Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Getting on for 10 months then.
It would be ideal as a Wareham-Norden shuttle.

 

Out of curiosity - if it did go to the Swanage Railway, where would it be stored? Presumably outside … It's not like undercover storage grows on trees, at Swanage or the Bluebell - or Clapham Junction, for that matter.

Tom

 

Unfortunately not ideal....no heating.....also needs quite a bit of TLC

 

Not much chance of it coming to Swanage

 

I'm sure that's true - simply pointing out that if someone is going to moan about the VEP being kept outside, it hardly makes logical sense to suggest it would be better stored somewhere else outside!

Tom

 

I'm not moaning about it being stored outside, I just wish it would be used.
Left unused, it will get damp, rusty etc. At least being used, parts will keep moving, grease will be appplied, airflow will deter mold.

If it's not going to be used, then the yard at Clapham is as good a place as anywhere, at least it is relatively secure.
But really, isn't there anywhere in the heritage world that could use a fixed rake of 4 mk1s behind an airbraked loco? What would it need to run push-pull?

 

A lot of electrical work. Similar had been mentioned in a thread on WNXX about converting the 3CEP for sale at Epping.

 

Whatever the rights and wrongs I am pretty sure the long term future for that VEP is razorblades. There is nowhere it will be provided with long term covered accommodation and no team is mysteriously to give it a full overhaul to stop the leaks in the sidelights and gutters. To sort the bodywork out properly will take a large team with a good workshop, deep funds and lots of time. That doesn't even start to look at the traction and electrical side of it. Lots of doors equals major work and major expenditure. Ask the bods who worked on the Kings Cross coaches in early 80s and eventually gave up. Horrible things to repair.

There are far more appropriate vehicles for the Bluebell C&W to spend time on than that damn thing. I can see that it will deteriorate further and further with leaking lights, mould and corrosion until it hits the point of no return. Then it will be a one way trip to the squashulator after the Brighton Belle lot have had the bits they want.

Four Maunsells restored and running in olive green or that draughty uncomfortable old money pit that doesn't fit into the collection? I know what I would rather see.

 

While the VEP may be stored outdoors and not used, at least people are looking after it

https://twitter.com/Gordon_3417

http://www.setg.org.uk/

 

For me (and possibly others I would imagine) there is little appeal in travelling on the VEP or other Electric/Diesel multiple units hence there is always going to be less spent on them and less interest maintaining them.

Why would I drive all the way to the Bluebell to go on one when I can walk to the 'big railway' station and travel on something that for most peoples perceptions is largely the same, and go to more or less anywhere in the country?!

To me the future also sounds like razorblades, or maybe toasters?

 

In 1930s thats probably what people thought of the Maunsell stock and in the 1950s MK1 and Derby Lightweights. ~Its a bit like cars - todays banger becomes tomorows clasic

 

Yes, though for me there is also the question of USP - the Mark 1s may now be over fifty years old, but they don't differentiate us from most other preserved railways in the same way that vintage (pre-BR) carriages do. How prevalent that view is amongst the general non-enthusiast community, I don't know.

Plus - the Maunsells are way more comfortable!

Tom

 

I agree, It could be something lost for the future but the problem is that they are too close to being 'ordinary' at the moment hence the lack of interest!

Maybe the heritage movement needs to collectively rent a few massive units at a handful of locations round the country to hide look after all the ageing stock that is lying about.........Regional storage depot anyone?

Chris

 

So if we're not going to see the the Ardingly Branch electrified for a while, how will it work operationally? As surely the one loco in steam system used for a fair portion of the year would be very difficult, trains running "Sheffield Park-Horsted-Kingscote-East Grinstead-Kingscote-Horsted-Ardingly(possible-Hayward Heath-Ardingly eventually)-Horsted-Sheffield Park" would create a massive gap between services at Sheffield Park. So would the branch be the preserve of weekend only tank locomotive running? Could we see a DMU appear to make the branch economically viable? And if Haywards Heath was reached, could we see the main line being from there to East Grinstead, with Horsted to Sheffield Park becoming a branch?

 

Unlikely since the main refreshment facilities and shop are at Sheffield Park. See also post 639.

 

Well, firstly it is probably at least a decade before we get to Ardingly, so plenty of time for service planning!

However, this is my guess at what might work:

Firstly, lets assume that we get as far as Ardingly, with or without an end-on connection to the mainline. Ardingly would be pretty much a dead end in itself (maybe a nice jumping off place for walkers).

In that case, it would take about 50 minutes to do a round trip from HK - Ardingly and back. (10 minutes each way, 15 to run round at each end). I'd assume we would by then have a water supply at HK accessible from platform 2 at least. So with a 75 minute service on the "mainline", I'd assume an Ardingly service departing once the two main service trains had departed north and south, and it would be back just before the next down train arrived.

That would give basically a branch line service in between the main service trains. I'd imagine the carriages would stay overnight at HK, and there would be a light engine move at each end of the day - maybe on the back of the first up and last down services. Probably the preserve of class 0 locos and a couple of bogie or a few four-wheel carriages.

At a guess, I'd imagine we'd run the service at weekends, but not midweek (except maybe in School holidays, when we run a two-train service).

If we get to Haywards Heath - who knows: it would depend crucially what running powers we had etc. One possibility might be a DMU HH-Ardingly shuttle to connect with a steam service Ardingly-HK as described above, with maybe a through HH - HK service using a DMU mid-week. But really - that's a long way off!

As Paul mentions, the one thing I can't imagine is making HH - EG the mainline and SP - HK the branch, for the simple reason that all our main facilities (especially restaurant and shop!) are at SP.

My opinion, as always.

Tom

 

It's a good job the pioneers at Bluebell didn't think like that in the late 50s when saving steam locos just like those running all over the mainline.

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2

 

Except joe public can tell a steam engine from a diesel or electric. Most are not that interested in the fact that an emu is 50 plus years old. It's a shame but it is one reason why so many were turned into razor blades even after being given for free.

 

Must confess I am normally one of those people, although I am coming to terms with them, as long as they are still in green and preferably with whiskers on if applicable then I can just about cope lol.

 

Could I add no yelllow ends , no red roller blinds, no two tones but with s proper brass whistle