Kent & East Sussex Railway Marks VE Day 80th at 1940's Weekend

 (text and Images copyright KESR, reproduced with kind permission)

The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) will be marking the 80th Anniversary of VE Day and the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain as its popular annual 1940s Weekend returns to the award-winning* heritage railway on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May 2025.

The K&ESR will be turning back the clock at Tenterden and Bodiam stations to enable visitors to immerse themselves in a whole weekend of nostalgia, recreating the sights, sounds and fashions of the 1940s. The two-day event will include period re-enactors, authentic demonstrations, vintage stalls and music from the era including special performances from Britain's Got Talent finalists the D-Day Darlings.

The K&ESR will be turning back the clock at Tenterden and Bodiam stations to enable visitors to immerse themselves in a whole weekend of nostalgia, recreating the sights, sounds and fashions of the 1940s. The two-day event will include period re-enactors, authentic demonstrations, vintage stalls and music from the era including special performances from Britain's Got Talent finalists the D-Day Darlings.

At Tenterden Station: Collect a free identity card before immersing yourself in the full railway atmosphere created by the professional re-enactors, live performers and authentic 1940s displays. Enjoy sets from a D-Day Darlings trio (exact timings will be announced on the website) plus other period performances throughout the weekend. Visit the vintage stalls, book into Belle's Parlour for a '40s 'do' or look around the civilian & military vehicles, while keeping a look out for 'Viv the Spiv' with his black-market goods! 

At Bodiam Station: Take some refreshment from the NAFFI van or beer tent to enjoy while listening to live '40s music performances before treating yourself to a '40s style makeover. Costumed re-enactors plus military and civilian vehicles all add to the atmosphere. Explore the Royal Navy Commando and Desert Rats encampment display with their authentic kit, weapons and a variety of jeeps.

More information is available in the Events section of the K&ESR website: https://kesr.org.uk/1940s-weekend/

K&ESR Freedom Tickets are valid for unlimited train journeys on the day of travel. Online advance booking prices - which represent a saving on walk-up tickets - are £32 for an adult (£30 for a over 60s) and £64 for a family Freedom Ticket (up to two adults and two children or one adult and 3 children).

A limited number of platform tickets will also be available on the day for those not wishing to take a train ride: £8 adult admission at Tenterden, £5 adult admission at Bodiam and £1 per child at both stations. 

The following day, the railway will play host to groups of local school children for an Evacuation Day event with both re-enactors in costume and actual evacuees on board the trains, sharing their real experiences, to provide an authentic reflection of what it was like to be evacuated by train to the countryside during the Blitz.

*About the Kent & East Sussex Railway

The Kent & East Sussex Railway is a renowned and award-winning heritage railway based in Tenterden, Kent, UK which operates as an educational charity. Built by Holman F Stephens, it was the first light passenger railway in Britain in the early 20th century and is today one of Britain's most loved and original heritage lines.

With many top online reviews, the K&ESR and its team have been variously recognised in the Heritage Railway Association Awards, Visit England Awards and Beautiful South Awards in recent years. In 2024 the K&ESR was recognised in the Tripadvisor's® Travellers' Choice® Awards. The award honours businesses that consistently earn great reviews, placing the K&ESR among the top 10% of listings of places to visit around the world on Tripadvisor. Most recently (May 2025) the K&ESR was voted Best Family Experience in Kent by the public in the Muddy Stilettos Regional Awards.

With a rich history spanning over 120 years, the K&ESR offers visitors an authentic steam and diesel-powered railway experience through 10½ miles of Wealden countryside in the beautiful Rother Valley, a designated National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the railway prides itself on preserving railway heritage, operating a diverse range of locomotives, and providing a unique glimpse into the golden age of rail travel.