We have just completed another Day Out With Thomas ® event, and at long last we saw the opening sequence of Downton Abbey on ITV with our Terrier locomotive which was filmed here a few months ago. With such fantastic camerawork we all hardly recognised the K&ESR.

Today the Contractors arrived to start work on the extension to our Carriage & Wagon shed. Although there are three restorations which will be set back because of these works, we are all looking forward to the completion of the project which will almost double the under cover working space. The Appeal is disappointingly only around the £20k mark, and we will have to raise a lot more to be able to finish the job.

The Cavell Van is back from Ramparts and looking fantastic. We now have to add the finishing touches to get it ready for its launch in November. Visitors to K&ESR will be able to see the van at Bodiam next year. We are grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant to enable us to undertake this work.

We have a new Station Agent for Wittersham Road station. He and his wife have put a lot of effort into improving the ambience of the station and they have done a terrific job. It has become another pretty station on what we believe is a superb trip through the Kent & Sussex countryside
A couple of weeks ago there was the most appalling incident of trespass on the railway. Three youngsters rode a quad bike and a scrambler bike along the railway towards an oncoming steam train. They were lucky not to have been seriously hurt or killed. So much effort is put in by the British Transport Police and others to educating youngsters, I fail to understand why they do not realise the potential consequences of their actions. I will say no more as we will probably prosecute on this occasion because of its seriousness.

I recently walked along the Rother Valley Railway extension from Bodiam station to check out some issues that needed to be addressed. What did I find? Two walkers standing in the middle of the railway, despite the “No Trespassers” signs. If adults behave in such a way perhaps there is no hope for children. As this is not our property it is not for us to take any action on this occasion.

Do people think Heritage Railways are just toys and that a 60 ton or more locomotive travelling at 25mph will do them no harm?

While I am having a rant, I was horrified to see a dog walker allow their dog to pee against one of the DOWT signs on our property this weekend. When I complained that staff and indeed children touch the sign he had a go at me for complaining. He does dog owners no justice. He told me that he used to be a volunteer here, but as none of our staff would allow their dog to behave that way, I wondered whether he was asked to leave after being found doing something he shouldn't on the platform!!