Bluebell 50

Very enjoyable couple of days for me down at the gala...


Pictures of Baxter on the goods... http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/preservedrailwauy/BaxterAtBluebell50#
Pictures from the Lineside... http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/preservedrailwauy/Bluebell50Lineside#
Pictures from around the Stations and Yards... http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/preservedrailwauy/Bluebell50AtTheStations#

 

Through the wonders of technology, I've literally just heard "Stepney" and "Fenchurch" making a spirited departure from Sheffield Park, on the 2205 to Horsted Keynes, courtesy of my brother's mobile phone.

Cheers Andrew! (who's Buddrail on this forum).

Hope all those who attended the event enjoyed themselves. Gutted I'm not there!

Cheers,

Phil (who's currently on Diesel Gala planning duties, outposted in Wales...).

 

You were lucky to get pictures of FR20. I've really struggled and the best I've got are fromthe Mets after it arrived back at Horsted for the night. But I've got later to try and get some more. I also enjoyed the journey up to the tip

Had a new experience yesterday. Going through Sharpthorne tunnel I was sitting in one of the mets with 178 and 592 but the lights never came on so I was pitch black.
The good news was that the re-enactment train left Sheffield Park with the sun out which I just saw leave but got some bad pictures.

I've nearly hit my 200 photo limit on Flickr so Day 2 and 3 may be from photobucket.

Heres Day 1s pictures including some slightly dark pictures from one of the fields of 34059 leaving Horsted. I tried again yesterday with worse results.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47763180@N07/sets/72157624674640990/

Looking forward to the Cavelcade later.

 

Gallery of the the final day of the event now available at:

http://njmphotographic.fotopic.net/c1881498.html


Many highlights from a spectaular day which include double headed terriers Stepney and Fenchurch and Baxter on goods demontration.

Regards, Nick Martin.

 

Today was equally as good as Friday and many thanks to the guys for taking off the "Nettle" nameplates for when 178 double-headed with 592. The triple-headers were something a little different and that Typhoon from the RH&DR has got quite some whistle for such a small loco. Overall a terrific w/e not just lineside photting but also the displays at S.P. and H.K. And as mentioned in my earlier post, the personal favourite from the gala for my Dad and I was seeing that authentic 75G Eastbourne Shed plate for the first time in the display of nameplates/number plates at H.K. 75G shed code plates must be quite rare as by 1954 Eastbourne lost it's shed allocation and became a sub shed of Brighton so we'd love to have known which engine that was taken off of.

 

I had a very enjoyable day yesterday, plenty going on at all stations. A selection of my photo's can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1881545.html

 

Well the Cavalcade was excellent and included (in order) 55,672,178,592,473,1638,34059 (80151 was in steam but for some reason didn't take part in the cavalcade). 957 (Which I believe didn't operate until half way through today as it was covered up Friday and yesterday),Blue Circle and Baxter paraded along the siding in between individual movements before all 7 locos were coupled up and made a few runs through the station before uncoupling to go back onto trains or to Sheffield Park and those 3 also ran along with the main cavalcade. The locos were almost constantly whisting it was great and 957 got a few laughs for its slow speed and its tiny horn compared to the loud whistling of everything else. From the Paddock to the gate before the cottages and Leamland Bridge were packed out.

Overall a fantastic 3 days and an excellent Gala. A great way to celebrate the Bluebells 50th.

Also David I think the Nettle plates were taken off at somepoint yesterday as it had them on in the morning on shed but were gone later that day but personally I don't mind them.

 

Don't often post on here, but just had to say a massive 'thank you' to everyone at the railway for an amazing weekend. I've been a Bluebell member all my life, and I think this was probably the best event I've ever seen staged by the line. All the trains ran on time and smoothly, the 'extras' were brilliant - particular thanks to the guys who were involved in a fascinating tour of the HK sidings/Ardingly branch yesterday, and the cavalcade to top the event off today was amazing. Well done everyone!

There were many highlights, but catching the 9:05pm ex SP, and the following 9:22 ex HK at Tremaines foot-crossing last night is something I'll remember for a long time. Top n'tail Terriers working hard through the dusk. Magic!

 

I too must doff my cap to everyone who put together this fantastic event. Sunday was even better than Saturday with plenty of sun, triple headers and the cavalcade. A massive thank you to all involved.

And now the photo plug.
A set of photos from Saturday (I'll add photos from Sunday probably tomorrow) http://www.flickr.com/photos/spinner673/sets/72157624675269524/
And a video of the cavalcade (I'll be putting up full videos of both days tonight) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIALsAn8SeM

 

And hopefully a nice amount of £££££££'s raised to go towards clearing the tip.:smile:

 

Great stuff I took a video but think its a bit naff and don't have a YouTube account. I was up near the gate at the cottage. As heard in Matts Video thats almost all you could hear at Horsted it was an incredible atmosphere.

Also 34059 looked strange with the vintage stock when it came into Horsted.

Pictures from 7th August (Day 2) http://s818.photobucket.com/albums/...ell Railway 50th Anniversary Gala 7th August/

Pictures from 8th August (Day 3) http://s818.photobucket.com/albums/...ell Railway 50th Anniversary Gala 8th August/

Cavalcade pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/47763180@N07/sets/72157624558103927/

 

I have now uploaded two videos of the weekend's action. Part 1 is Saturday and Part 2 is Sunday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9aZ2c0fsA0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwJXwmQCGDE

More photos to come!

 

Footage of Baxter from Friday and Saturday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qibjJFAyfQ
More video to follow...

 

A couple of videos from the cavalcade on sunday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9hgEoooXdQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLu6XWkTMc

And a few pics aswel...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccajane7777/sets/72157624579878789/

 

Great stuff the station itself looked empty probably as everyone including myself went up to the paddock. I've seen a few vidoes of the cavalcade by someone called JoeS231989 who was just a few places down from me. For those intersested I was a tall youngish lad with glasses and a blue Lonsdale hooded top with jeans and probably a mobile in his hand that I was using for pictures and my video.

The Bluebell site has uploaded the rest of my pictures so thanks there as well as massive thanks for the Gala and I almost appear in a video on there as 80151 comes into Sheffield Park as the Re-enactment train awaits departure. I was going to try and get on that train but as I headed to the footbridge they said it was packed out so I went down to see it depart.

 

A few of mine:









The rest can be found here:

http://kieranhardy.fotopic.net/c1882078.html

Cheers

 

Hey Kieran, like the portrate of Clive Groom and 1638

 

Had a great day at Horstead Keynes on the Saturday, despite the heavy rain showers! Here are my best pics from the day: http://westernbulleid.fotopic.net/c1883082.html

 

My photos from Sunday are on my website. I had a really excellent day!

http://ashleysmith355.fotopic.net/c1868998_15.html

Some of these are now on my flickr website...

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

or for the set

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/4892006050/in/set-72157606616016539/

 

The first part of my video is on Youtube now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zrb7YbBoOY