Bluebell Railway General Discussion

One other complication that needs to be addressed is a CE Toilet or other facility that would be required as a new build.

The words "mountains" and "molehills spring to mind, CE toilets have been around for decades - made by Elsan, I seem to recall!

 

Though there are some great points in this post, it needs pointing out that the nearby Lavender Line actually has two 3H units.

Subjective? That's putting it politely!

I've often reflected on the presence of the Dukedog on the Bluebell, but since it's now spent more years in Sussex than on the GW and BR combined ....

 

A few years ago the Far North line had a lot of relaying done with Bullhead

 

It's not the actual toilet but where do you fit it on the machine and what has to move to accomodate it.

 

Rowland Emmett would have added a 2 wheeled trailer with a wooden sentry box size shed to contain the necessary equipment

Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

 

Presumably it doesn't have one fitted already then? Is it now a regulation that it must have? If so, perhaps towing Portaloo on a Lowmac would be an answer. When relays are in progress is a Portaloo provided on site?

 

I think a new build steam-powered tamper with en suite facilities is a bit outré even for this thread.

Meanwhile, I'll dump a reference to Bluebell Times 18 back in the thread, as clearly everyone missed it first time round. Complete with some rather nice pictures of the interior of Pullman car No. 54; track laying around Horsted House Farm; an SER kissing gate installed at Horsted House Farm crossing; further fitting out of the Heritage Skills Centre and work on Camelot.

Oh, and not one, but two tampers ...

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/

Tom

 

A colleague of mine on the Watercress told me, many years ago when he was working at Southern House (as the Mid Hants representative, all the rest in his section being Bluebell) that his workmates had decided that when they extended from HK it would be 45ft BH on wooden sleepers (as that is what the Brighton used). Sanity prevailed, happily.
Pat

 

Time flies! I believe that second hand materials were used in the first section of the extension north of HK back in the early 1990s; that section has now all been completely relaid over the last few winters. It's a little bit of a stealth move: there has understandably been lots of focus on track laying between SP and HK over the last decade, but it has been almost unnoticed that as well as the ca. 3.5 miles relaid between those two stations, there is also ¾ mile of new track laid north of Horsted Keynes. Considerably more than half the line is currently on track laid within the last ten years.

Tom

 

Re my analogue steam tamper idea, I should explain that another interest of mine is alternate history - if I had the ability to travel back in time, one thing I'd like to do would be to influence the birth of Britain's railways, and track quality is one vital consideration for comfort and safety!

 

A response.

Regarding a steam tamper, they could take an 07, take the engine out and fit a steam engine to run the hydraulics, alternator etc.

But I guess not what they want. As a Tamper uses hydraulics at around 140 bar pressure, steam cylinders will not be much use where a standard steam engine runs at around 15 bar, steam/air is too compressible for accurate control.

Going back to early matisa machines before hydraulics were available, screw couplings was used for squeeze via mechanical clutches. Using technology on steam cranes, I guess possible to build a steam tamper, but a lot of mechanical gearing would be required for track lift /slew etc.

Again, possible to use lining and lift wires to valves to control steam to control pistons and gears to lift and line, but would be a complicated and very slow process.

Regards

 

With all that vibration going on, the onboard toilet is going to resemble a very angry dirty protest unless the users have a good aim.

 

If you're thinking of re-engineering from scratch, why reciprocating steam engine? A steam turbine could surely drive a hydraulic pump to give the same sort of fine control.

 

Any chance the steam-powered tamper stuff could continue elsewhere? Please?

Tom

 

I boggled a little at the idea that BR Railfreight grey counts as 'heritage' these days!

 

Indeed, why try to re invent something that's already been invented, and does the job remarkably well.

 

Nice bit of publicity in The Times (6th photo down) showing one of the Mets being maintained:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/news-in-pictures-tuesday-march-16-2021-rxjqlp3ml

Also interesting in showing the benefits of the maintenance area in the new OP4 shed at Horsted Keynes: for orientation, this is taken on the maintenance road, which sits between the C&W workshop on one side and the four storage roads on the other. That part of the building has hard standing, a pit, lifting jacks (as seen) and a raised roof in parts to allow carriages to be lifted clear of their bogies.

It is also a useful reminder, à propos the earlier discussion, about the often unseen work of maintenance (as opposed to the more glamorous task of initial restoration).

Tom

 

Reopening date 20 May 2021

We are pleased to announce a provisional reopening date of Thursday 20 May.

This provisional reopening date is in line with the Government’s roadmap for easing the lockdown restrictions.

Tickets will go on sale at 11am on Wednesday 31 March, and services will include The Pioneer, The Wealden Rambler Afternoon Tea, The Blue Belle Dining and Luncheon trains.

We will initially release tickets for the first few weeks of services and will continue to release tickets in blocks of several weeks at a time. All tickets will have to be pre-booked online before the day of travel.

Bluebell Railway interim chairman Graham Flight said: “We have studied the Government documents and believe we can open safely towards the end of May. We look forward to seeing families, train enthusiasts and groups of visitors back at the Bluebell.”

See: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/reopening-20-may-faqs/

 

Would the answer be to put on the third rail the same shock as you put on an electric fence to restrain cattle? So as to give people some sort of reminder when it wasn't 750 volts DC and full traction current.

 

"Is it OK to touch the third rail?"
"Yeah, it's fine, I did it before… it's just like the fizz you get from an electric fence"
"Oh OK then… ZZAPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!"

Really not sure that's a particularly viable approach.

Simon