A journey along the CHLR

Description of the line below the plan

The line starts at Junction station, an interchange location with the Southern Region of British Rail, on the Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst line - the interchange being made at Churn Siding on the line.

Junction Station at Oct16 - in the winter building plan are works to build a station building to sit on the left hand end of the platform - likewise a goods office is to be built to the right hand end

Churn Lane siding where Junction Station on the CHLR begins

From Junction the line climbs south up to the works area of the railway and a staff only station called Depot where the PW, Fuel, Loco and Rolling Stock facilities are based. 

Depot staff only halt

It is here that I eventually want to install a balloon loop through the shed that the line currently runs behind, so that as well as the line offering an end to end operation, we will have a continuous loop available for steam train operations.

After leaving Depot, the line enters a large tunnel to emerge into a large Woodyard complex, one of the largest industries the line supports. Woodyard has its own station for the workers to travel to as well as the main signal box on the first half of the railway. There are also groundworks in place to run a branch line from this point into a neighbouring garden but to date hasn't been started.

Wood Yard station and signal box

The woodyard operation - this is the biggest industry operating on the railway - here a vine leaf special runs through earlier this summer

From Woodyard, the highest point on the railway, the line drops toward Bridge station, a popular destination for sports lovers, being the nearest point to the Cricket ground as well as being the starting point for many walks in the area. The Bridge area formed the end of the line for phase 1.

Jessie guides a rockery train over Beer Bridge

No.3 pulls the brew train through Bridge station on its way to the PW party extending the line

From Bridge, after the building of the Beer Bridge (paid for by the local brewery) phase 2 of the line took rails across the bridge and eastwards towards the next station of Howard's Seat - named after the lines general manager's Father in Law, this location is another favourite for walkers as well as those who work at the Castle Hill Brewery & Vineyard. It is also where the families outdoor eating table is located.

Shortly after Howard's Seat station, the line takes a sharp turn northwards, passing the brewery site (still to be built in the real world) and heading out into the country. This is where phase 2 took the line (and where the real world build has reached! (Autumn 2016)

No.3 reaches the end of the line (current) -  groundworks are already underway past the buffers to help extend the line this autumn - Birds Nest halt being the next target

Phase 3 is planned to take the line past a RSPB site (well our bird feeder!!!) where wild birds of many species are seen and the railway provides seed supply to. Currently the halt we will build here is planned to be called Birds Nest.

Leaving the halt, the line will continue downhill to the end of the line at a station that has a working title of "BBQ"  - yes the plan is that this end of the line will have a station and balloon loop to allow continuous running of steam trains, where items cooked on the BBQ can be loaded onto wagons and taken to Howard's Seat station where we have our outdoor eating area. That's the plan  - might take a while to bring to fruition!