Pictorial History


Continuing the pictorial history of the Lavender Line
Click on photos to enlarge...
The years of the LLPS
	This photo was taken in 1991 and shows the site as is was when first taken over by the Lavender Line Preservation Society.

	Rod Peters (who is still with the railway) and former member Chris Knibbs make a start on the many alterations to the trackwork which were needed to prepare for it for public opening.

	Proud to be open again, Rod hangs the Isfield sign back on the signal box.

	In the early days, for the whole of December the signal box was to become 'Santa's Grotto' and was decorated accordingly.

	Just two years after re-opening, we are already making inroads into our first northern extension. Just a few panels but much hard work went into raising the cash to do this and all the trackwork was subsequently laid then jacked and packed by hand.

	Our first new arrival - an ex NSE two car 115 unit owned by one of the founding members. The unit went into service very quickly and soon became the standard stand-by unit and was also used for Saturday and quiet day services. Having on train heating and lighting it was ideal for the colder weather.

	All our early working traction in or around the dock area. Seen here is Class 12 15224, Andrew Barclay 'Annie' and the recently arrived 2 car Class 115 DMU.

	One of our first large projects was to build a locomotive pit. The project was more than just building the pit itself and included laying tramway from inside the shed to the lower part of the yard.

	Soon other vehicles arrived. Here is Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 nicknamed 'Sparky' as it was at first sponsored by an electricity company and also because on its first run up the line emitted a stream of sparks from its chimney. Also seen here is the Class 12 and 'Cunarder'.

	Our first hired locomotive in 1995. - ex Southampton dock tank "Cunarder" which had been rebuilt from a saddle-tank. "Cunarder" stayed at Isfield for over a year but it was found to have a very corroded inner firebox so was withdrawn from traffic and returned to its owners. Also shown is Andrew Barclay "Annie".

	A day lovingly recalled by members as the day of the Big Shunt, when for operational reasons we needed to move virtually all of our stock in one movement.

	By 1996 we had already damaged springs on some of our locos and so there was a desperate need to re-lay and re-model the trackwork leading into the shed and onto the running line.

	A close up of the trackwork in progress taken in 1995.

	Under sponsorship we were lucky to have Ivatt Class 2 46443 at the line for several months. Here is is seen arriving at Isfield in a scene which looks more like as if it is from the Severn Valley Railway rather than in Sussex.

	A scene which perhaps could be on any Midlands Railway branch line in the late 1950s or early 1960s. It is however 46443 returning to Isfield on a regular passenger run.

	Here we see our newly erected dock crane and behind is our new working demonstration colour light signal. The coach was purchased by members as a sleeping unit for members staying overnight at the line and was painted to resemble a GWR camping coach. It has since left the railway

	Fresh from repainting but prior to renaming, Sparky becomes Lady Ingrid with her new smart red livery.

	'Santa Specials' have always been a feature of the line with Santa's accommodation varying between the signal box, on the train and more recently in a special grotto erected each year on the dock platform.

	Recreation of the local goods trains. Hunslet 68012 waits on the up platform ready to depart with the demonstration "Lewes Goods".

	For a short while we had working examples of both JA and JB variants of the Class 73 Electro-Diesels at Isfield. These vehicles were not owned by the society and both now reside on other preserved railways

	We also had 73004, formerly named The Bluebell Railway which had been acquired as a supply of spares for the JA. The locomotive was in very poor state and once stripped of it's useful parts became an embarrassment for the line and it's hulk eventually cut up and scrapped.

	Horace the privately owned steam crane demonstrates his lifting abilities at our Vintage Weekend in 2001. Horace has now been moved to Chatham Dockyard.

	Even more modern traction arrives at the line. Here seen with the Class 12 15224, and Hunslet 68012 is newly arrived Class 73 Electro-diesel 'Sir Herbert Walker'.

	After a short period of basic restoration, this Class 3 briefly entered service on the line only to later fail with low oil pressure. As the loco did not belong to the society no further work was done on it and it was later removed my it's owner.

	Another classic train recreation. Class 73 "Sir Herbert Walker" arrives at Isfield with a rake of green coaches.

	We always like to think we recreate a real railway atmosphere. In this summer scene the train crew take a well earned break whilst working on a wedding reception special. Such occasions are normally booked for none-public days and we close the railway to other visitors.

	We were the first line to have a working Class 09 shunter in preservation. The locomotive last worked on the main system at Selhurst where it was restricted to yard duties due to having a crack in its frame. Here it is seen in our shed.

	Our first attempt at the large Northern extension. Alas all this work was to be washed away in the floods later in the year leaving scenes of decimation. To see our new special page about the northern extension and the flood damage please click here.

	Works Train. Austin1 prepares to leave with our ballast hopper to drop stone higher up on the line.

	No not an unreported railway accident, but the crushed car was real enough. This set piece was to help local fire crews practice their skills when dealing with a railway incident. It looked for all the world as if it was real with people acting as the bodies and injured whilst the fire crews organised the detraining of the other 'passengers' and attended to the people 'trapped' in the car.

	A more modern variant on our goods train theme. Kitson Austin 1 hauls a passenger carrying vacuum fitted goods train.

	You may be forgiven for thinking this was out on the main line in the winter - however this is DEMU 205033 on an early trail run just after arriving at Isfield in early 2005.

	The Sentinel on its first public outing with the GWR "Toad" undergoes basic testing and also manages to give a few brake-van rides on 5th June 2005.

	A classic recreation of a small engine working hard up an incline on a small branch line as Austin1 pulls a larger than normal rake of coaches uphill through the cutting. The engine had just entered traffic again but required adjustment to some steam pipes which are seen here leaking badly. The adjustment were carried out soon afterwards which then cured the excess steam emissions. This shot also shows the newly laid flat-bottom rail on concrete sleepers which is gradually being used to replace the old bullhead rail and wooden sleepers, many of which are now life expired.

	In May 2006 we were lucky enough to be able to hire the 130 year old Terrier Martello from Bressingham for a month long visit to Isfield. The locomotive was a big attraction for the line and performed very well throughout its stay although taking a a heavy train of three mark one coaches really put the engine to the test. The engine proved very popular with both staff at the line and with our visitors and although we really enjoyed having the locomotive at Isfield it was an expensive luxury - but one which of course we do not regret.
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	During the Martello visit, member Andy Goble arranged for a named Brighton and Hove bus to be at Isfield when the Terrier was at the station and so we were able to record here the named bus, WIlliam Stroudley with the engine built by the same named person.

	We are always looking for ways to increase our visual appeal and the discovery of these genuine railway railings really has helped us make our crossing look much better. It still took a lot of work though to build the support walls and get them looking perfect but that's what our out-door team do so well.

	Although most people think of us a a passenger carrying railway we do like to demonstrate our engines working with the type of vehicles they may have been pulling when in service. Here we have Kitson Austin1 in charge of a heavy mixed goods train.

	Christmas is always a very special time at Isfield and 2006 was no exception. Our station and signal box looked very festive and we had a record number of visitors to see Santa which helped to keep our buffet very busy indeed.


We will be adding more images to this section as and when we are able