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Clearance work commences at the Bluebell's Imberhorne Tip

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Axe, Nov 26, 2008.

  1. London Midland Guard

    London Midland Guard New Member

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    If higher capcity wagons could be found instead of the gampus's in use could spoil be removed quicker then present or is the rate ok as it is? and is the length of the train limited to loop lengths etc? I mean is there room to add additional vehicles to allow spoil to be removed quicker.

    Excellent work so far gents, its very very interesting to see the spoil coming away to reveal more and more of the bridge and the cutting north. Has any work been undertaken on the north side of the tip or on the trackbed to EG?

    London Midland Guard.
     
  2. Axe

    Axe Member

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    4 x grampus wagons appears to be the optimum for removing the excavated inert spoil. About 20 tons can be loaded into each wagon and equates to 80 tons per train. Five trains per day equates to 400 tons.


    Earlier spoil trains did have 6 wagons, but 4 wagons appears to be the optimum at Imberhorne Lane for the spoil to be loaded.


    Yes, the trackbed has been cleared of vegetation, but some maintenance work is still required to complete Hill Place Viaduct and the other bridges.

    Work is scheduled to start later this month on constructing the platform at East Grinstead. Starting with the back wall for which blocks will be used; followed by the front wall that will be conventional brick. The material on top of the Hill Place Viaduct has to be stripped off to install a new drainage system, and this material will be used to in-fill the platform void. Once the platform is built and the viaduct surface complete then track from East Grinstead station towards the Imberhorne waste tip at Hill Place Bridge will be laid.

    There are currently 52 photos in my Fotopic Northern Extension (Hill Place Bridge to East Grinstead) website collection taken between 2005 and earlier this year that will give you an idea of how things are.

    See: http://gallery74781.fotopic.net/c01692988.html

    Chris


    Edit: URL of Fotopic site amended
     
  3. London Midland Guard

    London Midland Guard New Member

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    Thanks for that Mr Chris.

    London Midland Guard.
     
  4. alastair

    alastair Well-Known Member

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    No update on Bluebell website since 27 April.

    Could anyone kindly update us as to how things are progressing?

    Many thanks
     
  5. Axe

    Axe Member

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    Work is ongoing at the East Grinstead station site excavating and laying the platform footings, and laying a sewage pipe from beneath the platform out to the boundary site line where it will be connected to the public sewage system. Work is also underway to improve the drainage water off the viaduct, which must be completed prior to laying any track.

    All work is being undertaken by a small number of Bluebell staff and volunteers.

    There has been no further on-site activity at the waste tip. The railway is still filling the piggy bank with money to enable any further work to be undertaken at this site.

    You too can help us re-open the railway between East Grinstead and Kingscote. View http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/funding/2009/tenner.html to see how.

    Chris
     
  6. David

    David Member

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    From what a fellow Bluebell member told me at a recent gala the railway must raise 3.5 million pounds before they can run passenger trains into E.G, of which 1 million pounds must be found before anymore clearance can be undertaken on the waste tip. Sadly it seems highly unlikely trains will be running to E.G. by the official deadline of 2010. As a result of this departments such as C&W will continually be underfunded for a number of years to come.
     
  7. Axe

    Axe Member

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    I understand the total figure is actually more than £3.5m.


    There is no "official deadline" to complete the northern extension. In any case the latest published estimate that I'm aware of by when the section between KC and EG will be re-opened is 2011. My vebal understanding is however, that even this date will probably be delayed.


    Apart from the large retail chains of foodstores there are few, if any, business organisation in the UK that are not under fiscal restraints and able to satisfy the budget submissions received from their respective Heads of Department. All heritage railways are currently in the same boat. Having said that, the C&W Works at HK is still doing some magnificant work for a supposedly cash-strapped department.

    Chris
     
  8. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    In brighter news the 4 founding members returned to the railway this month to start our 50th Anniversary Celebrations (The Bluebell Railway Preservation Society)as was Bernard Holden who chaired the first meeting in my hometown. The 4 founders were shown the station site at EG, got a tour of SP shed, SP Works, The Atlanic Shed, Horsted signalbox and C&W works.
     
  9. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    Ask the Network Rail board to donate their bonuses. That would be enough to get things moving.

    Cheers
    Alan
     
  10. Pesmo

    Pesmo Member

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    Its a shame that at a time when earthmoving companies have equipment laid up and are quoting probably the lowest prices for some years, that Bluebell are not in a position to be able to exploit the market. :-k
     
  11. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Thats a sign of great respect from the current railway towards its founders. Too many preserved railways today have completely forgotten, or out right play down the people that gave them a railway to sit and play trains on today.
    Though on the flip side, tomorrow's preserved railways are more than likely to be owned by theme parks and adventure play grounds as mass market entertainment venues making mass profits from all the hard work of volunteers today.
     
  12. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    From the latest photos of the Woodpax site there is a load of concrete rubble available. Will this be used to start to fill the gap before Sherrif Mill viaduct thus avoiding the cost of moving it a long distance?
     
  13. Dan Hamblin

    Dan Hamblin Part of the furniture

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    Most of that gap has already been filled with spoil from the south end of the tip. I think the next step would be to fill the gap on the other side of the road, which would require movement to site by tipper lorry.

    Regards,

    Dan
     
  14. southdowner

    southdowner New Member

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    After many peaceful weeks of forum activity here you are again with your nakedly hostile anti-Bluebell ranting.
    The problem is YOU, the forum does not need this useless and negative input in my opinion at least. Do others agree?

    Moderators, please consider banning cctman from this forum.
     
  15. royce6229

    royce6229 Well-Known Member

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    I couldnt agree more, everyone is well aware of certain members feelings towards certain railways, do we really need to be constantly reminded.
     
  16. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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    Hold on a second - you've trawled up a quote from the 28/06/09 - nearly NINE MONTHS AGO!!! I think you might want to withdraw your comments - Chris (cctman) has not been adding 'useless and negative input' - he hasn't said a word!!!


    Keith

    PS: If you are going to call for someone to be banned from the forum, at least have the courage to put your name to your post.
     
  17. domeyhead

    domeyhead Member

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    I regard the Bluebell with a huge amount of affection, admiration at its many achievements and not a little envy at its huge and possibly unequalled preserved railway heritage. But to all the superlatives that I willingly acknowledge there is also some amusement at the snipes, hypersensititivity and perceived victimhood that many of its thin skinned members display at the slightest hint of real or imagined criticism. Almost any thread on any subject concerning the Bluebell rapidly degenerates into internecine bickering at supposed innuendos and implied remarks read by one supporter into another supporter's remarks, and to a detached observer it is invariably very funny. I posted something to this effect previously and there was a resultant mixed reaction ranging from suspicious caution to ".....Is he taking the p*ss?" with nobody quite sure whether to loose off a broadside of righteous indignation in my direction. I could hardly contain myself when I set out to discover this "nakedly hostile anti Bluebell ranting" in a previous post and read what it actually referred to. This is possibly the best so far. The spluttering rage and high blood pressure with which this was penned is almost palpable. Don't stop. Please.
     
  18. cct man

    cct man Part of the furniture

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    Actually that quote Southdowner is nine months old now. May I suggest that when posting something such as this, you post the blurb that goes with it that explains why I said what I did although with hindsight it was not the most sensible thing I have done.

    For the record I have been known as Coalwagon for several months now if you have bothered to check this.

    Shooting oneself in the foot springs to mind here.

    Regards
    Chris Willis
    Mid-Hants Wagon Group and formerly of the Bluebell C&W Dept:
     
  19. southyorkshireman

    southyorkshireman Resident of Nat Pres

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    Right... how about we all move on now, as noted it's an old post

    If you're going to call each other names, get down the playground..... some comments of late are a long way off what I would expect from reasonable people.
     
  20. tamper

    tamper Member

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    They do say "What goes around, comes around".

    The spoil that 136 brought down from Imberhorne tip and was placed in the embankment gap (Horsted side) of Sheriff Mill bridge replaced spoil that was dug out and transported by lorry to form the 'top' car park at Shefield Park.* No spoil was removed from the Ardingly side.

    *Bernard Holden was asked at the Society AGM why this spoil was being removed. He replied that "no suitable spoil or rubble was available localy". The following Monday I arranged for brick rubble to be taken from Haywards Heath to SP rather than all the way to Hastings!!!!
    Whilst everybody was happy with this, I'm afraid I have been in Bernard's bad books ever since!!!
     

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