Bluebell Railway - Giants of steam 2018

On the 12th-14th October, the bluebell railway will hold yet another 'Giants Of Steam'.

Confirmed visitors:
- LNER A4 No. 60009 "Union of south africa"
- LNER B1 No. 61306 "Mayflower"


More info: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/autumn-steam-gala/

 

October seems a long way off but this should be something to look forward to. Good choice of visitors. If they can pull off a third, even better. I'd like to see a Bulleid, preferably one like 35006 or 34053 that hasn't been on the line before. Otherwise Ollie Cromwell or the blue King would go down well - here's hoping!

Not too many of the Bluebell home fleet can be described as "giants of steam" at the moment. I guess they will wheel out 73082, 847 and maybe 30541

 

I would have thought that the other visitor may be 60163 as she has an empty schedule in October now that the luxury Golden Eagle excursion has been cancelled.
It would also make up for her missing the planned Tornado event in May.

 

The Bluebell has tried, unsuccessfully for a Brit twice now since Giants of Steam returned to the calendar. I agree with you - 70013 (or indeed 70000) would go down well. Not so sure about 6023 for the usual reason - gauging problems. I was informed by a Bluebell staff member who seemed pretty knowledgeable that a "5013" series Castle would fit but not a "4073" series. Goodness knows how anyone has worked this out as, to my knowledge, there has never been any plan to bring a Castle of any type to the line, but if some Castles would be problematical, the issues for a King, even with cut-down boiler mountings, are likely to be far greater.

If my source was not accurate (or perhaps teasing a rather gullible enquirer!) then yes, 6023 would be very welcome.

 

AFAIK, it will be the two visitors announced for Giants of Steam - nothing else planned.

The date for Tornado returning will be in the next issue of Bluebell News, so I won’t say until that hits doormats, but the plan isn’t October. There will also be some hints about visitors for next year’s Branch Line Gala and GoS in Bluebell News, though as always, the further away you get, the more caveats there are around such proposals.


Tom

 

Oh well we can stop speculating then! Actually the Bluebell website mentions only the 2 visitors so I don't know where the original poster got information about a third one from.

 

I was speaking to someone at the moors valley gala who also volunteers at the bluebell, he mentioned a third visitor. :/

 

Tom is fairly close to the action, although I'm sure he would be the last person to claim absolute infallibility!

Realistically, given the operational constraints of the Bluebell, five locos (plus shunting engine at SP) and four sets of stock is about the limit for a gala. If a third visitor turns up, fine, but the thought of, say 61306 on the Mets + GNR director's saloon, 847 on the six-coach SR olive green set and 60009 + any combination of 73082, 30541 and 80151 sharing two sets of Mk1/Bulleid /Pullman carriages is quite sufficient for me.

 

Is 80151 likely to be back by then? It would be good if it was. I remember it making its debut at a Giants of Steam gala

 

With the latest delays to Mayflower's return I must say I am sceptical if Carnforth can have it ready for this event..

 

Thanks for the update. The Bluebell website GoS page did mention that there was a third visitor to be announced when I first looked at it. It has been changed now to just 60009 & 61306. I am really looking forward to this event. I do wonder if the B1 will be ready in time though. It seems to have fallen into a black hole for this overhaul.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

Having published the webpage I’m not sure where you read that. There has never been a plan for a third visitor.

 

Timetable with loco workings is now available here:

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/autumn-steam-gala/

Six engines in steam on the Saturday and Sunday (five on Friday).

Tom

 

Thanks for that info Tom.
It looks like being a good gala.

 

It says in Steam Railway that each round trip 60009 hauls will be run with a headboard from a different East Coast Main Line Express, each of which will run non stop both ways.

On the Friday it will carry The Aberdonian, The Elizabethan and Flying Scotsman headboards.

On the Saturday it will carry The Night Scotsman, The Heart of Midlothian and The North Briton headboards

On the Sunday it will carry The Queen of Scots, The Talisman and The Waverley headboards.

 

I hate to be the voice of concern in all of this, but with just over a month to go, as far as I can recall there is STILL no sign of Mayflower. Have the Bluebell had any updates as to whether it will be ready?

 

And with it's planned trips with Flying Scotsman in early October surley we should be seeing signs of test runs if it is going to make any of these dates.

 

I'm booked on the SD trip from Sheffield Park the week after Giants as well as going to the event, so I wonder, if 61306 needs replacing whether it'd be with another mainliner that would cover the tour the following week.

 

So far Steam Dreams have just cancelled any trip that she was due to be on, but couldn't make. I was meant to be on one in July, but that got canned.

 

Quick question - will 60009 only be there for the gala?