Bluebell Motive Power

Tom, I do think there’s a fair old bit of love out there for 488, and I say this as someone with no affinity for the Southern.
More than happy to try and help out if I can

 

I think there will be more news to come on funding of the project. Right at the moment there is a ring-fenced fund in the Trust for the Adams Radial, and Atlantic supporters are being asked if they wish to carry on with standing orders being transferred to the Adams. When there is definite news you can be sure I'll communicate it here

Tom

 

Thanks to the webcams, Sir Archie out on test with a train today.

 

Add some cabside numbers & in that condition would look great on a double header with Manston.

 

From a print I recently acquired. No idea who the photographer was. Exmouth Junction Loco. 1947-48 ish.
Pat

 

What are the meanings of the patterns on the headcode discs?

 

They are pre-grouping. The LBSCR and SECR both used the cross; the double diamond is I think only an LBSCR thing.

Generally, the pattern of discs gives a route (rather than a class of train) but it is complex. Our normal code for post grouping era is one white disc above the buffer beam and one at the 3 o'clock position, as viewed facing the loco - that is the route code for Oxted and Brighton via East Grinstead (LL) and Lewes (amongst others).

For pre-grouping, we normally us a plain white disc over the right buffer (as seen facing) and a cross over the left; that is "Brighton and East Grinstead via Lewes (timetabled train)". A special can have an additional cross under the chimney.

You'll see variations, as here, but those are the normal codes we use.

Tom

 

Thank you; but what is the difference in meaning between a plain disc, one with a cross and one with the diamonds?

 

There isn’t a meaning of an individual disc per se, the meaning is in the combination of discs (their location and what if any patterns they bore).

There’s an overview here, https://sremg.org.uk/headcodes/headcodes.html but the short story is that the (1) core meaning reflected routes, with an overlay of train types, (2) there was a general simplification over time, in particular the SR standardising on only discs (no patterns) but it was a long way removed from the basic systems used elsewhere. But if your crack mainline only had one train a day in each direction, you hardly needed much sophistication north of London

Tom

 

There isn't a meaning in the disc per se, it is in the combination, which denotes a route. The different shapes are presumably to allow for more possible combinations

List here: https://sremg.org.uk/headcodes/sheadcodes.html

Edit: looks like James has beaten me to it, but you need to see this in the context of a very busy suburban service which would, on occasion have trains arriving out of turn, the local bobby would then need to understand which route the trains were due to take.

 

There are further loaded test runs on Wednesday see https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pti/index.html and for times see https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pti/2023_A2AS.html

 

As I mentioned in the Giants thread, the Bulleid Society were recruiting new members on the trains today and apparently they hope, very shortly, to take the cladding off of Blackmoor Vale and take the boiler down to Devon so the new firebox can be fitted.

 

Andy Kelly's photo on the "What's new" page shows work is already underway on No. 323.

On the left foreground is (I believe) 178's boiler, and behind it 323, still with boiler in situ but minus cab.

On the right, in the foreground is No. 263's boiler. Behind that is the chassis of No. 263, with one of the P class cabs resting on the front (it's black and white so can't tell if it is 323 or 178!) Behind 263, just visible are the frames of No. 178, bereft of cab, tanks and boiler.

Where would we be without the SE&CR locos?

Tom

 

The grapevine is suggesting 80064 has left the Bluebell railway for pastures new......

 

Photo of it on a low loader on FB suggesting heading towards the Somerset coastline .

 

Photo from the unofficial Facebook supporters group seems to confirm this. Apparently off to West Somerset.

edit : snap! Posted simultaneously as that above.

 

I did wonder for a while if 80064 would end up moving on. The railway already owns 80100 (although a recent Trackside magazine suggests they tried offering it for sale with no takers) and I think Tom has said that the railway bought a stake in 80151 as well (happy to be corrected on that though).

 

The Trust owns a stake, but didn't buy it.

Of the three:

• 80100 is owned by the BluebellRailway plc
• 80151 is owned by The 80151 Locomotive Company Limited. 40% of the shares in that company are owned by the Bluebell Railway Trust; I believe the majority were acquired as the result of a legacy from one of the original owners of 80151. So in essence there is a minority, but significant, ownership of the loco by the railway.
• 80064 is owned by a private group (the 80064 locomotive fund). That group had its origins on the Dart Valley Railway and I believe that at least one, and possibly more, of the owning group are based in the West Country.

Tom