Bluebell Railway General Discussion

We do, and it's worth noting that every bit of that land has been the result of hard work and fundraising over the last 65 years (*)

We have

• A field at Kingscote (which tends to be the preferred choice for events aimed at families with young children, due to the adjacent small playground).
• Two fields at Horsted Keynes, one each side of the line, which tend to be preferred for more enthusiast-led events, such as Road meets Rail. It helps that the layout at Horsted Keynes is very flexible in terms of allowing trains to terminate, reverse etc, which then allows more interesting timetable options.
• Various under cover workshop options (loco shed and loco workshop at Sheffield Park, C&W workshop at Horsted Keynes); upstairs room above the Bessemer Arms; upstairs rooms in the Heritage Skills Centre at Horsted Keynes

The outdoor locations tend to only be suitable in the summer, due to ground conditions.

The indoor / workshop locations can in principle be used all year. They aren't consequence free though due to the amount of set up / clearance needed before and after use, which has an impact on workshop productivity. That affects not only the duration of the event, but potentially several days either side. It seems to have become more or less the accepted thing that some events will use some or all of those spaces (model railway weekend in the workshops; beer festival in the running shed etc) but they are definitely disruptive in immediate impact.

(*) Our late lamented Isle of Wight correspondent was often quite exercised by the fact that many railways hadn't done much to consider their need for land beyond the immediate railway boundary, and to a large extent I think he was right.

Tom

 

32424 is going to be on static display at Sheffield Park during the Model Railway Weekend on June 29th-30th according to the Railway's Facebook page.

 

The latest issue of The Bluebell Times is now available to view for June.

In This Edition

• ‘Beachy Head’ steams – and now you can book for its first trains in public service
• ’Sir Archibald Sinclair’ is rededicated as a curtain raiser before the Society AGM
• Help Make Bluebell Bloom Again
• Overhaul progress on Q class No. 541 and 9F No. 92240
• A Western Invasion of Branch Line Gala
• The Carriage Shop helps support the ‘Paving the Way’ appeal and the Goods Division.

The Bluebell Times is published monthly on the second Friday of every month. The next issue is due out on Friday, 12 July 2024.

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

Tom

 

Couple of photos (not mine, hence not posting them here) on Facebook of Beachy Head at East Grinstead for the first time (light engine). The first time I believe that it has gone beyond the advanced starter at Sheffield Park.

Remember - tickets for the launch event: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/beachy-head-2024/

Also I believe it will be on static display this weekend at the model railway weekend. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/model-railway-weekend/

Tom

 

Minus nameplates and smoke box number


Sent from my SM-A556B using Tapatalk

 

Normal practice until the formal renaming ceremony happens. (Archie ran without nameplates when it was in traffic for last winter’s Santa services).

Tom

 

Do you know which trains Archie is hauling this weekend? makes sense to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and combine with the model railway weekend

 

Timetable is here:

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bluebell-Railway-Timetables-2024-1.pdf

'Fenchurch' is on the initial LE move / Goods / Obo specials. (Which will be worked pseudo push-pull, with the Obo being propelled on the northbound moves).

"A" services I believe will be 34059

"B" services will be 80151. (Carriages are 2 Mets + Maunsells).

Tom

 

Thanks! not had haulage on 80151 either

 

Cracking day out! my first visit for 5 years. The Gauge 1 live steam (Fumigation as we used to call it in the 80s/90s Horticultural Halls Easter shows when I worked on the OO layout) was my undoubted favourite of the models but many other superb displays.

Archie was pristine and well worth the long wait! and the spirited run in the OBO (pausing briefly for a lineside fire) behind 72 was magic!

 

I'm planning to visit one day this weekend and I see from the loco roster that 34059, 65 and 72 will be out, does anybody know which services these locos will be on, please? I assume one will just be hauling dining trains?

 

34059 = A (10:30 / 1:00pm / 3:30pm from Sheffield Park + Saturday evening dining train)
72 = B (12:00 / 2:30pm from Sheffield Park)
65 = dining trains

Tom

 

Perfect, thank you. I'm looking forward to ticking off another Bulleid.

 

You'll have more fun behind Fenchurch!

Tom

 

Why are you driving ! ?

Sent from my SM-A556B using Tapatalk

 

The latest issue of The Bluebell Times is now available to view for July.

In This Edition

• More trials for ‘Beachy Head’ as the launch event draws ever closer
• Fundraising update for ‘Paving The Way’ and ‘Make Bluebell Bloom Again’
• Progress on the boiler, frames and tender of Q class No. 541
• A step back in time with photos from the H.C. Casserley archive
• New museum display goes back to the birth of trainspotting
• Artists announced for the Bluebell Railway Music Festival

The Bluebell Times is published monthly on the second Friday of every month. The next issue is due out on Friday, 9 August 2024.

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

Tom

 

On a slight tangent and if you like that sort of humour the Bluebell gets a few mentions in the most recent Mark Steel's in Town about East Grinstead.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0020xd1

 

I had a fantastic day at the railway last Saturday, it was my first visit for nearly 7 years. As it turned out, 65 was on set B, 80151 on the Wealden Rambler and Fenchurch was nowhere to be seen! This was an upgrade as far as I was concerned as I've been wanting to get 65 for a while now, I even managed to nab a front seat in the LNWR Observation Saloon right next to the smokebox! I spent most of the day hanging around Hortsed Keynes but I did do the first round trip with Archie and thoroughly enjoyed it. One of the things I enjoyed most was the variety of coaching stock, being able to ride in 2 Maunsells, a Metropolitan Chesham coach and the LNWR Saloon. The Golden Arrow set was at Sheffield Park when I got back and it looked absolutely superb in the afternoon sun.








More photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/200104535@N06/albums/72177720318786229/

And a video from my phone:

 

32424 in action at the railway today, first time I'm told it's taken 7 coaches so it made quite the soundtrack:

 

Quite a light 7 coaches (I make it 196 tons) but the Mets in particular are quite draggy.

Brian Dandridge filmed the shunt to assemble the train - I put a link on the New builds thread.

Tom