Bluebell Railway General Discussion

re-posted in the Paignton thread

 

Swanage is one railway that always strikes me has more than usual number of people using it as a "transport" solution, rather than simply an attraction itself. Given the often tortuous road to Swanage in summer, parking at Norden and getting the train isn't a bad option. Certainly you see rather more buckets and spades on the trains in summer than at most heritage railways!

As for the Bluebell, there a certainly a few visitors who use it for shopping at Sainsbury's, judged by the number of shopping bags to be seen on some trains! With a local resident's discount card giving half price travel and free parking at the stations, it's actually vaguely competetive with the cost of driving to EG and parking.

Tom

 

I've just looked at Greenway's post on the P&DR thread. I must admit, when we lived in Sussex, I wish the Spa Valley did something similar in December. We always did our Christmas shopping in Tunbridge Wells, and parking in that town in December can be a nightmare. Fortuantely, we had friends lving in the town who let us park in their drive, but if this had not been the case, I would far rather have driven to Eridge or Groombridge, left the car there and caught the train. There may well be a decent market for transporting Christmas shoppers on certain lines besides the P&DR. If we move back to Sussex, perhaps I ought to suggest to my wife that we do the Christmas shopping in East Grinstead instead if the Bluebell considers putting a "non-Santa" carriage onto one or two trains to tap into this market??

 

Get the Obo and the 09 out to do it, should keep everyone happy then!

 

Many (20-25) years ago my father and I did some walking in the North Yorkshire Moors, we spent 5 days doing the 'inland' portion of the Cleveland way, leaving the car in Helmsley and walking to Saltburn. From there were got the train via Middlesbrough and Grosmont to Pickering and then a bus back to the car.

 

It is not unusual to see what looks liken a week's supply of suitcases on NYMR trains to for from Whitby, principally on Saturdays and clearly going for a bus connection at Pickering to either Malton or York - maybe one or two such parties a week, nothing massive.

There was the occasion when the NYMR ran a joint Middlesbrough - Whitby - Middlesbrough diner with Northern Spirit (as then was), which was the only train into or out of Whitby that November Sunday. Shortly before the return departed Whitby, a young lady appeared with quite a lot of luggage and asked when the 15:20 to Middlesbrough would be in. We pointed at the Steam train, to her surprise. She showed us her Whitby to Glasgow Central ticket, booked in Glasgow Travel Centre, with a reservation on the 15:20 Northern Spirit service to Middlesbrough as the first leg. So, steam to Middlesbrough, diesel to Darlington, electric to Glasgow - not quite what the NYMR's founders expected with the aim of "educating the public in the history and development of railway locomotion" but it will do!

Steven

 

Tom: I know we have discussed this previously, but watching "Downton Abbey" yesterday there was a longish sequence shot at HK, and everything looked right, except for the Queen Mary brake tacked on the end of the Victorian coaches! Tell me again why that is necessary please!

regards

46118

 

Apparently the C&W works diesel shunter was also visible in one shot!

 

A bit like the Volvo in Ben-Hur!!

 

Not really my scene, but AFAIK, the film company ask for what they want and, assuming it is serviceable and, where necessary, makes an appropriate train within our rules (for example, with regard having a brake vehicle, being within the capability of the loco etc) that's what they get. The railway will offer advice where asked about appropriate formations, but ultimately it is down to the the production company. I think the QM brake tends to be popular because the capacity and space helps with carrying auxilliary equipment, especially if there is a need to go to a remote location. That's my understanding anyway, though it's not a part of the railway I am very close to.

Tom

 

Interesting photo on the Bluebell "what's new page" (for September 30th) showing the trestles put in place to receive the bridge spans for use crossing the gap over Station Road at Horsted Keynes, which blocks the way to Ardingly. A photo on the Bluebell Yahoo group shows that the spans turned up today ...

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/whats_new.html

(Not that this means we're immediately heading off westwards; it's simply that the spans were available now).

Tom

 

I take it those who should know are aware of the RAIB report on Balcombe tunnel in light of the works currently being undertaken on the Bluebell.
http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/130815_R132013_Balcombe_Tunnel.pdf

I know it looks like a different design but resin bolts are in use in both.

 

I understand they are fully aware and took appropriate advice at the design stage of the current works. Balcombe is our neck of the woods afterall, so you could hardly not have been aware of the incident when it happened (it was widely reported).

Tom

 

I've caught a train from Douglas to Ronaldsway Halt ( request stop) and then a plane to Birmingham. The train was on time - the plane was 3 hours late.

 

Few photos and a video of the action at Kingscote last Saturday afternoon...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/sets/72157632784810904/

 

Google Earth Update.

I notice the above has been updated to 06/13 and shows the EG extension in detail.

 

Tom: Presumably the metalwork going into the tunnel roof is designed such that it can be periodically removed to inspect the actual brick lining?

 

It looks

Even with the water tower. Hot from the satellite. It would be nice that a few other locations get updated as well.

 

Edit function seems to have died..
The most pleasing bit is seeing the track through the cutting.

 

The track north of the northern bridge does not seem to be connected on those images. Ah, the joys of Google Earth. There is also a double-headed train leaving Kingscote to East Grinstead with a spoil or ballast train hauled by a Diesel loco in the loop at Kingscote.

Christoph