Bluebell Railway East Grinstead Opening Gala - SPring 2013

Looks a bit iffy for 70000 now. She has been replaced on a CE on the 19th with 60163..................

 

If you are getting your data from uksteam.info, I seem to recall that that change was flagged up quite a number of weeks ago - I don't think it is a recent change connected with the incident on the NNR. So I'm not sure you can read much into it, positive or negative.

Tom

 

What are TOC cards?

In the prices above, "member" refers to members of the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society, naturally enough. We do also, I believe, particpate in the HRA scheme that gives certain travel privileges to working members of other heritage railways, which would be honoured in the normal way.

Worth noting that a single adult membership of the BRPS is £25 - so if you visited for two days of the gala and two other days during the year, you'd be quids in...

Info here: http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/membership.html

Tom

 

33103 is already there, wanting another Crompton is just greedy! ;-)

 

That's where I got the info from. It was updated yesterday. The trip on the 26th March (Newbury - Canterbury) was previously flagged up in this thread, as 60163 has also replaced 70000 on this trip.
Also I would like to apologize for getting your name wrong in my previous post. Sorry Tom.

 

All the more reason to get it done before it happens then!

 

Ah, that (the 26th March) was the trip I was thinking of - I remembered that there had been a change, and assumed it was that one. I must admit I don't keep up withe mainline scene very closely...

As for the name - yes it's Tom, but get's widely mistaken

Tom

 

To get 70000 repaired and back down south for the trip 19th would have been tight, and it was probably saver for 60163 to do the trip. I would not rule out 70000 just yet for the 23rd.

 

Bluebell loco roster has been updated removing the "visitor" column. Doesn't look promising but most likely just playing it safe!

 

The current loco roster is giving, for the opening two days:

A - 1638
B - 92212
C - 323 / B473
D - 178 / 263
Shunt - Baxter
Brakevan Rides - Stepney

Doesn't conclusively prove that 70000 isn't coming; simply that there is basically a contingency plan to run a four train service if it doesn't come. The one certainty, (usual caveats apply...) is that service C - i.e. 323 / B473 - will operate the first down service from EG on the Saturday morning. I assume 92212 will operate the first up service from SP (i.e. the Pullman breakfast train) and presumably 1638 will operate the first public train 45 minutes later. Of course, if 70000 is able to come, that plan will get revised, though I am pretty certain that 323 / B473 will operate the first southbound service whatever happens.

Our four train timetable has trains crossing at SP, HK and KC.

Edit: Tom W beat me to it, more succinctly!

Tom

 

The UK Steam post for the light engine movement has disappeared also!

 

Is the C Class not available? Although looking would be hard to squeeze it in.

Oh well if 70000 doesn't turn up then there's always Giants of Steam for a visitor to turn up.

 

Be a pity of we have no visiting loco to come in for the gala but I'm sure we'll still put on a good show anyway. Wouldn't bank of 70000 for Giants as the Mid-Hants gala is on the same weekend as ours and they've already thrown down the gaunlett by announcing Britannia, Tornado and Braunton as their 3 headline visiting locos. So it'll be interesting to see what visiting locos we'll hire in to counter the punch. But I guess that is for a whole new thread/debate:smile:

 

The C has been out of traffic since before Christmas. The cylinders had worn oval such that she was leaking a lot of steam and not running very efficiently, so she has gone into the works for new liners to be fitted. At the same time, the opportunity has been taken to do some remedial action on the axle boxes and it has also been necessary to build up the valve faces which were severely worn: the current repair to the cylinders will I suspect be the last, and she will almost certainly need new cylinders at her next overhaul.

So at the moment she is in bits in the works and won't be ready for the opening of the extension, but should be back in service by the summer I would have thought.

Tom

 

Not good news since David Randles( UK Steam Info) is also a trustee of the Royal Scot and General Trust and 70000 is one of their locos ( see http://www.royalscot.org.uk/about-the-trust .

 

You forgot to mention that the Crompton is also listed as " ST" - Standby ?

 

I hear 70000 won't be visiting the BB.

 

Bugger!! :-(

 

That's my assumption...

Tom

 

Mischievous I know but imagine the reaction if that ended up doing the morning Pullman...