Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Loco roster shows 263 working on the Golden Arrow Luncheon Trains next week. The final workings of its current ticket. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/locomotive-roster/

 

On the eve of re-opening for the 2022 season, there’s a packed issue of The Bluebell Times to enjoy.

In this issue:

• An update on the first volunteer workshop – with two more opportunities to attend
• How our South Eastern survivor traces its roots back to Glasgow
• The Heritage Skills Centre section of OP4 is open – find out how the project started and raised the all-important funds
• Workshop progress on ‘Fenchurch’ and our historic wagon fleet
• More historic photos added to the museum website – and a promise of another trove to come.

The Bluebell Times is published monthly on the second Friday of every month. The next issue is due out on Friday 11 March.

You can download the latest edition using the link below.

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

Tom

 

Is there any plans to restore LDCR 48, the six wheeled Brake 2nd, within the foreseeable future? Quite an interesting vehicle as it still has its orginal (wooden!) underframe and running gear.

 

I don't know the plan for carriages (I'm only an observer in such things) but it doesn't seem to be one that gets specifically mentioned, so I doubt it is imminently going to make a move into the works. As you say though, a very interesting vehicle and it would complete a four coach LCDR set.

Tom

 

Just heard that the Bluebell is shut tomorrow (Friday 18 February) due to the impending Storm Eunice and Met Office advice to avoid unnecessary travel.

Tom

 

An infrastructure update, covering a number of separate projects:

• Tamping of the newly laid track in Lindfield Wood
• A replacement point for Sheffield Park being assembled at Horsted Keynes
• Maintenance work on the water tower at Horsted Keynes
• A digital survey of the line
• Sample track panels for training purposes

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/infrastructure-news/#17feb22

Tom

 

I'm trying to date a photograph. It shows Blackmoor Vale with the nameplate curtained over, when it first returned to steam in 1976. I did have a ticket, but have lost it. The date from my memory is 15th May. Is anyone able to confirm this, or give me the correct date?

 

15 May was the first day in traffic - see page 10 of issue 4 of The Bluebell Times: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Bluebell-Times-issue-4.pdf

Tom

 

According to this video first day in service was 15/5/76 and ends with hauling a 12 coach train. Starts with the test run.


There are some photos by Mike Esau taken on 15/5/76 - see https://www.bulleidsociety.org/21C123/21C123_Gallery.html

 

That's brilliant, thanks to you both. My two young sons were filmed by the BBC, but didn't make it into the news broadcast.

 

Not in the foreseeable future, at least. However, what once was seen as a basket case, fit only for static display, could still have an active future. The main problem is the underframe, which is irretrievably deteriorated. As has been recently proved on the IOW, new timber laminated underframes are feasible, if expensive. Knowing the LCDR and their use of teak, I'm sure the body is restorable, and the running gear, I believe, is complete. However, the condition of the Mansell wheels, I could not say. It would be a great pity if these were unsalvageable.
Considering the huge amount of work which would be required to bring this unique vehicle back into revenue-earning service, this could only be achieved by a dedicated group, quite possibly working away from the railway. Also weighed against it is the carriages limited seating capacity. But it IS a unique, and very historic vehicle.
It's a very difficult one to call.

 

What a good idea to have an ice rink with trains in the background!!
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/ice-skating-rink-opens-steam-23110883

 

Actually, I wouldn't describe a LCDR vehicles in as being of particularly limited capacity. A train of such relatively lightweight stock would assist in keeping the ''big chufferites'' in check.

 

Another replacement signal, though this time hopefully only temporary.

The Kingscote down home signal (north of Kingscote at the entrance to the "narrows") was a casualty of Storm Eunice. (Look closely at the photo on that page). Services on Saturday were turned round at Kingscote; by Sunday, a replacement signal in place, shown in the photo, had been erected allowing services to resume to Kingscote. The main functional difference is that the old signal allowed an arrival into either platform; the new one will only allow an arrival into the down platform.

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/brps/whats_new/ for February 21

Tom

 

An update on the overhaul of SR Engineer's wagon 62002, covering everything from when the current overhaul started in December 2020:

https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/cw_news/62002_intermediate.html

Tom

 

Let's hope no-one takes that 'Return to Angerstein Wharf' sign literally. Last I checked, it's still very much connected to the network!

 

Indeed, I caught the standard tank using the down platform today just as the sun was sinking below the trees. Now I need to look up what those different headcodes mean.
Also, Camelot was out instead of 65.

 

The headcodes cover a multitude of services across the Southern system. The local ones shown here are as follows - the first picture is Tonbridge to Reading via Redhill and Guildford. The second and third show Oxted to Brighton via East Grinsted and Lewes (Bluebell line). The fourth shows Tonbridge Wells West to Eastbourne (Cuckoo line).

Nice pictures btw.

Peter

 

We normally use the Oxted to Brighton via East Grinstead and Lewes code, but sometimes people set others - if I was on the S15, I would sometimes set a Waterloo - Exeter code for at least one trip in view of my Salisbury roots. On my firing test, I contrived for some reason to put a Bournemouth line code on one of my trips (one over the left buffer and one at 3 o'clock, as you face the engine). The inspector picked it up and questioned me - I was thinking, "damn, I can't fail on some technicality like that" but fortunately I didn't. Checking it subsequently, it was actually a valid code at East Grinstead, for Oxted and Lewes or Seaford or Eastbourne via Haywards Heath and Keymer Junc - didn't realise at the time, of course! The codes you are supposed to use are set out in our sectional appendix.

For pre-grouping liveried locos, we use the LBSCR 1910 codes, which is a cross over the left buffer and a white disc over the right buffer, to denote "Brighton and East Grinstead via Lewes". A second disc with a cross is allowed under the chimney for a day special. A night, the black cross should be replaced with a green lamp (and the white disc with a white lamp) but we always just use white lamps now - gone are the days of green and purple lamps as headcodes ...

Tom

 

Thanks for your informative e-mail, Tom. I must admit, it was surprising to see that the Standard Tank was not showing the historic headcode in the photos at Otye and leaving Kingscote. In my experience, most Bluebell trains run with either the SR/BR(S) or LBSCR disc combinations you have described except on gala days. I noted that when Clan Line paid a visit last October, it bore the Waterloo-Exeter headcode for the first northbound train on the Saturday of "Giants". I've also just noticed that I have a picture of 847 taken from Imberhorne Bridge during Flying Scotsman's visit also bearing the West of England headcode. That must have been your work!

The use of discs for SR locos on heritage lines is quite fascinating. The Bluebell, Swanage and Isle of Wight lines tend to use the historic codes for their respective routes, but I haven't noted any sort of consistency at the Watercress Line. When an SR loco runs on a non-Southern line, the most popular headcode in my experience tends to be two discs above the buffer beam one at either side as in David's picture of 80151 above. I guess this is because the crews would normally have two headlamps in these positions if it was a non-Southern express passenger loco (and the most common SR locos to venture onto "foreign metals" visitors by virtue of their sheer numbers tend to be Bulleid pacifics) rather than because the crews specifically want to pretend they are recreating a Tonbridge- Reading, Victoria-Dover via Tonbridge or Bournemouth - WR working.