Celebrations have been held to mark the 175th anniversary of the railway line through Rye.
Community representatives, station volunteers and rail enthusiasts held a special on-board gathering on a Southern Railway Marshlink train travelling between Ashford International and Hastings on Friday 13 February.
The event marked exactly 175 years since the first train ran via Rye on 13 February 1851.
Among those on the train were the Mayor of Rye Andy Stuart and the Mayoress Niki Stuart. Mayor Andy Stuart commented, “The Marshlink line continues this amazing piece of utility for the whole community. It’s the glue that holds the coast together and allows people to move backwards and forwards relatively quickly and at convenient times.”
Marshlink Community Rail Partnership organised the celebrations and chair Kevin Boorman added, “It’s been a really good day on the Marshlink. Thank you very much to everyone who has supported us: stakeholders, mayors, members of the public.”
Councillor and Mayor of Hastings, Becca Horn, was also on board and the Deputy Mayor of Winchelsea, Stephen King, greeted the train with townsfolk as it arrived at the station. Councillor Becca Horn made an on-board announcement to welcome passengers on the special service. She commented, “Train travel is so important as a sustainable form of transport. It’s such an important service that we have, it’s a fast route towards London and connecting the whole of the South East. I’m really grateful that we’ve got this service, celebrating 175 years. Let’s hope for at least another 175 to come.”
The on-board celebration was funded by a grant from Southern Railway to mark 200
years of the modern railways.
Jenny Saunders, Southern’s Customer Service Director, said, “The enduring Marshlink line is a vital connection for people visiting, living and working in this unique area of the country and we’re proud to serve the community here.
“Passenger numbers are continuing to grow and we’re seeing tourists return in their droves post-Covid, especially to the idyllic town of Rye. This summer is all set to be a busy one as we celebrate the line’s 175th year.”
The Marshlink line was earmarked for closure in the Beeching Report in 1963 but was saved after opposition from local campaigners. The impracticality of the proposed replacement bus service also ensured the line’s survival.
Latest data on estimated station usage shows a rise at all nine stations from Hastings to Ashford International. There was a 7.8% increase in estimated station usage between April 2024 and March 2025 compared with the year before, according to the Office of Rail and Road. Overall station usage on the Marshlink line is now at 93.4% of pre-Covid levels.
Marshlink is one of ten community rail lines which form Southeast Communities Rail
Partnership (SCRP) which connects communities to their railways. More details about the work of SCRP can be found here.
Image Credits: Paul Bromley .