Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Public re-opening is August 7th, though there are "ghost" trains before then. Haven't seen the piece, but they may have shown footage from the reopening video, which involved a P class and was filmed back in June.

Tom

 

And there was me thinking they had finally got some decent traction for the line (p tank = pannier tank )

 

We have (p tank = p tank...)

Tom

 

Sounds a bit like a Monty Python election result.

 

Latest Steam Railway is rather Bluebell heavy (can't imagine there's much to write about though!) still some interesting pieces in there, I rather like the piece on the Dukedog.

 

Apparently they couldn't fit everything in this month, so there will be more next. month.

 

As the railway wakes up, there is an infrastructure update on the website, covering completion of the cladding on the OP4 carriage shed at Horsted Keynes, and the work to cast new concrete bridge sections to replace the bridge at Palmers Cattle Creep. (This is on the lower part of Freshfield Bank).

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/inf-news/

Also - look out for issue 10 of The Bluebell Times tomorrow. No SE&CR engine on the cover for those who are counting (@Steve B). Normal service may well be resumed for Issue 11 - the re-opening special!

Tom

 

Yes I agree there was some interesting articles about stuff at the Bluebell, not read it all yet. Nice to see a small Engine like the North London railway locomotive being covered as I didn't know any NLR locomotives had survived. A number of grounded NLR coach bodies survive too.

Are there any plans for this locomotive to be restored to run again any time soon ?

 

Anything to do with the North London tank is in the article.
I did rather like the piece about the Blubells future with the the 3 chairmen of the trust, plc and society.
There seems to be a lot of joined up thinking and an attitude of future proofing the railway so that the next generation that take overaren't asking the question 'why wasn't this done?'
I've paid one visit to the Bluebell, but I really can't wait to go back, it really is a fantastic railway.

 

Anything to do with the North London tank is in the article.
I did rather like the piece about the Bluebells future with the the 3 chairmen of the trust, plc and society, there seems to be a lot of joined up thinking and an attitude of future proofing the railway so that the next generation that take over aren't asking the question 'why wasn't this done?'
I've paid one visit to the Bluebell, but I really can't wait to go back, it really is a fantastic railway.

 

Apologies if it's come up previously, been looking around and struggled to find anything concrete, is there a timetable knocking around anywhere for the new services?

 

Public trains are 11:00 / 13:00 / 15:00 ex-SP and 11:55 / 13;55 / 15:55 ex-Kingscote, non stop in each direction. The members' special on 7 August leaves at 09:00.

Catering services depend a bit day by day, but those running during the day typically timed (from a train timing point of view) with a long layover at Horsted Keynes on the way up, and non-stop coming back. Essentially the catering services start and finish at HK, i.e. they are a HK-KC-SP-HK round trip.

Tom

 

Bluebell times, issue 10. Find out who this edition's cover star is ...

In Issue 10:

• Find out why there’s more to being a Train Guard than waving green flags and blowing whistles
• A closer look at one of our industrial locomotives which featured in the 50th anniversary celebrations
• An explanation of why train crews regard the line as effectively a staircase
• A themed Word Search puzzle to coincide with the 60th anniversary
• New puzzles as well as the regular favourites
• And much, much more.

You can download the latest edition at https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/

Tom

 

We're back in steam!

Just ghost trains today, but Friday it will be for real



Tom

 

And tomorrow C&W re-opens to volunteers so looking forward to my first session next Saturday

David R

 

Webcams, just in time for the re-opening. Launched for August 7.

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/webcams/

Tom

 

Well it's the Bluebell's big day today and I hope it goes well for them. In different circumstances I would have liked to be there to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of my first visit. Aged nine, I was there not only for the reopening day but I travelled on that very first train for invited guests. At the time we lived about five miles away and, as a local MP, my father got an invite to the reopening. It was the only railway event that he ever took me too and it is a day that I'll long remember. I still marvel about how far the railway has come since that hot summers afternoon 60 years ago.

I have no pictures of that day (too young for a camrea) but I found this in a family scrap book a while ago.

Happy Birthday, Bluebell!

Peter

 

A scorcher for a reopening! "
"All windows down,
all cushions hot,
all sense of being in a hurry gone".

All the very best for today.

 

Indeed yes well done Bluebell. My first visit was in 1960 and have been going ever since but not today. I hope all those posting on here are members.