Bluebell Railway General Discussion

£10 platform ticket is the BR having a laugh? Plenty of public rights of way over and alongside the line to observe from free of charge check Streetmap. I enjoyed seeing Taw Valley just S of Kingscote (surely a historically incorrect livery for a rebuilt WC but still looked great!)

also some deer!

 

Ah, my apologies - I thought it was the outer. Anyway, we arrived at p4/5 and an announcement was made after a while on the station p.a. that it was the first service train to call at the platform(s) since the canopy refurbishment of p5. All makes sense now.

Indeed, but this was well outside the station and not visible to the signaller. It now appears that p4/5 was signalled for the first time in months and the crew wanted to check it was correct, it seems.

 

That's incorrect. The shuttles could come as far north as the Horsted Keynes second advance starter (between Leamland Junction and Horsted House Farm crossing) without drawing a token. At that point, any southbound train with the token would be held at the outer home (by Horsted House Farm Bridge) which is more than a quarter mile further north round a bend and with a bridge in the way. You could not see a train at the second advanced starter if you are held at the down outer home. The moves are fully protected by signals.

Tom

 

And I got criticised on another thread for suggesting that most linesiders are happy to freeload. The suggestion was made that many of them buy a train ticket, but if they arev reluctant to make a donation of £10 for a "platform ticket" contribution, I'd like to know what the likelihood of them buying a train ticket by way of contribution is likely to be!

 

So why were we stopped on all three of our south bound runs, twice at the inner home and once at the outer home. Never happened to us before on many visits.

 

Last time I went on the BR was 2019 when Britannia was there (£27 return trip). If you think walking along a public access to view (not photograph, not video and actually whilst engaging in a completely unrelated activity) a steam train is "freeloading" that's your entitled opinion.
Perhaps they could put a screen up like the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith or the SS Great Britain in Bristol? (12 miles either side in the case of the BR) to prevent anyone seeing anything without paying?

I will stump up whatever it costs to travel behind Archie in 2024.

 

A selection of shots from yesterday:

 

Deleted

 

I'm not suggesting you weren't stopped; the point I am saying you are wrong is that you could see why from a down train. Whether you are stopped at the inner or outer homes, the curvature of the line and disposition of bridges is such that you cannot see the relevant movement that would have caused you to be held - you certainly can't see another train from those signals.

To be stopped at the outer home, it would normally be because the single line is occupied up to the 2nd advanced starter, which yesterday would likely be the brake van shuttle.

There are various reasons you could be stopped at the inner home. One example I gave above. Another possibility would be a train shunted up as far as the first advance starter on the same line that a down train wanted to use; however, I suspect that was very unlikely yesterday.

The most common reason on a busy day in which the down train arrives first would be the signalman applying rule 39a. Since the starter signal will be at danger when the down train arrives first (while awaiting the up train), "the stop signal next in rear of it and worked from the same signal box must not be lowered for an approaching train until it is close to such signal and has been brought quite or nearly to a stand." For a down train approaching Horsted Keynes, that means if the starter is at danger, then the inner home (at Leamland) must be held at danger until the down train has stopped, or almost stopped, at which point it can be cleared. It's pretty routine when running a service in which you cross at Horsted Keynes that you approach that signal at danger, and it clears just as you draw up to it. In some cases you will be stopped, in others you may just be down to a very slow pace but keep moving as it comes off. (The signalman can't see, but can follow using track circuits).

Tom

 

As I've noted in my edited post, I should have read your post better as I didn't pick up that it was the home signal. The rules say that if a driver thinks he has been signalled to the wrong route he must confirm that it is correct. Tom has also given another possible explanation.

 

You were quite rightly criticised, just one person has shown a reluctance to part with a tenner and you seem to conclude that it’s typical. We are all in it together and categorising linsiders as parasites does no good at all. Some make quite large donations to help out and some of us are working volunteers. If some want to put nothing in and just enjoy their hobby that’s up to them but I don’t think it represents a majority

 

I have been to, to take an example, as a working volunteer manning the GN saloon on the NYMR in past years and seen several hundred photographers out taking photos on the lineside. I seriously doubt whether many of them have made much, if any, contribution to the railway, but it would be interesting to learn whether any railway sees much coming in by way of donations at a special event. Moreover, if I volunteer at the NYMR, should I then feel entitled to go and enjoy myself at (say) Swanage for the T3 without making a contribution? Perhaps I have a jaundiced view of the railway photographic community, but my honest opinion is that most of them take but don't give.

 

I think you've hit upon one of the more interesting ideas there which could be debated. Personally I regard "wider preservation" to be a thing with great currency and believe that there is room morally for fellow volunteers from other railways to have the odd indulgence free gratis now and again elsewhere. We are all in the same movement (hopefully) for the positive. I've had some fantastic perks which I haven't particularly deserved when visiting other people's railways over the years... Nevertheless I think there would be a line though and wouldn't necessarily advocate exercising the privilege weekly!

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Ok thanks.

 

There’s one easy way of testing that, put volunteers who are also photographers out on the lineside with collecting tins. NELPG were successful with this many years ago when they were raising funds for the overhaul of Blue Peter. Even further back when I was regularly travelling steam’s last mainline out of Waterloo there always seemed to be someone shaking a collection box for MNLPS, I also saw them at the lineside too.
You must also remember it’s not a bottomless pit, all of us have other commitments so there is a limit to what we can give to any particular cause.

 

I assume Bluebell run events to fund the railway, which means they need money to run and restore locos etc, look on it as a donation towards their survival and you get to go close up to the locos etc and enjoy the atmosphere.

 

£5 yes (or £3 at HK currently) but not double to £10 for special events that will just drive people away from the stations to free viewing spots (which I personally prefer anyway especially the North end of Shapthorne tunnel, also running at line speed)

 

I think it is quite normal that an entry charge goes up when a special event is on. If I want to go to the Shuttleworth collection, it is more expensive when there is a flying display than where there isn’t.

The £10 platform ticket was all stations. So using a car, you could have gone to Sheffield Park and visited the museum, SteamWorks and Atlantic House; then gone to Horsted Keynes where there were free brake van rides and guided tours round the C&W workshop; then gone to Kingscote and taken a self-guided heritage tour round the station. All while having passing trains at 45 minute intervals in each direction. That feels like quite a lot of value for £10.

Tom

 

Certainly railways need to be (and I think very much are) aware that pushing prices too hard can be counterproductive. However, enthusiasts need to understand how expensive special events are, and how risky (weather makes a massive impact on attendance). Very often even at current prices the enthusiasts events are not especially profitable. They go ahead because the volunteers enjoy them as well and the hope is that they have a positive effect on the enthusiast community wanting to donate in the long term. From a profit standpoint it would often be better to run a Peppa Pig day (or similar). Unless the price is pushed, and every effort made to extract every £ possible, these events are not going to remain on the calendar.

It’s really not on to enjoy the spectacle without contributing anything. £10 for an all day platform ticket is a minuscule ask and I am saddened anyone thinks otherwise.

 

I think it’s an all station platform ticket so four stations at £2.50 each, a bit of a bargain really. I’m not sure but I think members can access the platform free so why not join up for the price of three platform tickets.