The Spa Valley Railway can offer facilities for testing and demonstrating new and overhauled railway equipment and rolling stock, as well as a training room and a training ground for track-based staff training. We have provided a training location for Network Rail and Thameslink in recent times.
Obtaining suitable rail-based facilities at the right time and at the right cost to suit your business is becoming increasingly difficult. The Spa Valley Railway is located just 18 miles from the M25 and 35 miles from central London, with good rail and road connections.
Our facilities are available for advanced booking and, frequently, also at short notice. Full weekday track possessions can often be arranged if required. We can offer a range of rail types and fixings, track formations, structures and gradients suitable for both low-speed and static testing. Our dedicated track training ground includes short sections of 3rd- and 4th-conductor rail and a variety of current-standard rail fittings. We can also offer areas suitable for vegetation management, drainage, structures examination, ultrasonic rail testing and a multitude of other railway-associated trades.
Although not physically connected to the National Network, our site at Tunbridge Wells West has a level unloading area capable of receiving rail or road/rail vehicles and is regularly used by the major road/rail heavy-haulage companies. Royal Tunbridge Wells has good rail and road access for your staff and visitors. The town also offers a variety of accommodation, dining and entertainment establishments, all within easy walking distance of the Spa Valley Railway.
Our facilities in summary:
- Dedicated training room at Tunbridge Wells West for up to fourteen delegates and two trainers – 2025 day rate £300 per day for room hire.
- Signed off on meeting Network Rail training room standards.
- Meets the requirements to deliver the Controller of Site Safety Initial and Recerts and other Network Rail training, classroom-based courses such as DCCR, COSS CRP, COSS OLP, SSWOPS, Site Warden, and First Aid courses.
- Small plant courses can also be delivered, including Safe Use of Trolley and Powered Trolley.
- On Track Plant courses, such as Machine Controller.
- The nearest mainline access point is a 10-15 minute walk from Tunbridge Wells West station for Personal Track Safety courses.
- The training room includes an 80″ Smart TV with an interactive smartboard.
- Whiteboards and flip chart paper.
- Printing, scanning and copying facilities.
- WiFi access.
- Toilet facilities.
- Kitchen/tea/coffee area with refrigerator unit.
- Catering facilities for lunch are available if required.
- Signed off on meeting Network Rail training room standards.
- A railway for you to use!
- Four miles of single track running line, plus various sidings and double track sections.
- Gradients of up to 1 in 88.
- Variety of under- and over-bridges, plus a level crossing.
- A mixture of Signalling equipment, including mechanical and electromechanical.
- Mixture of 109lb, 110lb and 113lb & 98lb flat-bottom rail, 95lb bullhead rail on both wooden and concrete sleepers
- Track training ground composed of most fittings found on the national network, including Pan 401, BR Mk1, ‘e’ clips, HSC, KT and Fastclip fittings on F27, G44, wooden or steel sleepers and incorporating 109, 110A and 113A flat bottom rail, and 95lb bullhead with wooden and steel keys.
- Track Induction, Track Maintenance Plain Line, Track Maintenance S&C, 053 and 054 Inspectors courses, plus more Track Engineering courses can be taught using our facilities.
- Railway vehicle maintenance pit.
- Road-rail access point at Tunbridge Wells West.
- Trains you can hire!
- Air and vacuum-braked rolling stock available by arrangement, including various classes of locomotive, plus a variety of wagons and passenger coaches.
We have provided training and testing facilities for track tamping machines, road-rail vehicle training, vegetation flailing & spraying demonstrations. We also host equipment demonstrations, fencing operations, bridge examination, track induction courses, track tools training and locomotive/machine driver training.
We have also hosted Network Rail for Rail Incident Officer Level 2 training, so we are familiar with scenarios involving the emergency services and first responders in a controlled and safe environment.
We will be happy to work with you to find a solution to your training or testing needs.
Please contact us here to discuss how we can help your company.
