Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Well, you learn something every day! Do you have a source? I don't think I've ever heard anyone say the name out loud.

Tom

 

Annoyingly, I can't now find the book in which I read it. All I can tell you off the top of my head is that the source is a thin, pamphlet-style history of the SKLR published some time in the late Sixties or early Seventies.

 

I also thought it was "Pioneer the Second" but probably only on the basis that, say Elizabeth II is "Elizabeth the Second" rather than "Elizabeth Two." However, like you, I don't recall ever hearing anyone pronounce 178's name.

On a different note, I've just started a long overdue sort out of numerous train magazines, and it was rather strange looking through various periodicals from about 12-18 months ago and seeing all those pictures of the tip being excavated. It seems ages ago since I (and no doubt. many others) were following Robert Philpot and John Sandys' blogs almost daily to see if the March reopening deadline would be met. How time flies!

 

I remember seeing her at Sittingbourne (already withdrawn) and then again after arrival at Sheffield Park, and it was always at both places referred to as "Pioneer the Second". When we saw her at Sittingbourne there was the hope that she might be preserved, but with 2 Ps on the Bluebell already (and both active at the time) we didn't think she'd end up there. Great to see her restored and looking so good.

Steve B

 

For anyone interested, some photos (not mine) of the work on Freshfield Bank. For orientation, the first one is looking south; the down distant signal is visible in the middle distance before the track curves round to the right past Ketches Halt.

http://riff-raff.org/photos/v/Mlawrence/2014-01/DSCN2852.jpg.html

Also, it appears there is a rather a lot of flooding (of the roads) in and around East Grinstead. Worth checking the travel updates if you are planning to visit this weekend (which is the HK - EG DMU service), especially if coming from the north. When I checked earlier this afternoon, the roads from the south looked OK, but obviously worth checking before travelling. There is an Environment Agency flood warning on the River Ouse at Sheffield Park at the moment, but that is thought likely to peak and start going down overnight.

Tom

 

The A22 is closed between the A25 at Godstone and Tilburstow Hill Road Blindley Heath due to flooding , but Tilburstow Hill Road between Godstone and Blindley Heath is open ( I used this morning and this afternoon).http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...one,+Surrey,+RH9&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf
is open

 

I'd be interested to hear from Tom how well the first weekend of the DMU service was patronised, and what feedback was recevied from the public.

Although I am a supporter of the Bluebell's "100% steam for timetabled trains unless there is an emergency" policy, I think that in this instance, the powers that be have made the right decision. The work on the points south of HK and on Freshfield Bank needs to be done, and the only 3 options were (1) run no trains for 4 weeks (2) base a steam loco at HK and (3) hire in some form of diesel traction. Option (1) would have been a bit defeatist, as the EG extension is still generating so much extra traffic and option (2) has been tried before and was not a great success as the facilities are inadequate. I guess that as the DMMUs do give a good front view forward of the line, it is at least a chance to offer something different and probably a one-off, if not quite the usual steam traction which draws people to the Bluebell.

I know that there are some diesel enthusiasts who are very picky and tend only to travel behind their one favourite class (Deltics, Westerns, 50s being the most likely candidates here) but are there any dyed-in-the wool DMMU fans who travel the length and breadth of the country for a ride in one of these? I guess we'll find out, as the Bluebell is certainly pretty rare mileage if this type of enthusiast does exist.

 

Photos of the works being carried out on Freshfield Bank can be found at http://riff-raff.org/photos/v/Mlawrence/2014-01/

 

I haven't heard anything official. Certainly Saturday was busy, but I think that included a coach load of people from the owning group so isn't exactly "typical" usage. Still, passengers are passengers, and hopefully they liked what they saw! I was surprised yesterday at just how busy the Bessemer Arms was. I don't know if it represented people who had travelled down by the connecting bus, or had just turned up on spec, but whoever they were, all the tables were occupied at lunchtime, which really surprised me.

I'm sure in due course some figures will be published. Meanwhile, work on Freshfield Bank goes on, helped by some good weather yesterday. I gather that work is going well against the planned schedule.

And finally - not my photo, but the Grinsteade Buffet has a new attraction to look at while having your cake and coffee - a new lake… http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/sets/72157639860248654/

Tom

 

That's encouraging, Tom.The Bluebell Website suggested that the trains were reasonably well patronised, but not overcrowded. It will be interesting to see how subsequebnt weekends go. Glad that the engineering programme is going well. A bit more dry weather wouldn't go amiss!

 

I've been thinking of asking this question for a while, so forgive me if I did and have forgotten!

I know the DMU hasn't come far and hence was probably a day's work for one trailer to bring both halves in succession, but isn't the transport and hire for the unit going to be rather more than could hope to be recovered from 3 (maybe 4) weekends use?

Is it viewed as a bit of a "loss leader" to test the market for non-steam services?

Thanks

Steven

 

I' be surprised if it is possible to do two return trips from deepest Derbyshire to deepest Sussex, including loading and unloading, in a day.

 

You have the advantage of knowing who the haulier was but there was presumably quite a bit of flexibility in when the move took place, so it may have been worked around a rig being in the area. I was looking at minimum possible cost as the basis of whether the return could cover costs, not maximum.

Steven

 

You and me both!

Entirely speculation on my part, but I suspect it is not so much a loss-leader to test the waters about diesel traction; more about ensuring there is a service every weekend to East Grinstead. I think it is considered psychologically important that, having battled long and hard to get there, we don't stop running to EG even for a few weekends, especially as historically we have always been a "52 weekends a year" railway.

Out of interest, how many other railways run every weekend? I know even some of the big players have a closure between January and about the February half term. Which must put dents in the cashflow, but on the other hand, gives valuable time to catch up with maintenance work, especially p/way. I suspect the right answer probably depends a bit on your core market. We seem to be a line that gets a relatively steady flow at any time, so a mid-winter shut down is probably a very different proposition from, say, Swanage or the WSR that I suspect are much more closely tied to the beach season, i.e. have bigger peaks and troughs. But that again is speculation by me...

Tom

 

Fag packet calculation:
2 vehicles both ways at (say) £2K/journey = £8,000
Hire fees at (say) £800/day over 8 days = £6,400
Fuel (say) £500
Total about £14,900. Total number of return trains operated (5/day) = 40
Cost/train = £14,900/40 = £372.50
If I've read the BB's website correctly, an adult return fare HK-EG is £14 so that equates to about 26 adults/train. Not unachievable.

OK, all the figures are my guesses and could be way off the mark. There are no doubt 'incidentals' which could add up.

 

The GC runs every weekend. Like everyone else, in the run up to Christmas they major on Santa of course. The ELR also runs every weekend.

 

GWSR has it's close season from just after new year until when the races start mid March, we also get almost all of november off apart from a couple of race days. this year, p'way are replacing some track around hailes I think and possibly somewhere else too, and if they get that finished in time (what time?) they might be laying some track up to the first bridge, who's repairs have now begun looking at the boardroom blog. the SVR shuts I think during a similar period for the same reasons, it makes sense to, I don't know how we'd manage otherwise. eg. the two coaches we are currently doing are 2 fairly essential ones from the maroon rake, the brake coach and the buffet, if it were any others we could take them out during normal operating.

 

Steve,

I think your £800 pd hire fee is a bit on the high side....I would think that £400 pd would be nearer the mark....and even thats on the high side...

 

I thought it might be but I'd really no idea of the going rate for any diesel and went high on the principle that it could equal a loco and costs are much higher in the prosperous south! Makes the break even a better bet, then.

 

146 visitors on Saturday, and 119 on Sunday. Great feedback from enthusiast visitors, especially those from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, who tell us they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. One came down from Aberdeen! Not many "public" though; pretty much all enthusiasts! In terms of finances, it's not just about the fares, but the spend in the shop and restaurants as well. Certainly the Buffet at Horsted Keynes was very busy.
So not huge numbers (compared to the previous weekend when we had well-filled 4-coach train running over the whole line behind the H-class), but much better than the first weekend in January when we were operating steam, but restricted to Sheffield Park to Horsted Keynes due to the landslips, when I don't think we even covered the cost of the coal burnt by the single engine in steam!

Details and timetable for the next three weekends available at:
http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/diesel-service/

Fares in force are our 2013 fares, with the addition that the EG/HK return fare (£13.50 for adult) will give all-day travel on the train. To also travel on the Bus to/from Sheffield Park, you can either purchase an all line (SP-EG) ticket, or it's £2.50 single or return for adults.
£2 discount if you book the Bluebell Bonus, 8 days in advance.
Call 01825 720800 in office hours.
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway members will be offered the same heavily discounted fares as annual Bluebell Members.