Hop Pickers' Line Heritage Group

Back in January 2023, David Sargison of Paddock Wood Town Council proposed that we work with the Hop Pickers Line Heritage Group, to celebrate the former branch line that wound through the Kent countryside from Paddock Wood to Cranbrook. This would build on work from 2017, when information boards outlining the history of the line were sited at the station and key points along its route.

A waymarking sign for the Hop Pickers Line Heritage Trail mounted adjacent to an information panel about the line.

Kent CRP were asked to use our connections with Kent County Council to assist Paddock Wood Town Council with gaining consent to site a further information panel on highway land opposite the John Brunt VC public house, waymarking a link between the station and a future Hop Pickers Line Heritage Trail and creating an additional heritage board at the station.

 

Hop Pickers Line Heritage Group had funding for their panels and the costs of the waymarking were something we could easily cover. We were happy to help and by the Autumn the group’s information panels were in place along with our waymarking.

A lectern style in information panel for the Hop Pickers Heritage Trail. An information panel mounted between upright posts A green waymarking sticker with British Rail double arrow symbols attached to a lamppost. Adjacent is the pub sign of the John Brunt VC, displaying an image of Captain John Brunt. A waymarking sign for the Hop Pickers Line Heritage Trail mounted to a wall

Funding was still required for a new information panel at the station, where we had a stroke of good luck.

Jonathan Fryer, volunteer Deputy Chair of our Swale Rail Line, had proposed a project at Queenborough, to celebrate the Sheppey Light Railway. He had secured funding from the Colonel Stephens Society for information panels. 

Formed in 1985, the Colonel Stephens Society caters for enthusiasts of the highly charismatic railways engineered and/or managed by Colonel Holman Fred Stephens. Both the Sheppey Light Railway and the Hop Pickers Line were connected to Colonel Stephens.

 

We had found other funding we could use to support the project at Queenborough and were delighted when the Colonel Stephens Society said we could switch some of their generous donation to fund the board at Paddock Wood. They also helped us with content for the panel and guided us to the Colonel Stephens Museum for images.

Gary in blue Kent CRP rain coat and beannie hat standing beside the new Colonel Stephens information panel at Paddock Wood station. A crowd of people gathered on the platform at Paddock Wood station, pose for a photo beside the new Colonel Stephens information panel.

On Wednesday 18th December; we invited the Colonel Stephens Society, Paddock Wood Town Council, the Hop Pickers Line Heritage Group, Southeastern, and our Medway Valley Line Group members to attend the unveiling.

 

It was our opportunity to thank them all for their support in delivering this project to celebrate the history of Colonel Stephens’ Hop Pickers’ Line, and a great way to round off our own Railway 200 year.

The Hop Pickers’ Line Heritage Group continue to seek innovative ways to bring the history of the line to life in the communities it once served.

In May 2026 they successfully completed their most ambitious project to date, featuring information panels, authentic buffer-stop seats and a 11 foot high “Stilt Man” sculpture, celebrating the workers who tied the hop strings up to the overhead wires in nearby hop gardens. 

A clearing at the edge of scrubland with views to fields, houses, trees and hedgerows beyond. In the clearing are four seats fashioned from railway buffers, two information panels and a sculpture of a man on tall stilts. The sky is blue with light cloud.
An information panel entitled "Hoppin' Down in Kent" with information about Hop Farming and Hop Picking
An information panel entitled "The Hawkhurst Branch Line" with information on the former railway line connecting Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst
Hop Pickers Line Heritage Trail 2026
A sculpture of a man on tall stilts silhouetted against the sky and treetops. The sky is blue with light cloud.

In June we heard about their future plans at their AGM. We can’t wait to see what they deliver next to celebrate this important piece of Kent’s history.

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