Walts Nephew | Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway @WaltsNephew | Uploaded August 2021 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
Here is the little railway in the south of England that has won the hearts and interests of many: the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. What started as a hobby between racer drivers, the RH&DR has turned into one of the most successful minimal gauge railways in all the world. Self-proclaimed as the smallest public railway in the world (at 15 inch gauge), the RH&DR in Kent has been operating since 1927 servicing the local community, schoolchildren and holiday-makers non-stop. During the Second World War, one of the engines was fitted with shielding and maneuvered a small cannon in the event of air raids by Nazi fighter pilots, one of which mistook the RH&DR for a standard railway, flew too close to the ground and crashed. When the railway reopened in the 1940s, the railway was celebrated with a visit by the world famous comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, both taking some time in the cab of the engine for their train.
In the beginning, the engines utilized were built by Davey Paxman & Company and were rather similar to Bassett-Lowke's scale engines. This is a fascinating railway and well worth a trip to Kent should anyone be in the England are. Hope you enjoy!
Here is the little railway in the south of England that has won the hearts and interests of many: the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. What started as a hobby between racer drivers, the RH&DR has turned into one of the most successful minimal gauge railways in all the world. Self-proclaimed as the smallest public railway in the world (at 15 inch gauge), the RH&DR in Kent has been operating since 1927 servicing the local community, schoolchildren and holiday-makers non-stop. During the Second World War, one of the engines was fitted with shielding and maneuvered a small cannon in the event of air raids by Nazi fighter pilots, one of which mistook the RH&DR for a standard railway, flew too close to the ground and crashed. When the railway reopened in the 1940s, the railway was celebrated with a visit by the world famous comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, both taking some time in the cab of the engine for their train.
In the beginning, the engines utilized were built by Davey Paxman & Company and were rather similar to Bassett-Lowke's scale engines. This is a fascinating railway and well worth a trip to Kent should anyone be in the England are. Hope you enjoy!
