

I also lived in Orpington, probably about the same time as you, and of course being near London meant ability to see diverse engines from all regions, and cabbing on the Westerham branch line, lurching around. Sweet memories. Remember the push and pull between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.

Thank you S.R.F.

[JimTLonW6]

I was sorry that the attempt to preserve the line failed; in 1961 the environment in which these schemes were floated was very hostile. The Ministry of Transport of the day vigorously tried to frustrate early schemes; see the saga of the Kent & E Sussex and their Tenterden level crossing.

[chrainmad]

extremely saddening to watch in more ways than one-as its my grandfather driving.He retired in 65 and worked mainline diesels which he didnt like.

[AustinSomerset]

I was sad to see that even the Green fields left around Dunton Green Station up until the mid nineties have now been built all over, when passing through a year or so back. It doesn't seem that long back that it was with Riverhead, still a village. I suppose the next stop will be filling the fields twixt Otford Station and Kemsing with houses! Glad I left the South East really. Lovely to see this though, thank you.

[commanderfairfax]

Thanks for reminding me of my youth - living in Orpington this was the nearest steam branch line and I can still remember the ancient rolling stock with its incredibly noisy wheels!

[whitechapelone]

beautiful video's. Thanks for posting.