Bluebell Railway General Discussion

HH Farm Crossing.

 

Some photos of the big green 'un from Yorkshire (and our very own Five)

More to appear on the website at some point soon

 

Why suddenly I have the urge to go to the Bluebell as soon as possible now...

 

Better hurry, then, I don't think "Flying Scotsman" is there for much longer!

 

...funny

 

I hope so!

If I've calculated correctly, FS will have made 23 round trips on normal trains, plus two evening and one breakfast Pullman. The service train capacity was 469 seats I think, so I make that a around 11,000 passengers on the normal trains, plus three dining services. I believe all those services were sold out. Then you’ve got ticket sales on non-FS trains; catering; and money taken in donations by groups (the Fenchurch Fund were present all seven days, for example).

Obviously costs are also high, but you have to assume that the budget is worked out such that selling out the trains results in a considerable surplus.

Tom

 

Other railways seem to claim they,ve significantly benefitted financially from FS, can,t imagine then Bluebell won t. Remember I believe one of the remits from the NRM ownership and restoration was to make FS widely available to the public, which they do via visiting preserved railways.

 

If, as seems assured, FS plays to full houses wherever it goes, then if the visit doesn't turn a healthy profit for the host railway, something is badly awry.

 

It felt a bit overpowered wandering around on Sunday afternoon with that load behind the Standard 5, particularly when the guard gave the load sounding more like a mid 1990's England Ashes score ("It's 6 for 123"). However, I think the logic (rather than use the O1) was that in the event of an unforeseen failure, any loco in use could rescue any train. Flying Scotsman's train was a rather more respectable 8 for 263 ...

From the STN, it looks like the vintage set remains out this week, with the addition of 1503 (the LNWR Obo). 5 different pre-grouping companies represented in that set. Fairly rare usage for 1520 (the LSWR Brake 3rd) as well.

Tom

 

Any idea what is running this weekend Tom?

 

Some extra pictures from yesteday (including the gyrocopter I previously mentioned). Although they aren't the greatest you'll see (seems like I didn't clean the lense too well!).

 

Your story reminds me of walking out to HH Farm crossing from Highbrook to watch Bernard Holden's funeral train pass (also early morning and in similar weather conditions) back in 2012. Didn't see a single soul apart from those manning 55 and B473. It also happened just a few weeks after my own Dad passed, a special memory.

 

Video of Scotsman now up



Also the previously mentioned photo gallery - https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/Bluebellphotosets/Flying-Scotsman-August-2023/

 

Haven't seen a roster yet. My hunch for carriages would be the Mark 1 set that was out for FS + the vintage set (strengthened with 1503) on the two service trains. Locos - probably 6989 and 73082 with 80151 on the dining set. But that is all speculation.

Tom

 

PTI page states
A- 73082
B - 80151
Golden Arrow Breakfast and Wealden Rambler (Saturday) - 65
Golden Arrow Luncheon (Sunday) - 65

 

Filmed over 4 days, Flying Scotsman at various locations along the line:

 

Link to the PTI page https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pti/index.html

 

Has anyone managed to get any footage of the shunt manoever with the terrier?

I'd quite like to see that if anyone has!

Thanks in advance!

Chris

 

My video from last Saturday is up now - just in time to go again tomorrow to see 'Flying Scotsman' on static display!
As you'll see, I got very wet in the afternoon, but it was totally worth it!