Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Steam locos like wooden Birthday cakes

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I never did meet a dentist who turned down a piece of cake...
The trick is to eat it all as quickly as possible, and also once you've started eating it doesn't really matter how much you have! (from a dental point of view anyway, not sure an endocrinologist would agree!)

 

I haven't known a Brewers assistant turn down cake either! One of my Chef friends has done some hot cross scones, ordinarily I could get to try them... I'll just have to stay slim instead!

 

did someone mention cake ? I don't know about GWR, or Bluebell , but its uncanny how a box of cakes seems to stop even the most ardent worker in their tracks .

 

I think its a C&W thing, Does the C&W pay you, in Cake then Alex ? perhaps we should start a separate thread, favourite cakes,

 

Doughnuts usually Martin, but the principle is the same!

 

For some reason I've always been under the impression with Fenchurch that it's livery at that time was inauthentic (I'd always assumed it was just a black version of Stepney's). However I bought the Middleton Press Haywards Heath to Seaford book off Amazon last week and I found out it was one of the Newhaven Harbour Company livery's she carried.

 

At different time’s she had black, lined red, with “Fenchurch” on the tanks and then later “Newhaven Harbour Company”. There are photos of both in the “Famous Fenchurch” book produced for her centenary. I believe (but could be wrong) that at one point on the Bluebell, she carried “Fenchurch” on one tank and “Newhaven Harbour Company” on the other (it being impossible to see both at once, of course).

For some reason, the lining always looks more prominent in Bluebell-era photos than it did originally, though at this remove I wouldn’t confidently ascribe that to anything beyond the vagaries of photographic reproduction.

If we get over COVID and hopefully can restore the loco, my hunch would be a desire to see her in improved engine green, but I must admit I do like the NHC livery, and - as the first Terrier to be sold - it would be an interesting historical note to what subsequently became a significant part of the Terrier history.

Tom

 

Thanks Tom very interesting. I've just relooked and I'm slightly mistaken as the picture on the book I mentioned above is the loco unlined but with the name styled as it was during the 80's.

However if all is well post Covid-19 it'll be good to see her back however she looks.

 

Indeed Tom, that is how I remember her in my youth. She had Fenchurch on the LHS and Newhaven Harbiur Company RHS and ran like this from shortly after delivery in 1964 to at least the end of the 1960's.

Peter

 

since preservation has Fenchurch ever ran in anything other than Black, or Marsh umber?

 

Are Taff Vale Railway No. 85 still at Sheffield park or been back to worth valley railway? ??

 

As far as I know it is still at Sheffield Park.

Tom

 

A donation to Bluebell Railways emergency appeal has been send from Norway. With the best wishes for brighter days!

Knut

 

Issue 3 of The Bluebell Times is now live and available for downloading at: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/

In Issue 3:

• Details of the railway’s fundraising strategy
• An update on the emergency appeal
• Branch Line Weekend as imagined by a train guard
• The story behind the special cardboard Edmondson tickets
• The connection between digital election graphics and directing fundraising
• The next instalment of the memories of a wartime evacuee
• An in-depth look at one of our operational locomotives
• A new Word Search and the answer to the previous puzzle
• Guess the Year – plus the answers to the competition in the last issue
• Special kids’ section with puzzles and a story
• And much, much more.

Tom

 

I’m not saying it’s been a long time since I was last at the railway, but I just found this view of us about to go off shed with No. 65 on my last turn ...



Tom

 

Had no idea you had such a fine, respectable mustache Tom...

Nor that No. 65 had such an open cab, must be great for the summer!

 

Even better in mid February.

 

I recently copied one of my early Steam Age Pictures DVDs into the computer, to retrieve the footage of S15 828 with 777 on 1st April 1995. While it was on the hard disc I decided to upload the 3 complete programmes to YouTube. Here's the 2nd one. If you enjoy watching little tank engines scurrying around Sussex, this one's for you. Don't forget to drop a few quid into the Bluebell's appeal afterwards. Thanks.


Branchline Gala, 9th-10th Feb 2002. I forget the reason, but the line between Horstead Keynes and Kingscote (reopened in 1994) was closed during this gala, so only the section between Sheffield Park and Horstead Keynes was in use.

Locomotives featured:
SECR O1 0-6-0, 65
BR 4MT 2-6-4T, 80151
LBSCR E4 0-6-2T, 473 Birch Grove
LBSCR A1X 0-6-0T, 55 Stepney & 672 Fenchurch
LSWR B4 0-4-0T, 96 Normandy

This programme is taken from Steam Age Pictures Volume 2, available on DVD. See www.steamage.co.uk/wp1/?p=452

 

Smokebox wing plates and a rakish cab.....works every time!