Romney 75 Celebrations

Visitors to the Railway’s 75th Anniversary celebrations on July 14th had a wonderfully nostalgic day. A day blessed with beautiful weather after over a week of rain was just the order of the day. This was a unique event drawing together over a year’s work of planning including the launch of the railway’s newest publication Romney Remembered.

Non-stop trains such as The Maddieson’s Camp Special, Golden Jubilee, The Marshlander and The Bluecoaster Limited flashed through New Romney to re-create the atmosphere of a true mainline railway, just as Captain Howey had envisaged in the mid twenties when he created the Railway with CME Henry Greenly.

Exhibitions of pictures from the past were displayed at Hythe, Dymchurch, New Romney and Dungeness and are now available for viewing for the rest of this year. Offers of artefacts and photographs came from a wide variety of collections including the Railway’s pre-war Chief Engineer, Arthur Binfield.

The re-enactment of the inaugural train that departed at 3pm was host to local dignitaries including the mayors of Hythe and New Romney, staff from the past and directors of the railway company. In addition to this over 180 other passengers enjoyed the non-stop ride from Hythe to New Romney passing through disused stations that were signed for that day only offering unique opportunities for photographs. On its arrival at New Romney speeches congratulated the success and the importance of the Railway over its 75 years, commemorating its part in WW2 and the provision of local transport to pupils from the local secondary school for 25 years.

Also at New Romney after the speeches came the launch of the RH&DRA’s new book — Romney Remembered. John Snell, George Barlow and Richard Hardy made themselves available for signatures in approximately 100 books. Sales of the book reached in the region of 150 on the day. Since there are only 3000 copies available this will make them a collectors item.

The day will have been recorded in photographs — contributions of these to the railway or this web-site or The Marshlander are most gratefully received and some can now be seen in our Romney 75 Image Library. Graham Whistler was also filming in preparation for a new video to celebrate 75 years. More news of that to come later.

In all, a truly wonderful day, reminding us once more that the RH&DR continues to be a fantastic mainline railway which is all set for its next 75 years.

Next events in the R75 year include:Next events in the R75 year include:

• Celebration of 25 years of service of the School Train on October 6th.
• The magnificent double-header day — where drivers dictate what they do — not to be missed — October 6th

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ROMNEY 75 IMAGE LIBRARY