Flying Scotsman at the Bluebell Railway: 13 - 19 April 2017

Bluebell must either have some very good friends high up, or there's a particular need to carry out extensive gauging work on the particular route that this loco is taking to get there. Photos available seem to indicate an awful lot of resource being used. I'm sure that Network Rail should have greater priorities!!

 

The embankment behind the down platform at Dormans has been moving and the work on the down platform would have been required before it affected the service trains.

 

As at 9.22AM this morning, Monday 20th, there are only 18 tickets available in total for all trains during the seven-day visit. Amazing....

 

That was my take as well - I think it is work that was probably already planned, but maybe just the order shuffled to bring it forward a bit. But ultimately it would have had to have been done in the not too distant future anyway in order to keep the commuter service running.

Tom

 

Has been reported previously that rail and/or ground/infrastructure movement at Dormans has been closing the gap on all stock so work to restore clearances would have had to be done anyway.

 

Beaten to it!!!

 

Down to 13 tickets now ...

Just for clarity, it is the tickets for travel behind "Flying Scotsman" that are nearly sold out. Tickets for travel on the other service trains for each day are due to go on sale next Monday, from the same website.

Tom

 

I may be reading this wrong but this sounds to me like people outside the Bluebell getting angsty about Scotsman passing through on the way. Which I would assume means Southern, which would be enormously short-sighted of them given the potential for vastly increased ticket sales themselves. Mind you, they don't appear to be a company blessed with sound judgement.

 

I didn't read it like that. I think it was more about the fact that, as I recall, there had been comment in both the main monthly magazines about gauging issues - and no doubt in various online locations - but the issue was in hand.

Tom

 

There's a lot of flak being aimed at 60103 on at least one Facebook page. Some people, past and present railwaymen included, seem to thing the work is being done for the loco alone. Happily there are those in the know who have countered these wild ramblings.

 

Only 1 ticket left.

 

I don't think I've seen a case of so many people who are supposedly interested in railways and railway preservation get so unnecessarily angry about something as some people seem to do with Scotsman.

 

Not any more - looks like the FS trains are sold out.

Tom

 

I quite agree. True, the overhaul cost a massive amount of money; true, some people would prefer an apple green 4472 to BR green 60103; true, the loco has acquired almost rock-star status with almost the same level of accompanying hysteria, but none of these points remotely justify such vitriol. It's the sole survivor of a great class with a distinguished working career, To put it simply, what is there to dislike about Flying Scotsman? I can't think of anything.

 

Further to my post copy above, Steam Railway states "at the same time part of the up platform, which had been skewed due to a partial collapse, was repaired.

 

Plus, even if you're an LNER-phobe who hates BR green and despises other people, at least there is a likelihood that it going to the likes of the Severn Valley, Bluebell, WSR etc. will lead to the faster returns of other machines more to your tastes. Money's money in anyone's language.

 

I see on the website it says that BRPS members are not only not allowed a discount on FS hauled trains but also only have until today to book for the normal service trains at a members' discount. Seems a bit harsh. One reason I joined the BRPS recently was that it offered discount for galas which the local residents railcard doesn't. I appreciate this isn't a regular gala and am not that interested in FS anyway but it would be good to know exactly what events members can enjoy a discount for.

Are you planning to install ticket sales staff on the public foot crossings and overbridges that weekend too?

 

I see on the website it says that BRPS members are not only not allowed a discount on FS hauled trains but also only have until today to book for the normal service trains at a members' discount. Seems a bit harsh. One reason I joined the BRPS recently was that it offered discount for galas which the local residents railcard doesn't. I appreciate this isn't a regular gala and am not that interested in FS anyway but it would be good to know exactly what events members can enjoy a discount for.

Are you planning to install ticket sales staff on the public foot crossings and overbridges that weekend too? Hope I won't have to pay to ride my bike down Station Approach in Sharpthorne

 

The general principal seems to be that BRPS members get a discount on anything that doesn't require a reservation, but not on things that have limited, pre-booked seats. So apart from normal running days, you also get a discount at galas but not on, say, Santa Specials.

In the case of the Flying Scotsman event, trains behind FS itself are all pre-booked with allocated seats, so no member discount; but the other service trains on the day are have unreserved seating so there is a member discount available.

Tom