2011-08-12 RHDR

English have a nose for oddities, at least what continentals would consider "oddities". The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway is such an oddity. Built to the gauge of merely 381 mm (15 in) it is a light railway which despite its diminutive size is still a commercially operating railroad. The railway opened in 1927. The ten original locomotives are still in service and the fleet has been expanded over time with other steam locomotives and diesels. Over a long period of time the railway claimed the title "Smallest public railway in the world". Currently the line carries 100,000 passengers each year.

1 A Google Maps view of Romney station. Big centre is the station's hall. Below it is the turntable. The white building to the left of the turn tbale is the reseption and restaurant area. The building at the right is the depot and maintenance facility.	2 First thing that strikes the eye is the big small stationhall	3 The signalbox	4
5	6 The Bug in its Brighton Umber livery was built by Kraus in Munich in 1926	7	8
9	10	11	12 Soon after our arrival a train entered the station drawn by no 10 "Dr Syn" from 1931. This locomotive is clearly based on an American pattern. Note that all essential appliances are there to regard this locomotive as an ernest railway locomotive
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25 The size of the men demonstrates how a 1:3 locomotive works out.	26	27	28 Blowing the cilinders, ready for departure
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33	34 A train from the other direction approaching Romney station	35	36 Slowly coming to a halt at the water hose
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53	54 Waiting for the ready	55 And underway	56 Entering the road tunnel
57 A visit to the depot	58	59 An engine that never existed in 1:1 runs around here.	60
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77	78	79 I decided to take this to Dungeness and back	80 Crossing at Romney Sands Halt
81	82	83 How small the coaches are. After some fifteen minutes your legs desparately need a stretch.	84 After several villages the train entered a more beachy environment.
85 The road crossing are for real.	86 Approaching Dungeness loop	87	88 On Google maps the loop is traceable, at the green arrow is Dungeness station
89 Dungeness nuclear power plant, with the lighthouse and Dungeness station directly to the right of it.	90 Looping the loop	91 Dungeness station	92
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101	102	103	104 Completing the loop
105	106 Back at Romney Sand, another crossing	107 Exchanging tokens	108
109 Back at Romney	110 Maybe captivated for life...	111	112
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