Rye and Camber Tramway
| Rye and Camber Tramway | |
|---|---|
| Locale | England |
| Dates of operation | 1895 – 1939 |
| Successor line | abandoned |
| Track gauge | 3 ft (914 mm) |
| Length | 1¾ miles (2.8 km) |
| Headquarters | Rye |
The Rye and Camber Tramway was an English narrow gauge railway line in East Sussex. It was of 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. It operated from 1895 until 1939, connecting Rye to the nearby coast at Camber. It was a very short line, only about 1¾ miles (2.8 km) in length, and boasting only three stations - Rye, Golf Links and Camber Sands. It operated mainly to transport golfers from Rye to the nearby golf links and holidaymakers to the coastal dunes.
History
The railway was built between January and July 1895 and ran entirely on private land. Its consulting engineer was Holman F. Stephens. The line was built to convey golfers to the Rye Golf Club and originally ran from Rye station to the golf club. It was extended in 1908 to Camber Sands station.
Although quite successful initially, increasing competititon from automobile and bus transport eventually caused it to enter a gradual economic decline, as was the case with many small railways. It closed down for the duration at the outbreak of World War II, and was used by the government to a limited extent during the war but was in so run-down a condition by the end of the war that it was then disassembled in 1947. The Rye & Camber Tramways Co. was liquidated in February 1949.
It had two small Bagnall steam locomotives, "Camber" and "Victoria", but in its final years was run by a small petrol locomotive. It had two enclosed carriages; the frame of one survives at the Amberley Working Museum. Other remains can be seen at the Colonel Stephens Museum at Tenterden.
The line has a prominent part in several novels by Rye resident E.F. Benson.
Locomotives
| Name | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camber | W.G. Bagnall | 2-4-0T | 1895 | 1461 | |
| Victoria | W.G. Bagnall | 2-4-0T | 1897 | 1511 | |
| Kent Construction Company | 4wPM | 1924 | Based on the Motor Rail "Simplex" design |
See also
References
- Judge, C. (1995). The Rye and Camber Tramway. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-473-3.
- Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Atlantic Publishers. ISBN 1-902827-05-8.
