More than 50 years after he rode on demolition trains on
the Kent and East Sussex Railway, Doug Lindsay enjoyed a ride on
one of the steam engines involved in the sad destruction.

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He was a fresh-faced 13-year-old trainspotting at Maidstone East
when he was invited to become an unofficial teaboy on the trains
ripping up track between Tenterden and Headcorn in 1954. The other
section from Robertsbridge to Tenterden lived on for a few more
years, hence its eventual restoration.

A selection of ex-South Eastern and Chatham O1 engines were used to
haul the demolition trains and the bank holiday weekend saw the
return of one of those O1s for the first time.

After enjoying a ride on the footplate of the O1, Doug said: “I was
watching the trains at Maidstone when one day this fireman said he
had an easier turn next week crewing a train to take the track up
between Tenterden and Headcorn. I tried to be on the engines every
day I wasn’t at school and they eventually made me their unofficial
teaboy.

“It was a matter of hanging the billy can in the firebox on a
spanner – it boiled in seconds!

“To a 13-year-old you can imagine, it was wonderful.” The gala
weekend saw every serviceable engine on the line hauling trains,
and brought some diesel fans all the way from Exeter. Phil Wills
and Sharon Courtney left their homes at 4am on Sunday just to see
the railway’s BTH diesel-electric hauling trains. During the
weekend, the 113-year-old O1 hauled a replica demolition train,
there were plenty of goods services and the return to service of
A1X 'Terrier’ 32678 in British Rail lined black (running with other
numbers on occasions).

Terrier 'Martello’ came down from Bressingham for the weekend and
it was also possible to enjoy the rare treat of two SECR engines,
combined age 213, hauling a rake including SE&CR and LC&DR
stock.