Bluebell Motive Power

1638 rather kept the show on the road for a few years around the turn of the decade when everything got a bit hairy on the motive power front, a shame she didn't get the chance to have a proper farewell

 

1638 in happier times during 2014:

 

As 31638 this loco was recorded on the, well, Kingham Branch in 1952 on a Cheltenham Southampton service at least twice on the MSWJR section of the line. How good it would be to see 1638 doing that again! As we can't then perhaps a short visit to the MSWJR at Blunsdon one day?

 

Would be lovely to see her in lined BR Black. Lovely strong locos ideal for a preserved railway!

 

Oi! You BR livery obsessives are relentless. The Moguls until recently on the MHR were in BR lined black (when not being James) and will no doubt appear the same on the Swanage.
The Bluebell is one of the few refuges cor those of us who like to see locos as they wet in their actual heyday, i.e. colourful. Hands off!

 

If that's the case, why is the Brighton Atlantic's long awaited arrival going to be in drab BR black!

 

I seem to remember that (3)1618 is currently displayed in this guise

Chris

 

No it won't and hopefully it never will

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

 

1638 has just been seen on BBC 1 in the new drama The Outcast.

 

Sorry to open that tin of Black paint again!

All the best,

Dave

 

Because the people paying for it want it that way. Unfortunately for them, they didn't suggest a compromise of BR black for the first half of the ticket, and LBSCR umber for the second half. As a result, my money is safe in my wallet, and I suspect others are the same. Maybe they'll one day appeal for money to paint it in a decent livery, along with reversing the SR modifications. Then I'll be much more inclined to open my wallet.

Daniel

 

LBSCR livery would require a new cab, dome and chimny as well, and also some minor tender modifications (removing the coal rails, or at least removing the backing from them, according to exact era).

Maunsell or Bulleid green livery would be possible in the form the loco is being completed in; I hope we'll see her in both of those in time.

Tom

 

Also...much as I would love to see the Atlantic in LBSCR livery, it seems a little bit futile to do it at the present time because of the lack of suitable LBSCR coaches for her to run with. I do hope it will happen one day, though...

 

Indeed. Though sadly, I suspect the possibility of the Bluebell ever acquiring and being able to restore half a dozen or so LBSCR bogie coaches is probably vanishingly small now, and the Stroudley coaches might look a bit odd behind her!

Tom

 

Given enough cash to fund the movements, etc. it might be plausible to swap the Mets for the 4 Brightons on the Isle of Wight for a reciprocal loan of say 2 or 3 months. Even better if you could restore the Brighton saloon, with your all first that would make up a set of 6. You would have to dual brake the saloon & the first to make it all work.

With 41298 running on test now and the Austerities available, vacuum operation on the Isle of Wight should be feasible.........

Just a thought.

 

Carrying on in the same vein as cav1975 'Just a thought' and this is NOT a livery debate. After witnessing the failure of the S15 and discussing it with the staff at EG I got to wondering, could, only if and when funds permitted, the 09 carry the Bluebell livery so that if she should ever be called on to substitute at least to Joe Public she would look more the part with red coupling rods etc.
As I said just a thought.

 

Can we repaint them umber and cream as well

On a more serious note, you might find the Mets wouldn't fit through your platforms. I seem to recall that they are the widest carriages on the railway, on account of the step boards. When they travelled up the mainline to LU, I think the step boards were temporarily removed.

Tom

 

If that is true I am surprised, because they were (and still are) able to run through the cut-and-cover tunnels, and aren't those a tad narrower than the general NR loading gauge?

 

Is it a bit cheeky to observe that in the dim distant past, the Bluebell could have had the body of 2403 (now in service on the I.O.W.) for its very own but chose not to pursue it?

Paul H.

 

Is it a bit cheeky ...? Yes!

Surely you of all people would agree that the best heritage outcome for that vehicle was to go to a line where there was a realistic chance it could get restored (as indeed has subsequently happened) rather than to a line where it may have been a long way down the overhaul queue, and even had it been restored, it would likely have been at the expense of some other vehicle that is now currently running.

Tom