The Rother Valley Railway (RVR) has celebrated a major step forward in the long-term project to reconnect the Kent & East Sussex Railway with mainline rail services at Robertsbridge, with the official opening of the new station building and Network Rail Headshunt at Robertsbridge Junction.

The day marked the completion of two key pieces of infrastructure as part of a multi-million-pound project that will restore the missing link to Bodiam and see services running all the way through to Tenterden for the first time in over 50 years.

The official station building opening ceremony was conducted in the presence of guests of honour Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill and former Rail Minister Huw Merriman, who both attended in a private capacity as longstanding supporters of the reconnection project. The ribbon was cut by the Chairman of Rother District Council Cllr Andrew Mier.

Guests included local community representatives and famous local resident, actor and comedian Suzy (Eddie) Izzard, who is a train enthusiast, with speeches by the Chairmen of the three key organisations involved in the project.

The new station building forms part of a wider programme to reinstate Robertsbridge Junction as the western terminus of the heritage line, but with much grander and more substantial infrastructure, ahead of the full reconnection to Bodiam, expected in 2028.

Following the building opening ceremony, the Hastings Diesel unit — synonymous with services that once ran between London Charing Cross and Hastings — christened the newly extended Headshunt, situated alongside the mainline.

Made available for the occasion with the kind permission of St Leonards Engineering with the support of GB Railfreight, the iconic diesel train carried invited guests, donors and members of the media along the line to Northbridge Street, offering a glimpse into the future of the reinstated route in operation and a chance to view the proposed site for the locomotive shed from the train.

Gardner Crawley, Chairman of the Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust, which is responsible for fundraising for the project, said: “This is a proud and deeply significant moment for everyone involved in the Rother Valley Railway project. The opening of this station building is not just about bricks and mortar — it represents enormous dedication, fundraising and community support.

“Our sincere thanks to the Garfield Weston Foundation for their generous grant and to the many individual donors who have made this significant progress possible.

“We are now closer than ever to realising our vision of reconnecting this historic line, linking communities once again and creating something that will bring lasting benefits to the area for generations to come.”

Mike Hart, Chairman of Rother Valley Railway Limited, which is responsible for all construction aspects of the project, said: “The opening marks the successful delivery of a complex and carefully managed stage of the construction programme. Reinstating infrastructure like this in a way that respects the heritage of the line, while meeting modern operational standards, has been a major achievement. The completion of the station building and Headshunt gives us a solid operational base as we continue work on the remaining sections of the route.

“We are extremely grateful to St Leonards Engineering and GB Railfreight for giving our guests the opportunity to ride aboard the iconic Hastings Diesel unit.”

Derrick Bilsby, Chairman of the Kent & East Sussex Railway, which will take over the operation of the extended line when completed in 2028, said: “This is an exciting step closer to the day when trains will once again run all the way through to Robertsbridge, reconnecting the K&ESR to the national rail network. For our railway, this extension will open up new opportunities for visitors and enthusiasts alike, making it easier than ever to experience one of the country’s most historic and scenic heritage lines.”

Originally opened in 1901, the section of line ending at Robertsbridge served communities across the Rother Valley, including Tenterden, Rolvenden, Wittersham, Northiam and Bodiam. Its reinstatement will not only reconnect these stations to Tenterden but also to the national rail network via the mainline station at Robertsbridge, bringing both increased tourism and economic growth to the area.

The celebrations continued the next day (Saturday 18th April), when the site opened to the public for a Community Open Day, from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Visitors were able to enjoy train rides on the Hastings Diesel along the newly reinstated section of line between Robertsbridge Junction and Northbridge Street, giving them a flavour of what the extended line will offer.

Entry was free, with donations welcomed to support the next phase of fundraising to enable the construction of a vital locomotive shed and carriage shed so that Robertsbridge Junction can become a fully functional Terminus station. The fundraising target for this phase has been set at £350,000 and just under half has already been raised or promised by donors.

The Trust has maximised the ways in which supporters can contribute to the Building Appeal – from making one-off donations of any amount to providing significant upfront amounts to committing to monthly giving. All options can be found on the RVR website at rvr.org.uk/fundraising.