Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 2009

Yes. I will post tomorrow.

 

A selection of my photo's from yesterday can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1771821.html

 

A*se! Looks like we should have come yesterday. I had a rough night last night, must have got the lurgi going round at work. Don't feel too good this morning either and the weather is crap. Can't make it tommorrow.
Still there is always next years events to attend. Hope the gala goes well for the railway.

 

Looks like a good homefleet gala. Only one thing, the carriage sets are a bit short, I know not many people may come, but 34059 does look a bit pathetic with only 4 coaches. But I know they did use to run with very short trains, so at least they are period trains.

 

34059 is down to haul 3 pullmans plus 2 mk1's today and tomorrow

while 80151 is due to haul the 4 bulleid coaches plus observation car.

 

Just got back and developed my photos from what was a very wet day weather wise. Still it was a very good effort by the organisers despite the lose of 30777 and I thought the Dukedog look brilliant with the BR engineers wagons, fingers crosed Jon Bowers can get that charter organised with the loco and wagon set. Here is my photo of it approaching H.K, btw I've Photoshopped out those nameplates

 

Just had a phone call from HK to say that the Sunday freight has been cancelled. No reason given but the Dukedog will now be working the Mets instead at 10:35 - presumably from HK in the path originally booked for the freight.

 

Thanks for that Ian, my Dad and I aren't up the line tomorrow anyway so really pleased now we've got what we could get with 9017 and freight. H.K was very busy and the overflow car park was packed down at S.P. despite the crap weather so I guess that's why they've added another passenger train and cancelled the freight tomorrow. Which is great for the Bluebell more money in the kitty for them which is the most important thing, but I guess not so great from a photters point of view that 9017 is to be paired with the Mets instead of engineers wagons. Still it must be said that the organisers have put on a very good show despite the obvious problems they've had. So well done to all those involved.=D>

 

Just come back fom my visit and today was one of the best days of my life. Meeting Pete Waterman and going on the footplate of 34059 which looked replendant with it's Golden Arrow regalia. Will post pictures later.

 

Some pictures up hopefully later this evening.

Addition to the timetable (for those who mentioned it earlier in the thread). There is now a train from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote at 1025 to connect with the bus, so the first departure from Kingscote will now be at 1055 (my train, come say hi!).

Also, the goods is probably cancelled because of the lack of space on the other trains today! 90% of the trains were standing only today.

Tom

 

Just got back from my first day at the gala, shame about the weather, although it did clear up around three o'clock. Fenchurch seemed rather popular with the brakevan and although the platforms weren't always too busy, most trains were full. Shame I won't be able to film 9017 on the goods, really wanted to get that tomorrow, when the weather should be better.
I wonder whether we could have 592 on the mets, although I guess warming fire e.t.c would have been required.
It was also nice to be able to see and climb all over 92240, never seen it out of the head shunt at Sheffield Park before, and got a nice oily stain on my jeans from the steep steps!
May come and say hello spamcan81 tomorrow, will be hanging around the Horsted Keynes area all day.
One criticism, a lot of people would have gone to see 34059 the first time, and she only had two round trips, and her first was at 12.43, maybe she could have had another earlier one?
And also, 9017 made her own way back to SP rather than coupling to 34059 as advertised on the timetable.
Dan Hill, I may have spotted you from the train in the Leamland area, where you watching 34059 depart HK the other side of the bridge with the first train in a green raincoat?
Looking forward to tomorrow!

 

Nah wasn't me I stayed on the trains most of the day. 9017 came in attached to 1638 earlier at Sheffield Park. I had a blue hooded jumper and jeans on. Surprised at how cramped the trains were. The 11:00 was also very busy. My first trip with 34059 was standing room only on the up and down trains. Pete took a break from book signing at SP to take photos of 34059 as well.

 

No she didn't, she was attached to 1638 as advertised

Unfortunately there is no space in the timetable for an earlier trip, plus the set it is on is not exactly a high seating capacity train and has quite alot of 1st class on it which makes it unsuitable for doing more runs. Besides, 34059 makes a half trip with the Bulleid set as the last up train in the evening (although it will be in the dark tomorrow!)

 

Not according to my timetable on the booklet thingy. Shunt for 9017 from HK is under 34059's train, and it is in brackets under 34059 on the loco bit too, ah well!
Also, my table says 80151 is on the half a trip with Bulleids!
And that also explains what Mr Waterman was doing wondering up platform two when he should have been signing more books
And I agree, 11.00 was packed, just about got on in time for three seats, half a minute later and there would have been none so quite lucky!

 

I have added a few photo's taken today, once the weather improved.They can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1771821.html

 

Also I noticed that by the end of the day the whole of the visible side tank on 473 had turned a rather nice shade of olive green, and the paint smell was rather nice too!

 

Why advertise a three day gala when Friday is only a two train service? This seems odd to me to call it a three day event when Friday hasn’t got an intensive service like other preserved railways have. Looks like cost cutting to me.

 

I was on both 1638 and 672/80151.

 

Interesting, the working timetable and the public one must differ slightly, certainly do now after the alterations mentioned previously!

As promised, some photos here (Sorry David, Nameplates not been photoshopped out here )

 

I'll be flitting all over the place mate but if there's a golden labrador attached to someone on the 34081 stall that will be me.