The Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway has been running on a 15" (381mm) gauge track since July 1927, and was originally started by Count Louis Zborowski and J.E.P Howey, however Count Zborowski was killed while racing at Monza in the Italian Grand Prix before their first engines were delivered.  The first ones being the Green Godess and the Northern Chief, designed by model engineer Henry Greenly.  Howey and Greenly worked together and the latter suggested the location of the Romney Marsh for their project.  By the time of the Grand Opening on July 27th, they had also added the Hercules, which was the first train to run out of Hythe, and at that time, the track only went 8 miles, as far as New Romney.  Eventually this was expanded to Dungeness with many stops inbetween ( see stations below).  If you would like to read more about the history of this railway, the RHDR have a lot more detail on their website:  https://www.rhdr.org.uk/

You will find on their site timetables & fares, and all the great things they offer now that they didn't have when I was a child, like the Special Events like meeting Santa at the end of your ride when it gets near Christmas.   Also, did you know you can even make a booking to actually drive one of the trains - how cool is that?

You can also get all the technical details on the engines from the RHDR website if you are a train buff, as this page is not going to try to compete with any of that, we hope to show you how the engines have changed over the years through old and new photographs, and mostly to show you how much fun they have provided in the past, and are still providing today.
These three photos were taken from the Ward Lock Guide for the year 1936/37.  I don't normally scan from books, but as this one is so old, I thought it would be OK.  In that they described the RHDR as the Toy Railway, I defy any child to fit that engine into their toy box!
Now THIS is really what the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is all about isn't it?  It was designed for fun, and nobody knows how to have fun more than kids!  Just ask sisters Katy & Lucy if they enjoy it every time they go for a ride, and they will certainly tell you!
Page updated September 2026
Someone sent me this image, but I have lost the name.  If it was you, please remind me, so I can give you credit as the owner.  It shows the Hurricane bearing the name of Southern Maid on display in Waterloo Station in January 1947, the year the little railway reopened after the war.  Trying to entice train enthusiasts to come down and take a ride.
This was the very first engine, it is No. 1 - Green Goddess  It was named after a play that Captain Howey had seen and enjoyed.  Here it is leaving Dungeness.
No. 2 is the Northern Chief, shown here crossing the Cut Bridge when it was brand new.
Here we have No. 3 - Southern Maid, originally called Southern Chief on the turntable at the Hythe Station.
No. 4 is The Bug, full name Basil the Bug.  The Bug was originally sold by the RHDR and after a couple more sales, ended up dumped for scrap.  However, instead of being cut up, he remained buried beneath other scrap until being rescued in 1972 by Sir William McAlpine and returning, rather miraculously, to New Romney.  There he was restored and used for special occasions.  He is shown in the above photo hauling a works train.  When Sir William McAlpine died in 2018, this plate was attached to The Bug in his memory.  One of the special occasions he has been used for is the Santa Special at Christmas.   He also has his own ‘Bug Club’ for children, and members receive a newsletter, badge, membership card and reduced travel rates.
Here we have No. 5 Herculese at New Romney.  This was the engine that was commandeered by the army for use during WW2.  It was clad in armour, and was used as a warhorse
There is a fascinating and informative video on You Tube explaining and showing footage of Herculese in action during the war.  For instance, did you know three enemy aircraft were shot down from this train?  Check it out HERE.
No. 6 - Samson.  This was the partner of Herculese, also built for heavy duty, shown here at New Romney.
Also at New Romney, here is No. 7 - Typhoon.
No. 8 Is the Hurricane, shown here in front of the Dungeness Lighthouse, where the track runs right on the shingle.
No. 9 has had a few names.  Originally he was named the Black Prince, then they swapped names with No. 10, Dr. Syn, then it went on a tour of Canada, and his name was changed again to Winston Churchill, and has kept that name to this day.
Both the Winston Churchill and the Dr. Syn were styled after the Canadian Pacific Railway engines with the cow catcher on the front.  However, I doubt if it is big enough to catch a rabbit, never mind a cow!  I regret I have no idea what the Belarus Express sign on the front was all about, so if you do, please let me know.  As mentioned above, this engine was once called Black Prince, but when No. 9 was changed to Winston Churchill, they felt they had to have one named after the fictional character Reverend  Dr. Christopher Syn, from a series of books beginning with  'A Tale of the Romney Marsh' by Russell Thorndike, published in 1915.  So Number 10 was given the name back.
But the very next engine, No. 11 was named the Black Prince, and a very handsome Prince he is too!  He is shown above as a double header with No. 1 -Green Goddess.  I wish I had a pound for every photograph that has been taken of these trains as they pass by, I would be as rich as the men who started this railway!
This Diesel-Mechanical engine No. 12 started life with the name of John Southland, in honour of the man who founded Southlands School in New Romney, where I attended for a year or so while we were living in Littlestone.  However, he now sports the name of J.B Snell, after John Bernard Snell, the former Managing Director who presided over the railway’s recovery from the 1972/3 takeover, through the issuing of shares, and the decades afterwards. After retirement he continued to serve as a Director until his death in 2013. A great railway enthusiast, railway author, historian and photographer.
The No. 14 Diesel-Mechanical was originally painted in the Union Pacific yellow and grey, but for the 1993 90th Anniversary of the Eastbourne Buses, it was painted in the same blue and cream livery to match the buses.  The loco received a royal blue and silver livery in time for the Millennium and and was ready for his naming ceremony of Captain Howey, after the man who started it all.

‘Captain Howey’ was often to be seen hauling the school train during term-time and was also used for other passenger duties throughout the operating season.  The last I read, he went into storage in 2018, so I don't know if he has re-emerged since then.
There has never been a number 13 to my knowledge, probably for superstitious reasons.
There is a number 15, but I have no photograph of it, but I am sure you can find it online as there are several websites dedicated to this lovely little railway.  No. 15 is a Diesel-Hydraulic called Sheilagh of Eskdale.

Then we also have the following, that I believe are works engines: PW1 Simplex, a Diesel-Mechanical, PW2 Scooter a Petrol-Mechanical, and two more Petrol-Mechanicals, PW3 Red Gauntlet and PW4 The Lister.  I have no photos of these either unfortunately.


Now let's get back to my favourites, the steam engines.  Here are the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders boarding the trains at Hythe.

One thing I have noticed about RH & D Railway postcards, very few have been posted, giving me no approximate date of the photograph.  I imagine most of them were bought  to put into a collection.
This is an unusual sight for a train.  It's the Black Prince being put to use as a snow plough.  That is a huge job, as the railway has 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of track to clear from Hythe to Dungeness.
Stopping at the Burmarsh Halt.
Crossing the Marshes at full steam.
This one too crossing Romney Marsh.
All aboard at Dymchurch station.
Yes, even the Holiday Camp on the way even had a station, this is probably referring to the St. Mary's Bay Camp that was there until the 1980's I believe.  So once that was gone, so was the RHDR station.  However, I believe there are camps around New Romney and Dymchurch, but are probably caravan parks.  I think the big organised Holiday Camps are a thing of the past.  If I am wrong, please let me know.  Lots of kids used to travel to school on the little trains too, but I don't know if they too have gone by the wayside.  Please let me know if they are still going.
This looks like the same engine, this time at the large Hythe Station.
Is this boy getting a lesson on how steam engines work?  Or maybe he is just having the name of the engine pointed out.  The photograph was taken at Dungeness, at the end of the run.  Dungeness is home to a lighthouse, a large power station, a restaurant, a few houses and boats, and very little else.  Lots of shingle, vegetation and the sea.
I bought all six of the above cards as a set, they were probably all taken on the same day and coloured from the same palette.
When I lived at Littlestone, I loved going over to the New Romney station to look at this Model Land.   I do hope it is still there, the detail in it is amazing.  They used to store some of the trains in the sheds over winter at New Romney.
Another look at No. 5 Herculese arriving at New Romney.
This one is entitled Pullman Coaches at Hythe.  They look quite luxurious don't they?
This card was printed on the back 'Black Prince on the turntable at Hythe'.  I enlarged it, and indeed the plaque on the side reads Black Prince, he has had a cow catcher added to the front,  which he didn't have in previous photographs.
I think this one is also going over the cut bridge.
The Samson arriving at Romney Sands, not sure which one is leaving.
No. 7 Typhoon alongside PW3 Works train.  According to my notes, the PW3 had the name Red Gauntlet.  It doesn't look very red does it?
I am mentioning again the role Herculese played during WW2 when he was commandeered by the army, dressed in armour fitted with anti-aircraft guns, armed personnel,and patrolled all along the marshes protecting us from invasion.  It is worth a second mention to draw your attention to this video that shows the amazing job they did,  You can see it HERE
I thought a mistake had been made on this card, as it says on the back "Green Goddess approaching the Warren with New Romney to Hythe train"  But I read online that shortly after the war, they needed to move equipment to the Warren area, so ran a 10.25"Gauge track to part of the line there.  They initially used an engine called the Firefly.  Now the Green Goddess must have had her wheel width adapted to fit the smaller gauge if this is indeed that engine.  I don't think it ran there for long, and I haven't heard that it was a passenger route, but I stand to be corrected on that. 

From 1947 the Firefly engine formed part of Howey's alternative project which became the Hastings Miniature Railway.

A lot of repairs had to be made to the lines after the war, and money was tight, and equipment needed was scarce.  The railway had a period of booming popularity once it got going again.  First only to New Romney, but finally repairs were made as far as Dungeness by 1947, and they invited Laurel & Hardy to do the Grand Opening.  But by the mid 60's, along with the seaside towns all around the country, they fell into a slump, cheap flights were now available to take holidaymakers to resorts with more reliable weather.  Captain Howie passed away in 1963, and the Railway had a series of owners, and the structure fell into disrepair.  Finally they were saved by a new consortium, headed by Sir William McAlpine, who saved the day in 1973 and much investment has taken place over the intervening years to ensure the railway maintains its title as Kent’s Mainline in Miniature and continues to uphold a high standard of customer service.
There is a wonderful video of Laurel & Hardy re-opening the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway on You Tube HERE
Here we have the Black Prince leaving Hythe.
and like it says on the packet, The Winston Churchill Crossing the Marsh, and the sheep don't even bother to look up, they are well used to the trains running by.
These girls are all grown up now, but I bet they still like to go on this railway, you never get too old for it!
They traveled on Dr. Syn that day.
Big kids have fun too!   This one was sent to me by Andy Cadier, who tells me it is his partner Rosemary Dadson, her daughter Sarah Harvey and husband David.
The two on the right were sent to me by George Hills, who contributes quite a few photos to this website.  He lives in West Hythe, and the  RHDR is a common sight for him each time he and his lovely dog go for a stroll around the fields nearby.  The train at the top is about to go over Botolph's Bridge, and he had better move over a bit in the bottom one, or they will both have smoke in their eyes.
These five photos were contributed by a man who has also contributed a lot of photographs on this site, especially on the Pubs page.  His wonderful blog Even More Tales from the Tap Room
has a fountain of knowledge on just about every public house that has ever existed in Folkestone, and believe me, there are a lot of them!

Jan Pedersen sadly passed away earlier this year (2026) and I miss him terribly.  He was so generous with his time and knowledge, and allowed me to use any of the many photographs he had on his site.  I do hope it will remain up online, because he did years of research on it, and I for one find myself looking things up there all the time.  He and his partner Corinne invited me to their home for dinner on one of my visits, it was an evening I will never forget, so much to eat, and so much to natter about.
The next few photos were sent by Gerry Stone who goes by the name of 'Meet By Bobby's'.  Who remembers Bobby's?  I certainly do!

He sent some lovely photos of his Grandchildren having an exciting day  going all the way to Dungeness and back.
This one and the above four were taken at New Romney.
What happened here?  I think it must have stopped!
Dymchurch Station
Both of these were also at Dymchurch
I am sure all these children are pretty much adults now too, as they were sent to me several years ago.
The next six photos were kindly sent to me by Mike Howland, who tells me they were taken at the New Romney Station in 1998 or 1999 when they were having a 'Thomas the Tank Engine Day', and had to take their Grandson Daryll because he was a huge Thomas fan.  So huge it looks as if Daryll was kissing that train on the cheek in the last photo!  The cute little lad is now an adult, so I hope we are not embarrassing him too much!  (sorry, not sorry) I also really hope he has kept his love of these trains.
I can read the name on this one, it's Gordon - i.e. The One in Charge!
Aww, you almost had Gordon blushing there Daryll.  But shouldn't the plate read No. 4?  I thought No. 15 was a Diesel-Hydrolic, but this looks like Steam to me.
Ah yes, kids have always adored getting up close to these little engines.  This photo was taken around 1949, and the brothers are Reg, Peter & Ricky Dyer, taken I think at Hythe.  Reg sadly has now passed away, Peter, who used to be a driver for the EKRCC is living in Australia and Rick is in Canada.  All came from Folkestone.
I bought this photo on e-bay, and all I can tell you is that the lady's name is Gladys, and she was posing at Hythe Station in 1936.  If you know who she was, please let me know, as I would love to give her a surname.  I always find it so sad when I come across family photos being sold on ebay,  probably sold as a result of a house clearance.  They should be treasured and passed down.
The above photos were sent to me by my friend Jubbly who lives now in Australia (I think you can guess which one she is!).  She came from Peckham, London, and used to visit her Nanny in Greatstone as a child.  Jubbly tells me her Nanny used to collect the coal at the side of the tracks of the RHDR and use it to supplement her own on her fire.  You did whatever you could to get by in the lean days following the war.

A few years ago, Jubbly and her Auntie Maureen from London, UK co-ordinated a visit to Kincardine in Ontario, Canada to visit with each other, and Auntie Dot) right in the photo) who lives there.  Dot had picked up this poster on a visit to the UK in 1995.
Ending with three personal photos.  The above were taken a few years ago on a trip from Canada to England with my son Graham.  We were hoping to go for a ride from New Romney, but we were a bit too early in the season.  However, the staff were there getting the trains ready for it, and they kindly allowed us into the sheds to take a look.  On the left, Graham was taking a look at the carriages, and was inspecting the Hurricane on the right.  He loved being up that close.

The photo below was taken around 1951, which kind of gives away my vast age, because I am the little sister on the right, with Paula in the middle and Karol on the left.  Paula passed away several years ago, and Karol lives in Folkestone.
With grateful thanks for the co-operation and help from Danny Martin, General Manager, Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Light Railway, New Romney Station, NEW ROMNEY, Kent  TN28 8PL.

Tel:  01797 362353.
Fax: 01797 363591.
website:  www.rhdr.org.uk
If you have any photos, old or new, of your family having fun on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, I would love to add them to this page.  Just send them, along with a little background information to Christine at folkestonethenandnow@gmail.com
If you have memories of the RHDR, or indeed any memories of Folkestone & district, please join our Facebook Guestbook, and share them with us.  It's free!
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