An afternoon train photographed at Brasted station on the last day of services, October 28th 1961. Adorned with a Union Jack, someone had chalked on the boiler plate door “Farewell to the Flyer 1881 – 1961” the Westerham Valley Railway, come and gone in only eighty years…
Reference: WH0154
This and the following five photographs depict the closed brach-line at Westerham between 1962 and 1964. A rather dismal scene.
Reference: WH0172
Seen here in the late 1950s and standing close to the slip road up to Brasted station, this overbridge carried the single track of the Westerham Valley Railway over Station Road. Today, standing in its place is a six-lane overbridge carrying the M25 motorway.
Reference: WH0179
During the early 1960s there was an attempt to reopen the line by a body who formed themselves as the Westerham Valley Railway Association. Here we see two members of the ‘ganging team’ working on a plate-layer’s trolly in 1962.
Reference: WH0180
On October 30th 2011 the Spa Valley Railway simulated the final days of the Westerham Valley Railway to commemorate 50 years since the closure of the branch line. Here a train of four coaches recreates the final day of services, Saturday October 28th 1961 appearing to chuff its way past Chevening Halt heading for Brasted. ...
Reference: WH0153