Spa Valley Railway » Bulletins » Broom Lane Bridge Appeal – Please help us! | We are next open on 18th & 19th January.

When are we next open?

Saturday's in January – Bulleid Pacific 34053 '303 Squadron' and Class 31 31430 'Sister Dora', Red Timetable
Sunday's in January – Bulleid Pacific 34053 '303 Squadron' and Class 31 31430 'Sister Dora', Dark Blue Timetable

Volunteer Find Out More Days!
Are you interested in volunteering at the Spa Valley Railway and unsure how to do so? Why not come along to one of our Find Out More sessions?

The first one for 2025 is on Saturday, 25^th January!

There is no need to register or send us an email first; just come along to meet one of our volunteers at Tunbridge Wells West station at 10:30, and you’ll be taken on a guided tour of the Spa Valley Railway, showing you all the various parts of the railway and where and how you can get involved volunteering with us. We will provide the opportunity for you to ask questions about various roles and anticipate the session to finish around 14:00.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, 25^th January! The meeting place is Tunbridge Wells West station inside the Engine Shed in our undercover area.

WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH A MAJOR PROJECT!
We must replace the old steel Broom Lane Bridge between High Rocks and Groombridge, and we need your help raising £300,000 to do so!

Broom Lane Bridge, built in the 1890s, has corrosion on the primary girder flanges, particularly on the web flange angles, which is not unexpected due to its age, but it presents a problem.

To ensure we can continue taking you along the Spa Valley Railway, the bridge is regularly inspected, a speed restriction has been imposed, it is subject to an enhanced monitoring regime, and it has recently undergone load testing to demonstrate its continued availability for rail traffic.

However, we must do something before the corrosion reaches a point where we cannot operate trains.

We were presented with two options: repair the corroding metal work on the bridge or replace it with a brand-new one. After carefully considering the possibilities, it became clear that replacing the bridge was the most cost-effective solution, at around £300,000.

While repairing the affected areas is possible, it would only temporarily extend the bridge’s life and potentially cost the same, if not more, than constructing a new one.

There are three phases to the replacement of Broom Lane Bridge:

Phase 1, a certified replacement bridge design, will cost around £30,000; thanks to our savings, we have engaged a company specialising in bridge design, construction, and installation to start work immediately. We aim to have this completed in the first quarter of 2025.
Phase 2 involves constructing and painting a new bridge, estimated to cost around £70,000. We aim to start this as soon as the design is certified.
Finally, phase 3 involves removing the old bridge and installing the new one, estimated to cost upwards of £200,000.

We won’t be able to do it without your support, and we are appealing to anyone who could help ensure we can complete this enormous project and replace the bridge in 2025.

We know a bridge isn’t glamorous, but without it, we might be unable to run trains over the entire length of our railway. We would be extremely grateful to anyone who can donate to our appeal or participate in our fundraising activities.

Please donate now to our Broom Lane Bridge appeal and keep the Spa Valley Railways’ trains running for you and future generations to enjoy.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE!

Gift Vouchers
Click here to buy a Gift Voucher for our other experiences.

2025 Events
Tickets for our standard train rides, dining events and other experiences can be booked online for 2025; we are next open on Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th January.