Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Sadly not! 200 carriages in the 1860s would be equivalent in length to about 60 to 80-odd full length carriages, so while OP4 is smaller, it's at least within an order of magnitude - equivalent to twenty full size carriages I seem to recall. Am I right in thinking that the SVR carriage shed at Kidderminster is sixteen carriages long and four tracks wide?

Tom

 

Hi,

Any idea about Kingscote goods yard project? There no update since 9 May 2012.

▪ Whenever goods yard crane base (from singleton) installed?
▪When start built coal office and weight office?

 

8x8 sets can go into the carriage shed when fully empty. And its the only carriage shed you can see from space

 

Read in the Railway Magazine today that a WHSmiths bookstall has been saved from Surbiton and is to be re-erected at East Grinstead.

 

In Bluebell news it states it will serve as a souvenir shop and that " South West Train's contractors will dismantle, transport and re-erect at East Grinstead at no cost to the Railway."

 

Quick reminder that on Saturdays from now until the end of October, you can buy a "London connection" ticket that gives a single return trip for just £5, valid on the 09:45 up service ex-SP and the 6.15pm ex-EG return.

In addition there are similar deals on some Sundays with travel out on the 9.45 service and travel back on the 3.45pm or 5pm ex-EG, in connection with special events in East Grinstead town - see http://www.bluebell-railway.com/east-grinstead-town-events/

Tom

 

Any idea where at East Grinstead it will be installed? Would look nice next to the new canopy on the platform.

 

Tomorrow, the 24th April, is the 100th anniversary of the SECR sending two P tanks, 27 and 753, to France as the first two standard gauge ROD locomotives. To mark the event there will be a day of celebrations at Sheffield Park this Saturday, 25 April, including brake van rides behind 178 around Sheffield Park and the unveiling of one of 27's tanks in ROD livery.

See http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/events/e-pic/publicity/27_france_poster_3h.jpg for details. Proceeds from the event will go to the Fenchurch fund for restoring 27.

Tom

 

Couple of photos and short video of the Q yesterday...



https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/sets/72157647921843163/

 

Details and timetable for the Southern at War event this coming weekend (9 / 10 May) are now available: http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/1-southern-at-war-2014/ Flypasts, military vehicles, Sussex Home Guard, concert parties and much more. A three-train service with a general theme of celebrating VE day.

Rostered locos are 847, 1638 and B473, all three in SR livery. I think Baxter is rostered as the SP Pilot.

10 departures each way each with departures:

From SP: 09:45, 10:15, 11:00, 12:15, 12;55, 1:30, 2:45, 3:20, 4:00 and 5:15
From EG: 10:40, 11:20, 12:00, 1:15, 1:55, 2:30, 3:45, 4:25, 5:00, 6:15

Note that some trains are fast through Kingscote in each direction.

Tom

 

Some rather late photos from Southern at War can be found at http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p583912280.

I only planned to have a round trip behind 30541 yesterday, but due to better than expected weather went out ot photograph 30541 before my trip. The photo plus one of 73082 and 323 in the works can be found at http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p350695842.

 

Just a quick note that this Saturday there is another training day for Goods guards.

Timetable is normal Saturday passenger service 2 (9.45 / 11.00 / 12.15 / 1.30 / 2.45 / 4.00 / 5.15 departures from SP, and 10.40 / 12.00 / 1.15 / 2.30 / 3.45 / 5.00 / 6.15 from East Grinstead) plus evening Golden Arrow.

In addition, the goods runs as follows:

Dep SP 9.20 Arr HK 9.35 light engine
Dep HK 10.20 Arr KC 10.40 goods
Dep KC 11.32 Arr SP 12.10 goods
Dep SP 12.50 Arr HK 13.10 goods
Dep HK 2.05 Arr KC 2.25 goods
Dep KC 3.20 Arr HK 3.40 goods
Dep HK 4.35 Arr SP 4.50 light engine

If last time is a guide, the relatively long lay-overs at HK, apart from being for pathing reasons, will be occupied shunting. Only one brake van, so it will swap ends at SP and Kingscote.

Don't know which wagons will be in use, though some LBSC and SECR wagons were spotted out and about on Thursday, so maybe they were being readied? I'll find out tomorrow! http://riff-raff.org/photos/v/Mlawrence/2015-05/20150528_161659_001.jpg.html

Tom

 

Has anything been started to be build for the new carriage shed yet.

 

From memory, there has been some digging for foundations, but most of the current work is clearing the site - which means finding accommodation etc. Last I heard actual construction was likely to start around September. (Apologies if I have miss-remembered - I'm away from my copy of BN which discussed the plan).

Tom

 

[Duplicate message]

 

Baxter on the Goods today while we waited at Kingscote for the service train to pass before swapping the brake van to the other end (n.b. taken from an area out of bounds to line side permit holders).

Stock is, front to back, Captain Baxter, a SE&CR 7 plank, an LB&SCR Open A, a SE&CR dropside ballast wagon, an LB&SCR van and a SR Pillbox brake.



The goods at Kingscote by Jamessquared, on Flickr

Tom

 

Stepney today (not my photo):



Stepney by John Sandys, on Flickr

She'll be on display (at Sheffield Park I believe) this Sunday - see http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/stepneys-new-colours/ "Kids for a quid" fares apply.

Tom

 

Not my photos, but some closeups of Stepney. The more you look, the more ornate it becomes!

http://riff-raff.org/photos/v/Mlawrence/2015-06/

A few other roundups:

• The beginnings of the Arts Council-funded project to restore the Elephant Van: http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/cw_news/4601.html
• Camelot's tender has gone away to Ashford for tyre turning
• Not my photo, but just a reference shot to show how Imberhorne Cutting continues to "green up" in what is now the third summer since opening - particularly on the Eastern side. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/18273472629/in/photostream/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/18271940430/in/photostream/

Tom

 

Tom, do you know how the cutting will be maintained? The burgeoning vegetation, whilst a welcome change from naked geo-textile, will need to be maintained at a reasonable level/height. Once saplings take root you may soon be experiencing the "wrong type of leaves" on the line syndrome!

 

Good question - I don't know the precise answer (I'm not very close to the infrastructure team), but I think maintenance work in the cutting (including any vegetation clearance on the walls) will probably have to take place using a possession, since I don't think you could maintain adequate safety while trains were still running. When the geotex was originally laid, the people doing it were roped up from anchors at the top, and I assume that some kind of similar working practice would need to be adopted.

When the cutting was dug out, I seem to recall that an approximate estimate of five years was given after which it would start to get hard to see the geotex. We are now in the third summer growing season, and so far that estimate doesn't look way off beam.

Tom