Bluebell Railway General Discussion

The latest issue of Bluebell Times:

• Gordon Pettitt RIP
• Ivatt 2MT No. 41313 stars at Branch Line Weekend
• Innovation in the Pattern Shop
• Restoration updates for Q class 541 and 9F 92240
• “Hastings” brake 3rd carriage on the verge of entering traffic
• New steps for Withyham Signal Box - with support from the Chalk Cliff Trust
• A new wagon commission from the Carriage Shop - with proceeds going to SR Coach Group and the Bluebell Goods Division
• Chris Welch is appointed as the Railway’s Finance Director

Download from here: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/april-2025-edition-of-bluebell-times-2/

Tom

 

Today's update, there are some bluebells around but not the full spread we usually see, perhaps the rain next week might move it along?

 

Even a few hundred metres of the Ardingly branch out of H Keynes, with a run round facility at the Haywards Heath end, would add the illusion of a branch line with the H coming into HK on a two car train.

Ok, the small matter of extra running costs generating very little additonal revenue. Oh, and I almost forgot, plus the massive cost of reinstating the track bed complete with bridge over the local road!

I can't see that ever happening. But it's still a great railway as it is today.

Bryan.

 

A superb day at the Bluebell today. Rather than overload this thread with too many photos just a couple this evening. I wonder if either of those two guys visible on the footplate of Beachy Head in the top photo are known to us on the forum?

Bryan

 

Yes, guilty as charged ...

Was that two different trips? So me firing the first one, and talking the third man through firing the second.

It really is a delight that loco - I'm sure you'll disagree, but of the three out today, Beachy Head would be my first choice to fire any day.

Tom

 

Bluebell watch (for @gwilialan ) - much as @andrewtoplis said, a few here and there but not yet a big display. Maybe next weekend?

Tom

 

Tom, thought I may have got you in shot - are you the one with the engineman's cap?

It was a mini-gala again for me today with 7 uphill runs. And sadly I just couldn't fit in getting to H Keynes to say hello as 32424 paused - at one point age took it's toll and I sat down on the New Road Bridge footpath style for 1o minutes to recover!

Despite me getting more usable shots of 73082 on the Pullmans, and 34059 looking good as usual, 32424 was the star loco for me today. I'm much happier with the way I'm now photographing it - I just couldn't get anything I was happy with using the 'standard' 3/4 front view approach. To me, the side on approach really brings out what a superb steam railway locomotive Beachy Head is. No wonder you like firing it.

The top photo of my two was the 11.45 Sheffield Park just about to cross New Road Bridge into Horsted Keynes.

And the lower photo was the slightly delayed 14.25 Sheffield Park crossing Keysford Lane Bridge. I presume the delay was due to you waiting at the Park for the first return of the Golden Arrow.

Bryan

 

Yep

Tom

 

I've only been behind it on the launch weekend so far, but Beachy Head is already one of my favourites on the line already.

 

I think the interesting thing is how it has fitted in, such that it feels like it has always been there. It's a loco that just feels "right" for the railway.

Tom

 

I don't know if you've seen it or not but Steam Locos in Profile have some an episode on Beachy Head that's currently on Youtube, and the presenter Chris Eden-Green said much the same about feeling like it's always been there and how quickly it's fitted in.

 

They're just starting to appear in my garden, but certainly nothing to write home about yet. I think this year the cold, dry weather has delayed things, perhaps by a couple of weeks or so.

 

I don't know for certain, but I suspect the culprit was Camelot. We (on Beachy Head) followed it back through the section and were stopped somewhat south of the Tunnel to deal with a smouldering sleeper, so I suspect a dropped cinder from an ashpan. I think that then had knock on effects for the timetable. We had dutifully checked the portable fire pump in the morning while on shed, but as it turned out, a bucket of water was sufficient.

Lunch break - we roster a spare crew and one of their tasks is to allow crew a PNB to the service crews if required. I didn't really need one, but since the spare fireman offered I went and had a wash up which makes you feel fresher. Sorry it seems I have missed both @The Gricing Owl and @Big Al it seems!

Tom

 

Should we expect a correlation between appearance and ease of firing? (Not to say we shouldn't, but asking the question.)

 

No, I don't think that would stand up, except maybe if talking about firing a Leader Class.

After two very hard gricing days on Friday and Sunday I was exhausted last night, and just trying to answer the point Tom had made, while covering other matters. A new paragraph with an introdction would have been a much better post by me.

As someone (in my age group) said at the Bluebell a few weeks ago as we stumbled back towards our cars, 'No one warns you about getting old".

And as I see many of my sort of age also try to do, I still attempt to behave as I did when I was 40 (Crewkerne) years old. When in reality I am some way into working my way through the main batch of Bulleid Battle of Britain class Squadrons!

That is how a number of us in big brother Don @gricerdon email group for us old timers greet each other online as yet another birthday arrives. Such is the incredible impact that O.V.S Bulleid (and Ron Jarvis) has had on our lives.

Bryan

 

I would have waved @Big Al if I had known you were around yesterday.

As for delays. Using the detailed timetable for all trains yesterday, I thought the delays settled to around ten minutes. And if you were on the 14.10 East Grinstead behind 34059 at Horsted Keynes, that was booked to arrive at 14.33 and depart at 15.05, allowing those enjoying cheese and biscuits and then coffee, or something stronger, on the Golden Arrow to arrive at HK before you departed. But presumably with both trains not using platforms 4/5 at the same time as the detailed timetable suggested!

Bryan

 

Apropos of nothing at all, I saw the closest I ever saw to a railway accident at Guildford plat 6/7. A 4-VEP came in very quickly (presumably thinking it had the whole platform), with a DMU halfway down the platform. Que lots of whistling and shouting by platform staff and a moving DMU missing being shunted into next week by the order of a few yards.