SKLR Christmas 2009
Boxing Day will see one year since the last public service ran between Sittingbourne Viaduct and Kemsley Down Stations. During that time we have obtained a lease on just over 1 mile of the track. We have been identified in the Sittingbourne Master Plan and a Heritage Centre next to Sittingbourne Viaduct Station has been proposed. Work has carried on at Kemsley Down on conserving our precious heritage. Construction of the Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road has commenced and we have been working with Kent County Council, the construction firm and the design engineers. We have also continued our involvement in the Milton Creek and Church Marshes Country Park Development
We had a wonderful weekend at the Preston Steam Rally with our locomotive “Melior” and our newly refurbished coach - 647. We ran trains at this event over a length of track specially installed by our volunteers. The Rally took place at Preston next Wingham, near Canterbury, Kent on 27 th & 28 th June 2009. It featured traction engines, steam fairground rides and vintage vehicles as well as your favourite railway. Pictures of this event and the building of the line can be found by clicking here.
On a sad note Tony James one of our most loyal members died suddenly on 4th July. He will be remembered as the 'Voice of Kemsley' for his announcements and also for his award winning wildlife gardens. Follow this link to read his obituary At the rally Tony had agreed to keep an eye on "Melior" and 647 on their length of track at Preston as we were hoping to use them again before we took them back to Kemsley. Thank You Tony for looking after them albeit from a bit further than any of us thought and we will be operating the Preston line for their New Years Open Days.
For further details click here
We still have some way to go to safeguard the whole of the line and our SOS Campaign will continue. Donations to our Camapign can be made by visiting www.justgiving.com/sklr or by sending a cheque made payable to SKLR to SOS Campaign, P.O.Box 300, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 2DZ.
Updated 23 December 2009