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Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June 2025
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The Cuckoo Line Gala – Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June 2025Step back in time to the 1960’s when steam still ruled supreme and join us as we commemorate 60 years since the closure of the famous Cuckoo Line which once ran between Tunbridge Wells West via Eridge and Hailsham to Polegate and we join the countrywide celebrations of 200 years of rail in the United Kingdom.
History of the Cuckoo LineThe Cuckoo Line is the name for the now closed railway line which joined Polegate to Eridge from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route. At the fair, which was held each April, a lady would release a cuckoo from a basket, it being supposedly the 'first cuckoo of spring'.
The Cuckoo Line was built by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) in two sections, starting with the branch from Polegate to Hailsham, which opened to traffic on 14 May 1849. It diverged from the main Eastbourne to London line at Polegate and ran northwards to the market town of Hailsham, which was the terminus for 31 years until the line through to Eridge was completed and opened in September 1880.
The line then passed through the villages of Hellingly (where the famous electric Hellingly Hospital Railway once operated) Horam, Heathfield, Mayfield, Rotherfield & Mark Cross, then joined the Oxted Line at Redgate Mill Junction before arriving at Eridge. The route continued on what is now the Spa Valley Railway, leaving the Oxted Line at Birchden Junction, heading for Groombridge, High Rocks Halt and eventually Tunbridge Wells West.
Following the famous Beeching Report in 1963, the line was recommended for closure. The section from Eridge to Hailsham was closed to passenger traffic on 14th June 1965 with the section between Heathfield and Hailsham remaining open for freight until 1968. The remaining stub of branch line from Polegate to Hailsham remained open until 8thSeptember 1968.
The line between Eridge and Tunbridge Wells West remained open until 1985 and, of course, was re-opened in 1997 as the Spa Valley Railway. We’re delighted to be hosting this event to commemorate 60 years since the closure of this famous line!
Visiting Locomotives:
Southern Railway U Class 31806 – Courtesy of the Swanage Railway & JMB Locomotive Services31806 is the only survivor of the U-class locomotives that were built initially as K-class 2-6-4ts. It was originally built at Brighton as A806 "River Torridge" in 1926, but following the accident at Sevenoaks, it was rebuilt as a U-class 2-6-0 at Brighton in 1928.
After entering traffic at Guildford, it soon moved to Nine Elms early in 1929. It remained at Nine Elms until the late 1930s, when it moved to Basingstoke and then Guildford by the beginning of 1945. After withdrawal from service in January 1964, having covered 970,103 miles, it was stored at Fratton before going to the scrapyard at Barry Island in June 1964.
31806 was purchased by John Bunch in 1975, and it left Barry in October 1976, moving to the Mid Hants Railway. The restoration began in 1979, and the locomotive returned to steam in April 1981. Following another overhaul, the locomotive re-entered service in 2011, and it moved to the Swanage Railway in 2014, where it can regularly be seen pulling trains along the Purbeck Line. https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/
Photo of 31806 courtesy of Sharpthorne Steam
British Railways Standard 4MT Tank 80078 – Courtesy of Stewart Robinson80078 was built at Brighton at a cost of £17,364 and entered service in February 1954. It was based on the Eastern Region, working on the London, Tilbury and Southend Line (LT&S), working commuter services out of London until that route was electrified in 1962. In July 1962, it came under Western Region ownership when it moved to Shrewsbury and later on to Croes Newydd at Wrexham. While at Croes Newydd, it passed to London Midland Region ownership when Croes Newydd (along with Shrewsbury) was transferred to the London Midland Region in September 1963.
The locomotive was withdrawn in March 1965 and sent to Barry Island the following year. It was saved and restored to operational service by the PROJECT 78 group and Southern Locomotives Limited for its first operational period in preservation before being sold to Stewart Robinson in 2012. After a major overhaul, the 4MT returned to service in 2017 and has visited the Spa Valley Railway regularly ever since. We are incredibly grateful to Stewart for enabling the visit of 80078 once again for this gala. 80078 will be appearing throughout the weekend as other Standard 4MT tanks.
Photo of 80078 courtesy of David Cable
Class 33 D6566 – Courtesy of the Diesel Electric Preservation Group (DEPG)D6566 is a member of a class of 98 “Type 3” locomotives, later known as “Class 33”, that were designed and built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company (BRCW) in Smethwick, West Midlands, in the period 1960 to 1962. Our locomotive entered service on the Southern Region (SR) of BR in August 1961. The locomotive class is a diesel-electric design concept and was the first design to incorporate dual braking (air and vacuum) and electric train heating (ETH) as standard equipment. The same class as Spa Valley Railway residents 33063 and 33065 owned by the South East Locomotive Group.
D6566 worked mixed traffic on the SR for 34 years until withdrawal in 1995. After a two-year period in storage, it was condemned as surplus to requirements in 1997. Acquired almost immediately by one of the D&EPG founder members, the locomotive arrived at Williton in May 1997. The locomotive first worked a train on the West Somerset Railway in October of that year, marking the first use of a (subclass) Class 33/0 in preservation.
D6566 was stopped for an overhaul in 2013 after 16 solid years of service. The overhaul included engine work and major bodywork repairs, and the locomotive returned to service in 2018, resplendent in its original two-tone green livery but with the small yellow warning panel at each end. This popular and reliable locomotive continues to serve the West Somerset Railway, and we are incredibly grateful to the Diesel Electric Preservation Group, the WSR and the owner for enabling this rare visit away of the 'Crompton' for our historic event! It is the first time D6566 will be seen away from the WSR in preservation. Wording courtesy of the DEPG website. https://depg.org/
Photo of D6566 courtesy of Andrew Edkins
The Cuckoo Line GalaWe're planning to operate one of our most interesting timetables in years, incorporating early morning and late evening services with the following locomotives (plus more to be announced):
The Wealdsman Rail TourFriday 13th June 2025. 31806 and 34050 will carry replica headboards of the very tour that was the last steam hauled train along the Cuckoo Line! Further details to follow...
TicketsTickets will go on sale at the end of April 2025. They will be slightly discounted online and a higher price on the day.
TimetableTrains will be running from early morning until late evening; evening dining trains can be booked for Friday 13th or Saturday 14th June here:
A timetable will be published for this event at the beginning of June – Brake van rides in our Queen Mary Brake Van will be available too!
Help us raise £300,000 to replace the vital Broom Lane Bridge between High Rocks and Groombridge; click here for details and to donate!
Help us raise £300,000 to replace the vital Broom Lane Bridge between High Rocks and Groombridge, click here for details and to donate!