Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 2009

A very good event even though it was just the home fleet. A first offering from the Sunday.

 

Word on the street is that this year's Giants has broken all records figures wise.

Just to answer two questions. The 473 bus is operated under contract by Metrobus and the revenue is passed to the Bluebell. The last bus now runs direct to the station at East Grinstead so as to get there shortly before the London train departs. The bus times connect with Bluebell trains.

Of course another way is to travel to Haywards Heath and use the 270 bus service to Horsted Keynes.


Trains times on busy days (3 or 4 train service) are not designed to "connect" so as to keep the frequency at 35 minutes. Also due to the larger customer numbers it would in reality add about 5-10 minutes on to the departure time as customers changing over trains will be wanting to find somewhere to board on what may already be a crowded service. It also reduces the number of customers running via the subway and the subsequent likelihood of tripping over.

Some great photos uploaded BTW!

 

I suppose it will be better operationally when East Grinstead is reached, but (even though I may be a bit selfish in labouring the point) it would have been nice to have some sort of connection at Kingscote. Looking at the timetable as it stood, there was enough slack for bus connections.

 

Some extra photos from Sunday whilst I had a break from the hecticness that was being a Guard!

 

Who are the Bluebell running trains for at events such at this? Linesiders (soime of whom may not have paid a penny) who want to see as many trains pass their lens as possible or passengers who have paid a not insubstantial amount for a day rover and want to get value for money by riding on as many trains and behind as many locos as possible? If by allowing passengers time to change trains safely at Kingscote means that there are less trains in total during the day but more that passengers can actually travel on then that seems a better option to me.

The solution seems simple to me. Instead of running four sets, why not combine the carriages into two sets and just re-loco them each end. No worries about passengers running through subways or over bridges. No carriages sat around doing nothing for half of the day. More mileage and loco variety available to the fare-paying passenger. Heavier trains to get a bit more noise out of the locos. Less variety of trains and lower frequency for the linesider, but I return to my original question - who are these events for?

By the way, regarding the subway at Kingscote. If it's so unsafe that you need to worry about people slipping, why do you insist on using the platform opposite the station entrance all day during normal running days, so that everybody, including disabled passengers, have to use the subway?

 

When the station buffet kiosk is open, more customers use that and the station field than the facilities on platform one. You don't have the same volumes crossing over to to platform one. On a four train set service both platforms will be used all day.

The risk of tripping is not from the subway, but from running to catch a train leaving in a few moments time, as well as running into other customers just casually walking along.

Access for mobility impaired customers changing platforms is via a step free track level crossing, with staff assistance.

Personally, I prefer the use of stepping up of locos at Kingscote (where there is a loco waiting to take a train back ASAP and the loco that just arrived waits for the next train). This allows customers to make an informed decision as to whether or not to hang around or get back south ASAP.
However, as photographers and many others like to see a loco with matching engines, that would not be wise on an event like this.

 

So the nice dry subway at Kingscote is less safe than the footbridge at Sheffield Park, which gets pretty slippery when wet, and invariably has lines of people each side taking photos? I like the Bluebell, and I've been a member for a good few years now, but some of their ideas are a bit puzzling at times.

I seem to remember, at one gala not that long ago, it was possible to change trains at Kingscote, and it seemed to work ok. If it means an extra 5 minutes has to be added on to the layovers at Sheffield Park, then that's fine by me. I'd rather have 10 minutes at Sheffield Park than be stuck at Kingscote for 35/40 minutes, especially in winter.

 

I recall one intensive timetable, I think it was a Steam Fair in the late 90's when work was finishing on the Kingscote platform 2 canopy roof, at this time, we had a 3 train service using 5 big locomotives, 3 standards and I think the Q1 all shared the trains by having a pull off engine at Kingscote as scaffolding was built across the platform 2 track. This worked very well, and cut down the run round time as there was nothing really at Kingsocte, much like this weekend. It also gave every engine every train to haul at some point during the day. Perhaps such a thing, as suggested above, could be used again in some form or another. Alternatively, give passengers some reason to stay at Kingscote for longer. Perhaps a return to the Bluebell on Parade event where an almost everything was open (as much as possible) and people had plenty to do and see all over the railway could be arranged sometime in the future?

 

It wasn't possible for me to attend this year's event because I have contracted the mother of all chest infections, but to answer this question it is usually the case that these events are arranged to make money, to say thank you to the volunteers, to make money, to provide an interesting event for the members, to make money, to provide an interesting event for non-members and lastly to make money.

I notice that the old chestnut of linesiders that don't pay for these events has cropped up yet again. Putting aside the obvious retort that it costs to have a lineside pass, most of the linesiders I come across at these events are members and many are volunteers taking a day off. Many others will, as I do when I visit other railway's events, pay for a day rover just to make a financial contribution. It isn't true that linesiders don't contribute.

It isn't true that there is 'nothing' at Kingscote. If you walk out of the station and bear left, then walk on a bit you will find some really nice locations for railway photography. And in any case it's an excellent walk, very pretty, particularly at this time of the year.

My thanks to 'tom92240' for his evocative B&W shots.

Regards

 

Some good points above about who the event was for. All of us I guess! From a railway where in the last members' mag, (I am member), was a comment from the civil engineering team that included within the benefits of clearing lineside vegetation a comment re "better for lineside photographers", or similar words. The Bluebell have ownership/custodianship of a wonderful collection of mainly ex Southern, (in it's various forms), steam locos and other rolling stock and obviously like people to be able to ride them and photograph them in best conditions.

I'd have liked to have been on the lineside watching a quite intensive service of trains with normal length trains, (ie 6 cars), with coaching stock matched as far as possible to the locos.

But the Saturday weather was cr.p. So I just rode the trains and enjoyed it. It would have been nice to have got a quick turnround at Kingscote, but I can see now that to do that would reduce the service frequency from circa 35 mins to circa 50 mins. I'd rather have the more frequent service. Keeps those of us on the lineside happy when we are not getting drowned.

And anyway, the coffee and sarnies from the kiosk at Kingscote during the break were great!

Missing was the chink of cups and rattle of cutlery in the Pullmans: as per the Bournemouth Belle in the 1960s! But it was lovely to have the chance to ride those cars for only a very small supplement. Missing too was that wonderful announcement from Southampton, "The train approaching Plateform One is the Bournemouth Belle all Pullman Car train. Passengers wishing to join this train must first obtain a supplementary ticket from the booking office". Alright, alright, it was the Golden Arrow over last weekend!! And you couldn't get the supplementary ticket from the booking office, only on the train.

 

Great to see the line side banks are kept clear of vegetation.

Well Done
:smt023

 

You can thank Jon Bowers and his pw mates mostly for that. They work hard on keeping the popular locations clear.

 

There def seems to have been a great effort on the clearances building up to the gala, makes such a huge difference for not just the photters but the travelling public as well.

 

It seems to me, that the Bluebell didnt show as much flexibility as they could have. To save problems with seating, perhaps they should have abolished first class tickets and let people sit where the hell they want (except the obo and LNER saloon) because that way tons of extra seating could have been provided.

But why no 592 and such a short timetable?

They had enough time to change their timetables, MHR do it very well. Also, the price for the timetable doesnt surprise me, Bluebell always rip people off with prices for timetables.

 

I think that is just typical of the positive attitude of those who run the Bluebell Railway Matt.

 

Thanks Ian, but about 99% of the credit has to go to our Wednesday lineside clearance gang who have been doing a fantastic job at numerous locations south of Horsted recently. And of course the Kingscote gang who have got the first mile or so south of there looking a bit like a bowling green!

Of course it is mainly done to improve the views for passengers, but fortunately the clearance gangs are generally receptive to my requests to keep popular photographic locations neat and tidy ;-)

Cheers,
Jon

 

Some customers prefer to pay extra and travel in a bit more luxury, so they choose to pay a first class fare for that. I went to travel FC (in the GN Saloon) on the 11am ex SP on Sunday and it was full by 1030! So it shows that it is just as popular. Managers and staff on duty can make a decision to allow third class ticket holders to travel in first class, but of course there are are some that have already paid extra and would find that unfair too.

Very very much agree about the timetable pricing and value for money side of it.

 

Just to reiterate from my earlier post. The issue is not with the subway but those running to get to the other platform.

At Sheffield Park there is not the same volume of people changing trains.

 

I totally agree about being able to pay a bit more to travel better. As I indicated above it was great to be able to travel in a Pullman behind a Bulleid again. For a very modest supplement. And so far as I can recall the Pullman I was in was virtually full. And it had filled up before the two normal coaches at the front filled. That would indicate an extra coach would have helped. But I think the train lengths are limited by platform sizes.

And re the charge for the timetable. Common guys. The Bluebell is doing amazing things, but has to be funded from somewhere. A few pence extra over what some feel is the right price is surely acceptable against that background. The Gala is not just an event for all visitors to enjoy. It is also a fundraising event. Or so I assume!

 

Why do (some)railways think they have to charge for timetables?

IMO its a blatent rip off. Timetables should be published in advance so that paying customers may plan their day.
Also publishing the timetable in advance, actually attracts more paying customers and therefore lessens the risk of the event making a financial loss.

Out of principal I do not attend galas/events that charge extra for the timetable.

Oh and another thing that pees me off is the railways that advertise a gala and all they end up doing is a 10.00 - 17.30 "gala". That to me is NOT a gala.
A gala is an event that is not the norm on said railway.....and that means longer hours.....
ie....0900 - 1900 or even later.