The innovative Easter programme on the railway is now in full swing with the Vintage train replacing the Mark-One stock as the main formation on weekdays.

It is designed as an effort to boost casual travel in these difficult financial times; the hope being that the loss of catering revenue on-board the train will be offset by an increase in off-peak passenger numbers and the reduced use of coal by the smaller engines.

Certainly something needed to be done for the early season holiday trade as the latest figures for 2008 published in “The Tenterden Terrier” testify with a sharp decline in March and April trade, not helped by the earliest Easter in our lifetimes.

The risk is, of course, that whilst a comparatively high-passenger volume set relative to its weight, there is little scope to add an extra accommodation or cater, say, for an un-booked coach party, for instance.  And in the Vintage set there is no standing room to speak of except in the “birdcage” brake.

There is a further complication.  With seven vintage carriages available, there is not quite enough capacity to make-up a second Vintage train at the moment.  The “Woolwich” coach could be combined with the buffet and a TSO, as at half-term or with Maunsell stock but it still leaves the GER brake rather friendless in the market with a Risk Assessment still to be concluded on the balcony coach.

But at least there is a proper train made up of the other four coaches to be proud of and photographers – curiously missing in their droves this “Scottish Spring” (everything seems to have come out at once bar the snowdrops) – have so far largely missed out on the opportunity to capture the perfect light railway train bereft of baseball capped/Bermuda shorted men and children waving “Thomas” © TM flags on the balcony.

Sunday 5th April, for instance, seemed rather quiet although boosted by a “Wealden Pullman”.  32678’s mechanical problems seem to have been sorted out and was found in the Carriage & Wagon shed at Tenterden Town with her wheels being painted by Bryan Atkins and Dan Snowden.  Matt Green has also reported that the decals needed to disguise the engine as 32644, 32655 et al for the Gala at the beginning of May have been received.

Unfortunately, the previously published material based on the initial “Big Plan” for the year has already gone west.  Trustee Ian Scarlett drove “Bodiam” on Saturday 21st March but decided to take the engine out of service due to a suspected problem with the lubrication system.  The Class 33, D6570 “Ashford” substituted, making a worthwhile if unwelcome contribution to Branch Line Weekend.  No.3 was apparently okay to run the following day but since then has adopted its normal residency in the shed.  It is quite extraordinary how many times over the decades that this engine has been reported as “on-shed”, “out of use” or “spare” engine at Rolvenden.  Adrian Landi  has reassured that this rest is purely for a routine washout.

The Trustees hope to conclude their deliberations on a replacement chimney for No.3 shortly.

A newsletter will shortly be sent out to members of TTT.  Many of these can now thankfully be emailed – both from a cost and labour viewpoint.  If you are a member, please ensure that your preferred email address is up-to date.

And lastly a plea to support the May Gala, 2nd, 3rd and 4th if you possibly can.  For many this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Stirling 01 No.65 in action at one of its old haunts.  Indeed it may be only be the second time an 01 has officially ventured south of Rolvenden, the first being to assist in the rescue of 32678 following her derailment in 1949.  See “Off The Rails” in the article section from “The Tenterden Terrier”.

HN-09/04/2009