Bluebell Railway Branch Line Gala: 15 - 17 March 2019

Event details and online booking here (with advance and multi-day discounts):
https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/branch-line-weekend-2/

Visiting locos W24 "Calbourne", courtesy of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway; and Beattie Well Tank 30587 , courtesy of the NRM. Plus Wainwright H class 263, Wainwright P class 323 and 178, Stirling O1 65 from the home fleet.

Saturday and Sunday timetable will feature a lot of activity at Horsted Keynes, with many trains starting and terminating there. There will also be brake van rides around HK station.

Tom

 

Seriously tempted by this - never actually made it to a Bluebell gala and may be close enough to be there on the Sunday. What carriages are likely to be used?

Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

 

Old ones is the normal order of the day. So pretty much the entire operational pre-Mark 1 fleet I’d have thought. That means four Victorian four wheelers; a two carriage Met set (may be up to three by then); the LSWR, SECR and LBSCR bogie coaches; the Maunsells; and presumably the LNWR Obo. There was also talk about the first running of the Bulleid BCK in a four coach Bulleid set if it is finished on time.

Operationally, for the last few years Branch Line Gala has been a “pull out all the stops” affair, with all sorts of odd moves, trains joining and splitting at HK, odd trains terminating at Kingscote and so on. Hopefully as well, if last year’s GoS gala set a template to be followed, the brake van rides round the station at HK will be with a short goods train rather than just loco and brake van - yet to see that confirmed.

Tom

 

I'm hoping for a day on one or other of the visitors, though since I ended up on the visiting engine for the last two Branch Line galas I'm not holding my breath. And when all is said and done, failing a visitor, there are few days on an engine more fun enjoyable on a Chatham one. I only wish I could do all three days!

Tom

 

Calbourne! Blimey i can't wait

 

Don't think any of the coaching stock is air-braked, am I right Tom? Or are the Mets?

 

That question has been exercising my mind.

According to our carriage stock list, this one is dual braked:

https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pic2/mk1/35207.html

I couldn't find an explicit reference to any of the others, but I have a hunch that there might be one or two other Mark 1s that are dual braked. (From photos, it looks like the Bicester Military Railway carriage is dual braked, though that is still under overhaul).

The Mets are vac only, though interestingly there is an air pipe visible on the end in pre-preservation days; I assume that was in connection with the motor train working rather than braking.

Tom

 

I know that, when we borrowed a Terrier from the Isle of Wight, it was only on air brakes. I think we had to use another Terrier inside it as a "translator" vehicle! Do you have any dual braked engines?

 

IIRC Fenchurch and Birch Grove are the only dual braked locos, both of which are out of use.

 

The Class 09 is dual braked.

 

Maybe Calbourne will have to bring it’s own train along!

 

I'm sure that there must be some spare Mk3s knocking around the south east that could be brought in

Steve B

 

Not necessarily. She would look gorgeous double-heading with the Beattie!

 

Why not bring the pair of driving trailers from the 4-VEP down from Clapham?

 

Having just spent half an hour or so reading the provisions for operating trains, using brakes etc. in our General Appendix, I think I am going to wait for the operating notices to come out!

Tom

 

They aren't at Clapham, they're being renovated at Strawberry Hill

 

OK - 2 cars from the LUL 4-TC then............

 

Cost, I expect. Sadly, main-line stock movements do not come cheap. In any case, personally I'd rather see Calbourne double-heading on a rake a beautiful vintage coaches, than running solo at the head of a couple of boring old Mk. 1s!