Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Martello most recent trip away from Bressingham was Nene Valley Railway spring steam gala in 2019 she was restricted to Wansford Yard doing brake van rides due to the state of her tyres.

 

Bressingham's worth a visit, I would suggest combining it with some of the other attractions in the area such as The Mid Suffolk, North Norfolk & the East Anglia Transport Museum to make a weekend of it rather than Bressinghm only as it might not fill a day.

 

I was firing W11 that day.
It's quite a walk from the tunnel to HK.
It was the first of my hat-trick of train failed in section. I've done the Fireman's walk, Driver's wait with broken engine and Driver's drive, rescuing. You've got to know your rule book!
I also fired Martello around the big Terrier event in 2006 or 2007. I thought it was a nice engine.
I remember walking out to the long pit, to see a line of Terriers and thinking 'Which one's mine?'.
Good fun.

 

I would assume that it would be Fenchurch, Martello, Newport, Knowle and possibly Sutton, pending completion.

Even Bodiam could be joining the celebrations considering KESR want to have Knowle and Bodiam in service during 2022.

It's effectively a summer Branch Line Weekend.

 

Quoting my own post, photos on Facebook show that it arrived at the Bluebell today:

https://www.facebook.com/Rail.Goods.Division/photos/a.103877534816504/433113098559611/

Tom

 

What happened on the day pls, never heard the tale?

 

Mentioned this on the motive power thread but worth a mention on here - 847 now withdrawn from service.

 

She sounded very poorly indeed at Giants so I'm quite surprised she's limped on this long

 

Nowt more than it's regular 10 year ticket expiring, I trust?

 

8 years in service but mechanical and firebox condition forced it out earlier

 

Cheers. Anything there which wasn't at least half expected at it's last 10-year exam? Given how useful the loco is, I'd imagine it'll be back in steam before old 488!

 

I can't help but wonder if, after all the love, effort and time expended on 563 finally bears fruit, if the Swanage wouldn't one day like to take on the challenges of 488, seeing as the class did actually work the Swanage branch. I have an unpublished photograph of one heading a train north out of Corfe, c.1890-1900 ish.
Just a (heretical) thought, as it really is in permanent limbo at Sheffield Park.

 

Nothing that hasn't been known for a while, but the next overhaul will be large, both boiler and mechanically. Since it is an MLS engine, I suspect they will want to finish "Stowe" first, and then I believe the talk was to look at one of the U-Boats, probably 1618, before any thought of 847 again. That would be my assumption, but I might be wrong. So could be out for some years.

Tom

 

The thought had crossed my mind too. Ownership isn't necessarily irreconcilable with an offsite location .... though I do recall mention that many significant components (beyond "just" the boiler/firebox) of the old loco are very tired indeed.

 

Couldn't by then 30541 be in the pipeline as a "quicker" turn around

 

I'm not sure there is such a thing as a "quick" turn around any more! The scale of work carried out on most locos, even mid-ticket, is staggering. For priorities though, I suspect that given a choice between 541 and 1618, 1618 would be preferred just because it has been out of traffic for longer.

For 847, I think the starting point will be a firebox repair at least equivalent in scope to that carried out on 80151 (i.e. substantially new inner firebox); and new tyres. Then it is just a case of "everything else".

Tom

 

The trouble with doing quicker turn arounds (the easy option) is that, eventually you end up with everything being long turn arounds.

 

The story I'd heard was that the most feasible option was to jack up the numberplates and add a new loco underneath. Mind you, given what the Brighton Atlantic group have achieved, that's no longer as outlandish as it sounds - After all, once you've replaced the boiler, frames, cylinders and wheels, the rest is mostly platework and pipes...

 

The last overhaul of 30541 was for the Bluebell to finance and overhaul, while MLS financed 847. I do not know who is responsible for financing the next overhaul of 30541. 1618 is the next one for the MLS to overhaul after Stowe is complete.
What gets overhauled will depend on funding and with monies being raised for Blackmoor Vale and the 9f they seem more likely once 34059, Stowe and Beachy Head are operational.

 

I think that there's a fundamental flaw in your proposal; the loco doesn't have any numberplates.