Hythe Pier Railway track restoration starts
THE Hythe Pier Heritage Association has begun work on the first phase of restoring the 2ft gauge tramway following a positive response to its appeal.
Hampshire County Council contributed through its Leader’s Community Grant Fund, and other generous donations came from the Beaulieu Beaufort Foundation, Beaverbrook Foundation, Dibden Allotment Fund, and the New Forest Park Authority.
A temporary platform has been constructed along the Grade II-listed Victorian pier nearly 50 yards from the ticket office station, allowing preparatory work to begin.
A comprehensive survey and redesign of the existing points area has already been carried out, allowing procurement and fabrication of the new rails and the replacement timber for a new support system to get underway.
The project will be paused before the track can be removed to allow Carriage No.1, which is being restored in the workshop, to re-enter service in time for the line’s centenarey celebrations of July 23.
Once the replacement supports are in place, the installation of the new track and points will follow using upgraded railway line, steel sleepers, and sprung rail clips.
The existing bumper stop will be relocated and the conductor rail installed with upgraded support clamps. Work will conclude with the renovation/replacement of the present station platform before the commissioning of the new system and points.
The association said that the trackwork is essential to preserve and extend the life of Hythe’s Guinness World Record-holding electric pier train. It first ran along the pier in July 1922 and is the oldest continuously-operating public pier train in the world. One of the two First World War-era tractor units and one of the two original carriages have already been restored by the association.
➜ Donations to the restoration project may be made online at hythepier.org.uk/donate