Bluebell Railway General Discussion

His wisdom will I think be greatly missed: the honorific title of President belied the fact that he was far from just a figurehead on the railway.

Tom

 

That is very sad, but I am glad he had a decent innings.

He was a true gentleman to have any dealings with during those parts of his mainline career where our respective roles coincided.

R.I.P Gordon, you have truly earned that privilege now.

Bryan

 

Indeed, he acted as part of the top team on more than one occasion to steady the ship when we were briefly without a Chairman. I am so glad he got to see "his" VEP at Waterloo last January. That no one less than Chris Green was pushing his wheelchair showed the respect he commanded from the very top of the industry.
One of my proudest moments was when, after a Bluebell AGM, he complimented me on my Trust report, in which I was outlining what the Trust could and could not fund as charitable (in law, it cannot be seen to subsidise the plc), and how, by looking at things in terms of how a purely commercial plc would behave, many things that might appear as maintenance could be justified as suitable for charitable funding (e.g. a purely commercial railway would replace a life-expired canopy with a bus shelter). I have to admit that when he said "can I have a word" I was not a little worried that he was going to put me right in some way. His approval meant a lot!
As chance would have it, I bumped into him in the cafe at RHS Wisley just 3 weeks ago, and had a chat with him about the Bluebell and VEP.
RIP to a great, but always humble and softly spoken in my experience, man.

 

Might anyone have the arrival and departures times from the respective stations for the afternoon Diesel Footplate taster train for today (5th April)? Thanks

 

Not a complaint, I fully realise that like everyone else here I have no choice but to accept what is offered. But I was really hoping that with 34059 and 73082 on the roster this weekend and for all of next week, both would be on 'modern' green rolling stock. Giving me a mini gala during the five trains a day service, for several visits to the Bluebell to satify my very narrow and very fussy focus!

With https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pti/index.html not yet updated I decided not to chance it today, but to check via the webcams. 34059 left looking great on the 10.30, but 73082 at the head of the rather old rolling stock for the 11.45 did not!

That leaves the lunchtime Golden Arrow tomorrow, but am I correct in assuming that will be 31065 please?

Bryan - I accept I have brought this all upon myself and have no one elese to blame - B

 

There are basically enough Mark 1s for two sets (plus the Wealden Rambler), but routine maintenance means generally they are rotated so only one set would be in use on a normal two train day; the other set being something from the Victorian, Edwardian or 1930s stock. The only time we routinely run two Mark 1 sets together would be galas (especially GoS and Santa / SteamLights.

34059 is on the evening Golden Arrow tonight. No. 65 will be on tomorrow’s lunchtime service.

Tom

 

Sorry, don’t have times. “Between other trains” would be my best guess but I think it mostly stays within station limits - certainly the steam ones do.

Tom

 

Where can you get onto the webcams and at what stations is this available?

 

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

Tom

 

Railcams on YouTube have several cameras at all 4 stations facing different directions, not sure if they're the same as the ones Tom has linked too.

 

Tom, very nice of you to reply. I'd be happy during normal operations to see 73082 on the mix of Bulleid and Maunsell coaches that do appear as one set from time to time. For me that would be good with 34059 also out and on the Mark 1s.

But if 34059 stays on the same working with the same stock that it is on today, for tomorrow and the next week it will at least give me three uphill runs to photo, so I may come across for that. And hopefully get enough time in between such shots to get '73o82 loco only' shots at HK while refreshing myself in the buffet there!

Thanks again,

Bryan

 

The rosters say (usual caveats) 34059 and 73082 through until Friday, then 34059 and 32424 next weekend (with 65 on the dining trains).

Tom

 

Is there anyone regularly at the railway that could give me an update on when it looks like the bluebells are going to be blooming. I have a disabled friend who really wants to come see them and I'd hate to miss the show if they all bloomed early due to the warm spring. Thanks

 

I'm there the next two weekends, I'll keep a look out. I think generally they start about mid April and last about three weeks into early May, but obviously they can vary each year.

Tom

 

Thanks for that Tom, I managed to get there today, and got some results, actually benefiting from a long pause in services this afternoon. Maybe some sort of track circuit failure or something like that.

Along with the trains that ran before and after the delay, I was almost rooted to a single spot by the Keysford Lane Bridge for over four hours, and got home somewhat tired!

I misread the situation for my first shot of the day; 34059 on the 10.30 climbing Freshfield Bank. Far more clag than I expected, the NE wind very troublesome, and shooting almost directly into the sun! But as soon as I saw the clag I took a few 300 mm shots while the train was still part protected from the wind by trees - out into the open the heavy clag in the wind put the loco etc into lots of shadow.

Then to Keysford Lane Bridge and I think after a long pause the 13.00 ex SP was cancelled so 34059 looked to run with the 'nice stock' as the 14.15, but a bit late. Then 73082 ran on what I think had become the 15.30 with the 'other stock'! But I was positioned to deal with that. What seemed to be the loss of the 13.00 and return meant the sun direction was much better when running started again, and the wind had dropped a bit too.

Hasty very low res edits attached.

If the wind drops a bit I may go back later this week - but first I must make a gift aided donation as I never got to Horsted Keynes to buy a ticket. Or to get my coffee and snacks!

Bryan

 

The PermaQuip/Pway trolley failed in section between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes at midday. This had to be rescued by the 09

 

Ben, thanks for that. My comment re some sort of track circuit failure was because the 09 stopped just the Sheffield Park side of Keysford Lane Bridge, and someone got off and looked to be doing some minor works on a connection between two lengths of track - or some similar job. Not with heavy tools. Before the 09 (amazing, me, referring to a diesel shunter by it class number!) went on down to rescue the inspection trolley. Maybe that had been doing an inspection to find the sort of thing the 09 crew dealt with.

It was at that point, knowing there was the class 9 active in section that I was able to grab a few minutes sitting down in my car.

It was an interesting day, including me having to learn the exact position of the sun at train times for Feshfield bank and Keysford Lane - I've not photted at either location for more than 15 years - due to my extensive study of Short-eared Owls, where the position and size of the moon was more important!

I really want to get back this week, but it's the BR Standard class 5 I need more photos of and I am still working out where I can get photos of the loco and just the buffers of the first vehicle in its train. I would ask for suggestions from here, but I dare not for fear of what might be forthcoming.

Sincere apologies to those who love, cherish and work so very hard to allow visitors to see and travel in coaching stock from so far back into railway history. 30165 would look great on those, but I imagine the full length train as yesterday is too much?

Bryan

 

That set (4 Mets + 4 four-wheelers) is actually lighter than the Pullman set the O1 was on! The Pullmans are 137 tons tare, that vintage set I think 128 tons. (The online stock list is vague on the weight of the four wheelers on van underframes, instead giving the original weights, but I reckon 12 tons each is a fair estimate).

The O1 is allowed 150 tons to East Grinstead at normal passenger timings, so you could add a couple more four wheelers I reckon and still be about OK. We have 949 (LBSCR brake) and 328 (LBSCR 3rd) currently under overhaul

My feeling about the O1 at the moment is it isn’t as good as it used to be. All our locos have had spark arresters fitted over the last few years, and it seems to have affected the O1 more than anything else, so it is no longer quite as free steaming as it was. At least that is my supposition.

Tom

 

A good segment on "Great British Railway Journeys" this Thursday, but available on i-player now:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episo...16-4-gatwick-airport-to-royal-tunbridge-wells from 9 minutes.

After a footplate ride on 80151, concentrates on the Carriage and Wagon, with an intro from Rowan Millard (the C&W Works Manager), sequences in the the main workshop, the trimming shop (with Steve Bigg) and finishes with an interview in Car 54 with Kuristo Demans who was responsible for much of the restoration of that carriage.

Tom