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Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Jamessquared, Feb 16, 2013.

  1. AMP

    AMP Member

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    Not all that long ago. 06/06/15 run by UK Railtours. 2 x 73s and a 66.

    Andrew
     
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  2. CH 19

    CH 19 Well-Known Member Friend

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    Thanks for the heads up on that one Tom, l managed to 'cab' a Brush 4 as was and a crompton on the stone train in, ahem, '74 when l was in the box at HH Good excuse to visit sis again;)
     
  3. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    This weekend is the Vintage weekend, with displays of vintage and classic cars, stationary engines, commercial vans, steam road engines and motorbikes at Horsted Keynes Station from 10.30am – 4.30pm each day. See http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/vintage-transport/ for details.

    There will be a minute's silence at both SP and EG at 11am on Saturday, in memory of Bluebell volunteer Simon Brown. The 11am up service from SP and the 10.55am down from EG are both retimed to depart at 11:02, with minor variations on timings at other stations to suit.

    Tom
     
  4. Jason Cottage

    Jason Cottage New Member

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  5. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    amazing progress.
     
  6. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    It was rumoured a while back that the Bluebell were acquiring the WH Smith bookstall from Surbiton. Did this ever happen or was it just a rumour.
     
  7. CH 19

    CH 19 Well-Known Member Friend

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    Last edited: Aug 25, 2016
  8. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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  9. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    From the e-Newsletter:

    CAR 54 ENTERS C&W

    Pullman Car 54 has now entered the Carriage & Wagon Workshops at Horsted Keynes, initially for an in-depth study of its condition, and to enable the project plan for its restoration to be drawn up. More than half of the funding is already in place for the project, without call on the company's resources.

    To minimise the impact on the work of the department, the plan is to employ a specific team to undertake the work, including a project manager and team leader, and discussions are in hand with a number of individuals potentially interested in being involved.

    Part of the funding, from the Department for Transport Heritage Rail Innovation Awards, covers adapting the brake entrance and saloon to enable wheelchair access to our Pullman dining train.

    Car 54 is one of a relatively small number of Pullmans built by Claytons at Abbey Works, Lincoln. It was one of a pair of third class kitchen cars built in July 1923, notably the first of the long line of "K-type" Pullmans, on steel underframes with four-wheel bogies, rather than the earlier wooden underframes with six-wheel bogies.

    This car was built for use on the Great Eastern, with very small tables, not intended for full meal service. Consequently the spacing of the windows proved problematic when rebuilt in 1937 as a brake parlour car, resulting in an awkward internal seat layout. As a result, reconstructing the body sides is being considered, to provide a conventional seating layout with seats aligned to the window openings, the modular construction of the body-side facilitating such alterations.

    The car ran on the Southern Region as part of the Devon Belle, ending its days in a spare set to cover for maintenance of the diesel "Blue Pullman." On withdrawal it moved first to the Dart Valley Railway and then to the Birmingham Railway Museum in 1970.

    Car 54 subsequently found its way to Carnforth, where it was stripped in preparation for restoration to traffic for the VSOE (Orient Express). It was laid aside, however, offered for sale, and was purchased in 1984 by a member of the Horsted Keynes Pullman Car Group.

    By Richard Salmon
     
  10. Just don't stick it on a Mk1 underframe and put whacking great big headlights in the ends!
     
  11. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Tom: With the drainage work progressing in the new carriage storage shed, is it possible that ballast and track might be laid before the winter to house some of the stored vehicles?
    Is there some scrap track waiting in the wings for this purpose?

    46118
     
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I'm not very close to the project, but in the OP4 update linked above, there is reference to some track renewal taking place over the winter; and my assumption is that the track for the carriage shed will come from that released from that work. So my assumption is that it will be next spring before there is the opportunity to lay ballast and track in the storage part of the new shed. From photos and personal observation, the maintenance road has had track in situ for a while and appears to have been in fairly intensive use all through the summer.

    Tom
     
  13. Phil-d259

    Phil-d259 Member

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    That would be because the shed was erected over the existing maintenance road - the maintenance road has been there for donkeys years, although I'm sure C&W now appreciate it having a roof!

    The recent news releases to members make it reasonably clear that further work on OP4 has had to be postponed in favour of essential track repairs to the mainline which will be occupying both money and manpower that was originally planned to be used to help complete OP4.
     
  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Quick note to say the goods train will be out on Saturday morning with one round trip HK - KC - SP - HK, after which it becomes the Wealden Rambler engine.

    Motive power for the weekend is (usual caveats apply):

    Saturday
    263 (A)
    847 (B / Evening Golden Arrow)
    592 (Goods / WR)

    Sunday
    263 (A)
    847 (B)
    592 (Lunchtime Golden Arrow)
    73082 (Special)
    323 (Pilot)

    Five in steam for a regular Autumn weekend :)

    Tom
     
  15. Matt35027

    Matt35027 Well-Known Member

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    Just a short question, if I may, Tom. Why is 323 used on pilot duty in preference to Baxter?
     
  16. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    It's not universal - sometimes Baxter gets used, though Bluebell is more common. During the carriage warming season (which really means late September to about April) 323 is better as it can steam heat stock, meaning the service engine can come off shed a bit later. Additionally, when the Sunday lunchtime arrow runs, the second half trip to HK has a quick turnaround at HK, and so it has become customary for the pilot to go up on the back so there is no delay by having to run round. 323 is preferred for that task as it is a better engine for going up the line at line speed. Normally if Baxter is the pilot, it tends not to do the half trip and the crew of the train engine have to do a quick run round at HK and shunt their own stock at the end of the afternoon. Though just to torpedo that theory, 323 is rostered pilot this Sunday but doesn't go up to HK!

    Tom
     
  17. Matt35027

    Matt35027 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Tom, the P's are still proving themselves to be very useful. Is there a timescale of when 178 might get a new cylinder block so she can share these duties with 323?
     
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The small locos are definitely still useful (and fun!). Bluebell will have a high traffic period coming up during October with the Autumn Tints service.

    As for cylinders, I think the plan is to order a set in conjunction with an order for No. 27, for which fundraising is underway - see http://wainrightsfinestsecr27.blogspot.co.uk

    Tom
     
  19. 73082

    73082 Member

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    Are there times available for Camelot's special?
     
  20. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Looks like it does one round trip, 11.35 ex SP and 12.35 ex EG.

    Tom
     
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