Smallbridge Level Crossing Horsmonden

About another 600 metres down from Brick Kiln Lane Bridge was the very narrow and quiet Smallbridge Road (presumably named after the small bridge that once crossed the Teise a little to the east). This is still just about within Horsmonden parish. A third level crossing was situated here, with the same style of crossing keepers cottage as those further north. This one, like the other two has had significant extensions added.

Looking west towards Smallbridge crossing site, the keepers cottage is on the left (south of the road).

The only sign of it's existence today is the raised road at the point where the level crossing stood.

And looking east, the bump in the road is less obvious here but the scratches on the tarmac from vehicle exhausts give testament to it's existence. Here the crossing keepers cottage is on the right. It was difficult to photograph as the occupants had allowed a high hedge to grow up. The vehicle in the distance parked up on a verge is mine, we actually met no cars at all while we were here.

Following the track bed north would take you through this garage towards Horsmonden. Apart from this section of private property the track bed is now all farmers fields to Brick Kiln Lane.

And south through this shed towards Goudhurst

The line ran very near the crossing keepers cottage and parallel to a field, it was on a slight embankment which must have been removed by the house owners at some point in order to be level with the rest of the garden. The google maps street view is much clearer as the garden was more open then, there had to be an embankment to compensate for the slight rise of the land to the south. After this section of private drive the track bed continues south to Goudhurst station site about 1,350 meters through farmland.

This is the adjoining farmers field looking south, you can see how the land rises slightly.

This is the only image that I could get of the crossing keepers cottage (if you are really interested, see Google street view for a better image). The central part of the house is the original. The finial at the top of the eaves has disappeared but the house is constructed of red brick and there is a bay window downstairs. In most cases the crossing keepers were expected to close the crossing gates to the road ten minutes before each train was due, but here the road was so quiet that there was actually heavier traffic on the railway. The gates were usually therefor shut to the road until a car arrived in which case I suppose the driver would have to hoot their horn to attract the crossing keeper's attention.

A few hundred meters east of the line is the River Teise the old 'smallbridge' appears to have been replaced with a modern bridge. This is looking south upstream, it is summer and has hardly rained so there is little water.

Above, looking north, downstream towards Horsmonden, as water streams over pebbles the iron in the soil is very apparent.