Bluebell Railway General Discussion

With apologies for being a bit late:

The latest issue of The Bluebell Times is now published.

• Hastings Brake 3rd to enter service on May 31
• Roving ambassador ‘Fenchurch' wows the crowds in Somerset
• As Rail 200 approaches, work continues at Horsted Keynes to bring Platforms 1 and 2 at Horsted Keynes up to standard
• More work on Q class 541
• New Museum photos show the interior of Car 54 - as it was 70 years ago

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/issue-69.pdf

Tom

 

This weekend:

A - 73082, 5 Green Mark 1s + GNR Directors' Saloon (Saloon in public service)
B - 32424, Obo + Mets + 100 seater
Dining trains - 65 (Wealden Rambler set Saturday, Pullmans Sunday).

No Saturday evening Pullman, but the Hastings Diesel set is operating an incoming charter on Saturday

- Arrive East Grinstead (Network Rail) 10:56, Sheffield Park 11:45
- Depart Sheffield Park 1620, East Grinstead 17:00, East Grinstead (Network Rail) 17:25

Tom

 

I assume the main timetable is likely to be amended slightly if the Hastings unit is arriving at Sheffield Park at 11:45 when B set is due to leave

 

Yes, looks like the first “B” service is retimed to run 5 minutes later (11:50 departure from SP). Time is recovered by a quick run round at East Grinstead, with the EG departure at 12:45 as normal.

Tom

 

Thanks Tom.

Next weekend is the one I'm waiting for if 34059 is still rostered to work the Arrow - all usual caveats applying of course

Bryan

 

I had been lead to believe that you had requested it stay all summer so that you could spend as much time as possible flailing from the first available window. Or have i got you confused with someone else ?

 

LOL! Very confused with someone else.

Bryan

 

Wash your mouth out with soap and water young man <BJ>

 

From the Bluebell’s Facebook, 3687 out for a test run (along with 1336, newly emerged from paint shop).



(Not my photo. More photos here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BJgWFXUS8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Tom

 

O be still, my beating heart!
Maunsell carriages, so often the unspoken background of many celebrity photos and newsreels from the 1930s ("Noel Coward returns from his triumphant Broadway opening...")
And later ("Here at a station somewhere in Kent, our boys are given refreshments, and a rapturous welcome upon their safe return from Dunkirk").
And, through the workmanship of the Bluebell's C&W department, we can, at least vicariously, experience those historic moments for ourselves.
Bloody marvellous.

 

In many ways (IMHO) the Maunsells are the best all-round carriages on the railway. They are probably the most comfortable we have; the large windows give excellent views, but being comparatively modern, there is also a degree of operational flexibility. The Bulleids have the advantages in flexibility, but lack the "wow" factor of the Maunsells (a function of their origins in austere times). The older carriages have a wow factor, but in some cases aren't as comfortable. The Maunsells are really in the sweet spot in my view.

Tom

 

That is very well put, Tom.
And also very true.
If we had a really good catering vehicle for the Bulleids, it would make a huge difference.
I have an idea, but it is controversial. (NOT a Tavern car)

 

Has a timetable been published for times the Hastings set is passing through Kingscote and Horsted Keynes stations on both journeys?

 

Thank you - a very interesting issue!

 

Down journey:

East Grinstead (NR) 10:56
East Grinstead (Bluebell) 11:05
Kingscote (pass) 11/15
Horsted Keynes (pass) 11/30
Sheffield Park (arr) 11:45

Up journey

Sheffield Park (dep) 4:20
Horsted Keynes (pass) 4/35
Kingscote (pass) 4/50
East Grinstead (Bluebell) 5:00
East Grinstead (NR) 5:20

I assume the East Grinstead (Bluebell) times are for Imberhorne Viaduct rather than a reversal into the station-proper.

Tom

 

How much does the down journey affect the 10:30 ex-Sheffield Park and the 11:30 ex-East Grinstead?

 

The 10:30 up has a 16 minute pathing stop at Kingscote rather than the normal 1 minute, so arrives at East Grinstead at 11:25 (i.e. 15 minutes later than normal).

The return working leaves EG at 11:40 rather than 11:30 (i.e. 10 minutes later than normal). It gets back to SP at 12:25, five minutes later than normal.

The 11:45 departure from SP is retimed to leave at 11:50.

Tom

 

Thank you

 

Now that is pretty.

 

And maybe Roy Watts' page should be made compulsory reading and applied to all the HR line threads. Add to that his piece in the last magazine that including the line "running more trains is NOT the answer" I can think of a few threads where these comments could safely fit.