The lin-e’s war-time “ Boche Buster” A SENTIMENTAL Jot Down the Elham Valley Line (I ' IS 12 YEARS SINCE THE ELHAM VALLEY RAIL- JL WAY WAS CLOSED, and the track is fast disappearing under the relentless advance of weeds, trees and the plough. But the railway which ran through 16 miles of unspoilt countryside between Canterbury and Folkestone, is still affec- tionately remmnbered by the daughters still ‘live in. the house‘ villagers along the route, and is which is Brim“ Rmlways Pm‘ still referred to by country folk paw‘ as “ The railway.” . It had five statigns, two level Bridge C]'OSSlngSl and one tunnel——plus, of course, the World's Wonder 3.1,- _ I1II........ I; ‘Ivar -sf -H.-M. Ten years ago Mr. and Mrs. William Crampton moved into 1931, when one of the Canter- bury-Lyminge lines was taken up “Some say the rails were ex- ported to Germany and sent back here as bombs!” he said. Diesel engines used to pull the war-time guns, he said, and C class engines pulled peace-time passenger trains, Also working at Bekesbourm is Mr. Walter Hogben, of Sunny side, Dering Road, Bridge, Hi has worked on the railways for 4( years, and is to retire in January He started work at Elham afte‘ the First World War, and when the line was closed he wa.s trans ferred first to Selling and then tr Bekesbourne. Mr. Hogben‘ father helped build the Elhan Valley Railway. Mr. Jim Weight, nu-lrpclxniurnnic licensee o kfil T lnirnrn nu .8 .-._._ P Dow ~tionate1y remembered by still referred to by country as “The railway.” It had five statigns, two level crossings and one tunnel—plus, of course, the Worlds Wonder Bridge near Elham. It was at first a double line, but later was con- verted to single line from Can- terbury to Lyminge. The section from Shornclilfe, Folkestone to Barham was opened on July 1, 1887, and two years . later, on July 1, 1889, the railway reached Canterbury. There were six passenger trains / a day to Folkestone, and the single fare was originally ls. 4d. First- iclass fare from Canterbury West to Canterbury South was 4d., ‘passengers and_V2d._ for Third class fare (single) to 5i>d., to Barham 7éd., to Elham 1s., and to Lyminge ls. 1-kd. On December 2, I940, passen- ger services from Canterbury to Lyminge were suspended, and travel between Lyminge and Folkestone stopped on May 3, 1943. The War Department ‘had taken over! , ‘_ _ ' . "‘P'as'sengér' " services between ‘ Lyminge and‘Cheriton resumed on October 7, 1946, but the Elhatn‘ Valley Railway was closed for good on October 1, 1947. The little village stations are still used—as houses. The rail- way ~track, today, is used for poultry keeping, wood sawing and rubbish dumping. Several of the lines railwaymen still live in cottages by the over- grown track, Some continue to work for British Railways. Recently the “ Kentish Gazette ” made a sentimental journey down the Elham Valley line, stopping at ‘be stations and meeting the rai ymen. The railway branched off the main Ashford-Canterbury line at Whitehall—-or “ Harbledown Junc- tion” as the railwaymen call it. Main departure point for those travelling from Canterbury to Folkestone was the West Station. Plans for a station at Wincheap were abandoned owing to difficul- ties in buying land. First station down the line, after riding along the high em- bankment above the marshy Whitehall meadows, was Canter- bury South Station—intended primarily for Cricket Week use. Now Canterbury City Council nrnnm-tv it was cnnverterl into a I being charged for smond class other Side Of | 1 Bridge was 4d., to Bishopsboume,_ I A SENTIMENFAL J n the Elham Valley Line 2" ‘ IS 12 YEARS SINCE THE ELHAM VALLEY RAIL- 3: WAY WAS CLOSED, and the track is fast disappearing under the relentless advance of weeds, trees and the plough. But the railway which ran through 16 miles of unspoilt countryside "between Canterbury and Folkestone, is still affec- the daughters still live in the house, - ' which is British Railways pro- villagers along the route, angolii pmy. I Bridge Ten years ago Mr. and Mrs. William Crampton moved into Bridge Station as a last resort. They are still looking for some- where better to live. ~ Few improvements have been carried out since the station ceased to be a station, and there 13 no electricity, gas or mains water. It takes Mr. Crampton three hours *0 Pump 3 Weeks Watefitic “Boche Buster" approached t supply from a well. Mr. and Mrs. W. Fuggle live in 3d, the stationma.ster's.house on they the line with their t‘ X] I ‘ I gustinets ‘Hospital: uChartham. The family moved into the rail- way house in June, from the Hospital estate, but in spite of the fact that the house had not been lived in for a year, and has neither electricity nor mains Water, they prefer their new home. In Bridge, lives 87-year-old Mr. George Booth. porter and later ..stg.na.lrnan on the \Ialiey.RailWas'i He started in .1892, and retired in. 1936 after being transferred to Canterbury VVest. The lines only tunnel is under part of Bourne Park. It was herc that, during the mar, guns were based to be driven down llix‘ valley for firing. In the tuimrl were two batteries of 9 in, howitzers, um batteries of 12 in. howitzers, and the 14 in. “ Boche Buster.” Half the‘ ceilings in Barharn came down the first time it was fired! Sir Winston Churchill made several visits to inspect the gun batteries. Bishopsbourne Sir John Prestige ovms the stationat Bishopsbourne, and has had the building converted into a modern and comfortable home for his secretary. When the “Keniish Gazette” called, Mrs. H. W. King, who lives there with her civil servant husband and 16-year-old daughter, was planning to move out after 3% years to take a shop in Canter- bury’s Northgate. “It‘s too lonely here,”. she said. The King family’s move means that the Bishopsbourne section of the line loses its last patrolman—4 39.4.; . :93‘ C ' ' 5 to Folkestone it was . x_==»=' Ell 1931, when one of the Canter- bury-Lyminge lines was taken up. “Some say the rails were ex- ported to Germany and sent back here as bombs!” he said. Diesel engines used to pull the war-time guns, he said, and C- class engines pulled passenger trains. Also working at Bekesbourne is Mr. Walter Hogben, of Sunny- side, Dering Road, Bridge. He has worked on the railways for 40 years, and is to retire in January. He started work at Elham after the First World War, and when the line was closed he was trans- ferred first to Selling and then to Bekesbourne. Mr. Hogbens father helped build the Elham Valley Railway. ‘ Mr. Jim Weight, licensee of Bekesbourne’s Unicorn public house, is another ex-Elham Valley ;man_ He worked for the railways ifor 18 years—and for ten of, them was trolley driver between Can- terbury and Folkestone, taking men to and from work on various iparts of the line. During the war he was driving’ '. his trolley along when the gigan- Efrom the opposite direction. A 'lhurried reverse was necessary! ‘C . Weights 1; Many of Mr. customers travelled‘ on f‘One,_gnd ten.ret'urn;;£1:o ‘ " twat,” one. , Back ;.at Bisliopsbourne, found Mr. and Mrs. W, Harbour and their three children living in . ' the old stationmaster’s house. Mr. Harbour used to work for 1 British Railways at Adisharn, and’ 5 rents his house from them, but now he cycles to Snowdown every . §.d§Y-I9.2¥.2.£_*.<-.....- Kingston , The next village down the line, Kingston, has no station, but the ra3lway has left its mark there. During the war an unexploded" bomb landed on the line near the ., village, and halted traflic for a day or two until it was dealt with. 3 It was while riding an Army train on this railway that Mr. Robert Bretfs son was killed when the train was attacked by an enemy plane. Barhaln A Dornier 127 “flying penc' ” crashed on the bridge near Bar- ham School, only a short’ distance from the village station, where live railwaymarr Mr. Burt Batt, ‘ and three daughters. ‘ station new has electricity and main water-—the family are thinking of buying the building frcfn British Railways. One of the largest of the valley stations hancs, it has three bedrooms. .91 man who has walked every inch or the Elham Valley line lives on nearby Railway Hill. He»' is 70-year-old Mr. Charliei Choules, for 22 years a patrolman.‘ between Canterbury and Folkes.-'; tone. When the line closed he moved to Snowdown Station, and I peace-time 13 before the ’ we . ‘g__ 2 I940 13 ‘December’ . , . passe ger from _ an rbury to ’ were suspended, and travel Lyrninge and Folkestone stopped on May 3, fhmmge a.iicLCheriton resumed "on: ‘October 7, 1946, but the Elham‘ Valley Railway was closed for good on October 1, 1947. still ,used—as houses. The rail- way"'-track, today, is used for poultry keeping, wood sawing and rubbish» dumping. Several of the lines railwaymen grown track, Some continue to ‘ work for British Railways. Recently the “ Kentish Gazette ” i made a sentimental journey down the Elham Valley line, stopping at Fae stations and meeting the rai jmen. The railway branched off the main Ashford-Canterbury line at 'Whiteha1l—-or “ Harbledown Junc- tion” as the railwaymen call it. Main departure point for those travelling from Canterbury to Folkestone was the West Station. Plans for a station at Wincheap were abandoned owing to difficul- ties in buying land. First station down the line, after riding‘ along the high em- bankment above the marshy Whitehall meadows, was Canter- bury South Station——intended primarily for Cricket Week use. Now Canterbury City Council property, it was converted into a bungalow 10' years ago. It has “all mod. con.” . Living there are Mr. and Mrs. E. T. Dixon, who came to the station from Biggin Hill nine years ago, Mr. Dixon is a Council wo1_'k*"‘ 1, ‘ ' Th, ,pace between the plat- formsias been filled in, giving the family a large garden. - Nearby is what was the station- master‘s house-——distinguished by the twisted 100-year-oid ' laburnum in thefront garden.‘ eorge Goodman, station- ll until his re- tirement in 1922, died‘ in 1930, but “h The little village stations are still live in cottages by the over! : ii? , 7 , in for a yea lied and iias i-.1-‘*“ 9 prefer their new home. In Bridge lives 87-year-old Mr. 1943- The War Department ‘had G60fg6__,BI'ane- ‘ i Dornier 127 “flying pencil” ed on the bridge near Bar- tli}I3ki.ng_of/. uying the building frog ‘British Railways. One of‘- the largest of thervalley stations hog, es, three bedrooms. A man who has walked every inch or the Elharn Valley line lives on nearby _ Railway’ Hill; He is ‘ 70-year-old Mr.» Charlie Choules, for 22, years a patrolman be§wieen‘Canter_bury' and Follies- tone. When the ,-line closed he to Snowdowngstation, and 4% years -ago -after 33 years: ofirailway 1556. V T ' trainsgthat through, th valieyhad ~th1if=B3-—.coaches,1 he tell us~3~.-tarid -ouflined the reasons fo thesrailwaysfinaricial failure. ‘sulh-B vstafigns ’”v/ere ttoofifarf ftozzfthe , , -.‘ .th¢.busee-s’ ‘ Fir§t_‘~World W ~ gs P’%’»¥=“°<”9 Wk By an old level crossing at North Elham, in 21 house called: Crossing Gates, lives Mr. Fred Mutton, one-time gauge: on the line, Three-quarters of a mile farher on is Elham Station, still British Railways-owned. Part of it is the home of farm worker 1 William Morgan, On the other side of the track are Station Cottages, and in one of them lives Mr. Bill Young, porter-Signalman in the Elham Valley for 20 years. started work on the line in 1911; and left in 1931, when single-line traflic from Lyminge to‘ Canterbury was ifitroduced. Mr. ~ [Young retired in 1950. He was once acting-guard on the “Li.nger_ and Die ”—'—a train that used’ to start at Dover, and go to Ramsgate, Margate, Minster, Canterbury West, Elham and Folkestone-—stopping at every station in between! ‘ Mr. Young also recalls _‘_‘_I?L;ff; ir1gj"B‘1:£I37j”"a:’i>‘oifiBfn“e‘d"é=‘n;g me and coach that used to run from Dover to E2H_3am_ and back. - Hefremembem the huge crowds. that , to go to Elham from Cant j‘ and VI7olk_esto,ne on B°Xi.!§:._ . o - > ":0ne'oE’Hi? - '*=- is of the time -during the First World War when_he had to un- couple a horse box in the teeth of a howling south-westerly gale. I When he had unhooked it from‘ the train he found, too late, tha‘ the horse box had no brakes. Iw wasblown all the way to Barham ;befofe it could be stopped! Cit, Charlie Choules patrols the overgrown platform at Ba:-ham Station. hey "both worked Station. Mriand . Lesli outs their cottage? if Station. T Bishopsbolrme’ <