Bluebell Railway General Discussion

I see 35028 Clan Line has moved to the Bluebell Railway to use the wheel drop facility for bogie maintenance. It won't be used on any trains while on the railway.

Regards,

Dan

 

A superb picture, well worth repeating here, of a 5-year old 80151 on shed at Brighton in September 1962:
(Charlie Verrall)

 

That information took longer to get out than I was expecting

 

There’s a message on the MNLPS Facebook page to say that Clan Line will be on display at Sheffield Park today and tomorrow.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=643271049415219&id=183097122099283

Tom

 

35028 booked to work 14.30 from Sheffield Park this afternoon, according to Bluebell website.

 

If that’s true it will be a first for Clan Line. I don’t think it’s ever worked a train on a preserved line. It may be they are using that as a test run before it goes home tomorrow. 20.21 off East Grinstead

 

It has worked at a Mid Hants gala, March 2014 IIRC.

 

Thanks, I knew if I was wrong someone would know

 

Here it is at Bishops Sutton

Merchant Navy in the gloom by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Definitely happening - confirmed on the MNLPS and Bluebell Facebook feeds. 2:30 service today from Sheffield Park.

Tom

 

Good to see that 35028 is hauling a train during its stopover.

Also with 21C123 at Horsted we have a mini Longmoor reunion of sorts with 35028. Part of me hope's that she visits for the 60th Anniversary gala next year. Didn't she have work done at the MHR one time then visited for the Spring Gala in 2014 a short while after?

 

A heads up for the "See behind the Steam" weekend, 14-15 September:

See https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/see-behind-the-steam-2019-shareholders-weekend/ Normal ticket prices apply (£16 in advance/ £19 on the day).

Confirmed talks and tours include:

Sheffield Park Station

• Station tours, including Station House, at 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm
• Carriage shed tours at 12:30pm and 2:30pm
• Pullman and Wealden Rambler kitchen car tours. The Golden Arrow tours will take place at 11am, 12pm and 2pm on Saturday 14th September. The Wealden Rambler tours will take place at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm on Sunday 15th September
• Membership and volunteer stands
• The museum and SteamWorks! will be open

Horsted Keynes Station

• Station tours
• Brake van rides, hauled by steam locomotive 178
• Talks about the new undercover carriage shed (OP4)

Carriage and Wagon
The events at Carriage and Wagon will consist of tours of the works and presentations on restorations, covering Pullman Car 54, upholstering and LBSCR carriage ‘Betty’.

Tours and demos will take place at the following times:

• 11:15am
• 12:30pm
• 1:45pm
• 3pm

Kingscote

• Talk on the station and a tour of the signalbox. Tours will be taking place at 11:20am, 12:35pm, 1:50pm and 3:05pm. Please note access to the signalbox is via steep steps and is not accessible for wheelchairs.
• Friends of Kingscote talk (Saturday only).

Full programme and further details to be announced soon.​

Tom

 

Some long overdue shots of my visit to the railway at the end of August, when 847 and "Camelot" were on the service trains...



847 hauls Set A out of Newick Siding...


...and departs for East Grinstead with the first train of the day:


"Camelot" steams away from Sheffield Park...


...and is later seen leaving Horsted Keynes:


And the S15 cruises past Birch Farm:

 

I see three plc directors have gone wef the same day. Anything up?

 

The latest Bluebell News certainly suggested some disquiet about the management of the railway, reflected in news of upcoming departures and comment in both the editorial and letters page.. As a (non-working) member who only visits the railway once or twice a year, I hope all is well!

 

Infrastructure news update, covering further work in the Horsted Keynes down yard in connection with teh remodelling there.

https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/inf_news.html

For orientation, there is a track plan of the new yard layout further down the same page. The point being worked on is the one labelled "LH C9" on the yard plan, just south of the yard entrance, that forms half a crossover with the adjacent tandem point.

Tom

 

Not just the WSR then

 

This is all recent news, the WSR troubles have been rambling on for a number of years now.

 

For those who go to East Grinstead by rail, just seen on latest newsletter that the Bluebell is now included in the 2 for the price of 1 scheme (except at special events) if you can present a valid National Rail ticket : https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats-on/special-offers/. A voucher is required which can be downloaded here or is in the 2 for 1 leaflet.

 

From the e-Newsletter:

Car 54 Takes to the Air Again

Earlier this week, Pullman Car 54 was shunted out of the carriage shed and on to E road in the maintenance area. It has been lifted on the jacks again for the brakes to be worked out. Retired Carriage & Wagon fitter Robert Parker has volunteered to undertake the task of designing and drawing the revised braking system.

Attention in the works recently has focused on fitting the southern gangway faceplate and the buffers, with help given by the Alf Brown Group, for which we are very grateful.

Meanwhile work still progresses on the interior. The opportunity has also been taken to work out the positions of the wheelchair lifts in the double doorways and ascertain where and how they can be securely bolted down to the underframe.

The relocation of the Pullman is only temporary as it is due to be shunted back into the works week commencing 14 Oct., 2019.

By Sheina Foulkes, Supervisor, Carriage & Wagon Department​