Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 31 October 2015 - 1 November 2015

Atlantic House will be open both days to see 32424 up close.

You can easily see the frames of 27 and 84030 adjacent to Atlantic House. I imagine those groups may well have a fundraising presence nearby.

928 can be seen at the far end of the loco yard from the shed, but not up close.

80151 is either in the yard or in the loco works, but should be easily visible either way.

34059 is in the running shed and easily visible.

30064 is in the up yard headshunt at Horsted Keynes and can be seen in passing from the train heading north, or at a distance from Leamland bridge (a short walk from HK).

80100 is not on display.

Tom

 

So is there no chance of someone being able to show me the loco if i came and also is 92240 and 75027 easily visible

 

Train departure times from SP and EG are here:

http://www.bluebell-railway.com/file/192/giants-of-steam-additional-info.pdf

Effectively it is a four train service at 45min intervals for the bulk of both days. There is an early morning goods train at 9.05am each day running HK - KC - SP; the balancing working to get the stock back SP - HK is late afternoon. 30541 works the goods on Saturday and 847 on Sunday.

Carriage sets I believe will be the SR liveried Maunsell / pre grouping set; two Mark 1 / Bulleid sets with a Pullman available in each: and the WR carriages. The GN saloon will also be in service, but I am not sure on which set.

Station pilot at SP both days.

Various attractions, including Atlantic House open to view progress on constructing Beachy Head.

Free vintage bus service between Sheffield Park and Brighton on Sunday.

Tom

 

When I visited in August 92240 was at the north end of Horsted up yard, as I imagine the path over to the picnic area will be open this should be easily visible. 75027 is normally up there too.

 

Didnt 92240 get moved back to Sheffield Park after the repairs to the loco works had been completed? I might be wrong, does anyone have any info either way on that?

If the 9F is still in Horsted Keynes Up Yard, should be perfectly visible - certainly you could see it well over the summer

 

Led to believe 30925 should be leaving the MHR for the Bluebell on Monday or Tuesday.

 

For those who haven't been keeping up, 73082 has undertaken a number of loaded test runs, so looking good for her appearance at GoS.

Assuming all goes well, on Saturday there will be at least one passenger round trip by each of the five big locos working solo, plus some double heading and the goods service.

On Sunday, it looks like 30541 will be spare, with the service worked by the other four locos in rotation, always single-headed.

Outline train times and vintage bus timetable here: http://www.bluebell-railway.me.uk/events/2015/gos_outline_2015.pdf

Usual caveats about availability.

Tom

 

Thanks @73129.

This looks like the move of Britannia on Wednesday: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U59755/2015/10/28/advanced

Tom

 

Thanks Tom for the information. Intending being there both days mainly for 541 and find it strange that after being out of traffic for so many years it spends one day as spare loco...

 

Yes, I'm not sure I fully follow the reasoning. I guess with four paths and five engines, you have to either (a) have some double heading (b) have a turnover engine, with locos spending some time on shed between trains or (c) have one engine entirely spare. All three solutions will have their advocates and critics; the timetable effectively uses a mix of (a) and (b) on Saturday and (c) on Sunday. Given an understandable desire to maximise use of the two visitors and Camelot, that means one of 541 or 847 will play bridesmaid on Sunday, and it turns out to be 541 - I guess the feeling is that 847 is a more bona-fide giant.

Incidentally, for those intending to swap between trains at either HK or Kingcote, the wait times at HK are broadly similar to our normal timetable, i.e. a two minute wait for up trains and about 12 - 14 minutes for down trains. Given a cross-platform transfer from platform 3 (up) to 4/5 (down), transfers should be fairly easy. At Kingscote, up trains generally have about 7 minutes wait and down trains 2 minutes. Given that the transfer is slightly more awkward (i.e. via the subway), a transfer from up to down service should be fairly easy; a transfer from down to up (for those intent on maximising their transits through Imberhorne Cutting!) might be a bit more problematic. Transfers at SP (i.e. to arrive on a down service and depart immediately on the next up service behind a different engine) have ten minutes, so should be possible assuming all is running to time.

But then - why rush?

Tom

 

The 9F is now back in the running shed at Park. When last I visited a fortnight ago 75027, Sharpthorn, and the NLR tank were tucked away in the up sidings at HK.

 

Thanks for providing all the information Tom, even helps regular Bluebell travellers

I'd really like to know which diagram Britannia will be on in advance, is it likely that timetables and loco diagrams can be purchased this week so the day can be planned? Mind you, I can always come down the following weekend for 70000 if it proves a little busy on the Saturday.

Regards,

Dan

 

I gather that there is going to be a guide available, but given the timings, I don't see how it can be available in advance unless it is published on the website / FaceBook page. I think the relatively close-to-the-wire arrival of Camelot has probably delayed an absolute commitment on the diagrams and subsequent production of a guide, as the availability or otherwise would make a big difference.

Might be worth a call to the general office to enquire.

Tom

 

The Bluebell website has announced that Britannia will not be able to make the gala due to a loco problem. The Icons of Steam website is suggesting that Bittern will be a replacement, but I haven't seen that confirmed by the Bluebell - last I heard, it was dependent on transport arrangements. More news as and when I see it; I suspect the Bluebell FaceBook page may well be the best immediate place for news.

See http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/giants-of-steam/ and http://www.iconsofsteam.com/2015/10/news/1480/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluebellrailway - you don't need to be on FaceBook to read that page.

In other news, Camelot was in service at the weekend hauling a special for Camelot Society members, so all looking very positive that she will be available for GoS.

Tom

 

Now confirmed on the .com website.

 

Website announcement also points out that this gala will be the very last opportunity to ride behind Bittern before she is withdrawn for overhaul.

 

Two for the price of one! First public opportunity to ride behind Camelot after overhaul and last opportunity to ride behind Bittern before her next overhaul

Fingers crossed there are no other late issues.

Tom

 

Oh hello. And here was me thinking that was going to be it for Bittern when I saw her at the MHR last weekend.

 

Was going to go Sunday anyway but hopefully I can get 4464 on its last train (never thought I'd see an A4 on the Bluebell). Got attached to her down the years and great work getting her in short time.