257 Squadron at Tenterden Town

257 Squadron again provided the main attraction of today’s timetable running three round trip to Bodiam and attracting a good number of passengers and plenty of people watching the loco arrive and depart.

On the B set, at least for the first round trip was Hastings, one of the early locos on the line in the 1960s. After a long absence Hastings is back in service on the KESR. It returned last year until it destroyed a cylinder coming up Tenterden bank. Hastings re-entered traffic this week hauling public trains. Unfortunately, the loco failed with leaking tubs at Tenterden after the first round trip and had to be replaced by a diesel multiple unit.

Hastings was the first Hunslet saddle tank, built in 1888. We have some of the later derivations on the stock list. I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of my photos of Hastings was used in the KESR stock list on the website: https://kesr.org.uk/our-heritage/steam-locomotives/

After we’ve all finished this evening we’re visiting a local tapas and micro brewery called the Ancient Boro in Tenterden with a couple from the railway. First time we will have been out as a foursome although Martin and I have spent time together in signal boxes and at the Old Dairy before.