Hi. My replies in text...

1) Open Day

What is the difference in a normal running day and an open day? If its when no trains are running and folks can walk anywhere, we need a lot of H&S stuff to get through, as anyone tripping on a rail, for instance, can sue us. I suppose if we worked out safe walking routes and taped them off for people to walk and they then trespass we are covered better? The question is, will it be financially viable?

2) Model (train, cars, boats, ECT) Weekend

Where would this be located? If it rains for instance, not many people are going to want their layouts getting wet.

3) Photographs specials (Night Train on saturdays)

Good idea. Maybe something as simple as running an additional train or two around Christmas / New Year after the usual service has finished? I know other lines that do this and they rake in a fair sum from the professional and amateur photography, as they charge specially for it.

4) Story Time for kids (Jack the station cat, Ivor the Engine)

...on the DMMU perhaps? Or in the BEP buffet car? We have a unique line with the tunnel, and this could be exploited more with such ideas.

5) Saturday Quiz Day

People turn up at any time during the day, you can't rehold one as those who took part the time before will know the answers. This would have to be publicised a fair bit beforehand as only happening at a certain time on a certain train to work.

6) Toy and Rail Collectors Fair

Again, its down to where it could be held. And this needs to be considered against the weather.

--- dasteam 

Thanks for taking the time to post on the site . You will be gratefully accepted as a volunteer as they are like gold dust and we have already had 3 new volunteers start this year so you will join our rapidly growing family - you will soon see why we are regarded as one of the friendliest preserved railways in England - what we lack in glamour we more than make up for with friendliness and hard work.

Some good ideas you have and i have often thought about in the future extending back to Coldred - we are however currently looking at who lands the land from Wigmore Lane up to Elvington platform which would be our main goal re future extension as our original platform still survives at Elvington and would lead to possible further extension to Eastry. All extension plans remain as hopes at the moment though as we currently have many other projects underway or about to be underway which you will be more than welcome to become involved with, the main one being to clear the land of the original engine shed and to re-build a new shed in its place thus re-creating a piece of history and allowing us to restore our rolling stock far more easily .

Please let me know as soon as you are free and hopefully we can meet up and I'll show you around the sites.

best wishes

Tim

I have been an avid fan of railways since a young age and ever since I was able to I have always enjoyed cycling out to your railway and also reading up about it. It is my intention to now come and join in with the fun of volunteering on it having recently moved back to the area, although this is unlikely to start until after half term as in the meantime I have a wedding to prepare for!

Anyway, in my spare time I often think about how the railway could develop. My thoughts always come to the idea that maybe it would be great to develop it as a heritage centre devoted to the history of this area of Kent. In other words create the tourist link that is so required between the coast and Canterbury. How would I do this, well…

1) Encourage the restoration and operation of the slam door stock so that as well as operating on the railway itself they could also operate on the local national rail network at weekends in the summer.

2) Develop Shepherdswell into a site that tells the story of the railway complete with rebuilt original buildings and so on.

3) Perhaps extend the line to Guilford Colliery. This may sound nuts but I believe that there may be space and old buildings there that could then be developed into a museum to tell the story of the local coalfield.

I appreciate that some of my ideas may sound unfeasible, and maybe some of them are, but I believe it is good for places like this railway to have some sort of big vision. After all you only have to look around the country at some other preserved railways and see some of the supposedly unfeasible big visions that have been accomplished!

I would be glad to hear your views on these ideas and I hope to meet some of you soon at the railway! I am looking forward to being involved in anything I can!

Cheers,

Charles Sharp

many thanks for sharing your ideas - if possible could you expand on these in the form of a letter which we can put to the committee , ie : if you have contacts for any of these events such as the toy,rail collectors fair etc .. your idea for the model planes,cars etc is a great one and funnily enough one we are currently trying to arrange for next year with the Canterbury and District Model Society - great minds think alike !! We will be arranging the new events shortly so if you are able to put pen to paper quickly that would be a great help . Thanks for all your suggestions , see you soon

Tim

1) Open Day

2) Model (train, cars, boats, ECT) Weekend

3) Photographs specials (Night Train on saturdays)

4) Story Time for kids (Jack the station cat, Ivor the Engine)

5) Saturday Quiz Day

6) Toy and Rail Collectors Fair

always good to have good ideas coming through . Hopefully we can manage your suggestion as the Knees progresses .In the meantime keep up the good work for the railway and many thanks

Tim

Tim