Bluebell Railway General Discussion

An interesting comment within an altogether very interesting post, about the tendency to burn out a strip right across the box on 32424.

It so happens I've just started on the chapter that is for my heritage era main line steam logs, and this morning I was working on this photo I took on the footplate of 34067 (well, I wouldn't take it from my coach seat) before we left Victoria. It was back in 2009.

There seems to be a some sort of partly burnt out strip across the whole box a little way in from the back. I remember noticing it at the time, as the front and back looked to be well built up and very much alight. Pressure was just short of the mark as the overlay photo show. The crew were on the platofrm talking to the Traction Inspector at the time, so I didn't get a chance to ask about it.

A pity that back in the 1960s on my footplate rides I never asked if I could have a go at firing - as I may have learned a bit about how to fire a Bulleid. Incidentally I was alway polite when chatting to the crew about what sort of run they thought the loco would give us timers, mostly when we stood around the loco on the platform before hand. As it was not unknown for a gricer almost demanding a good run to be handed the shovel and told to get up and work for his decent timing log!

Bryan

 

I've just been told that 73082 has gone away from the railway - is that true, and anyone know where it has gone?

 

Due to leave for a few day on Wednesday for something down at Willesden (unsure if its a private event or not). Meant to be back on Saturday night. Though that's probably dependent on the repair to its superheater elements

 

I was told a private event at Old Oak Common, so I would guess something to do with HS2. Camelot is booked to go with Bulleid coach 2526.

 

In their later years when they were on special trips, anyone who showed more than a passing interest in the machinery of PS Ryde or the Humber Ferry steamers was in danger of bneing handed a shovel & told to get on with it

 

I wasn't handed a shovel on PS Ryde, but as a 9-year old who was fascinated by what I saw, I did find myself invited onto the engineers bridge, being told which lever to pull, in answer to the telegraph. Amidst a gently moving backdrop of polished connecting rods, eccentrics and oil pots, I was quietly sold into the world of steam. I was so fortunate to have experienced that, while my dad watched on, probably very pleased (he was an engineer).
It must have been PS Ryde's very last season.

 

My father took me on the Bristol Queen and I can just remember watching the engines and sailing down the Avon Gorge.

He thought that my brothers and I should 'experience' things

Funnily enough he wasnt really interested in ships, the only trip on a ship he really enjoyed was from London Docks to a well known French beach, fortunately a few days after the main event.

Even more amusingly my ex father in law who was 4 at the time watched the ships my father was on assemble

 

We can be so thankful that they did things like this for us, as it was the end of an era for many things.
That same trip also saw us on the Ryde Pier tram, which also must have been in its last weeks of operation. I remember looking down into the gap between the carriages, and seeing the girders flick past, with the sunlit water below.
So it was marvellous seeing the completely restored/recreated tram and trailer out for its very first run to Smallbrook just a few days ago!

 

34059 now replaces 73082

 

Was the move of 73082 due to be by rail?
There is a freightliner loco heading to the Bluebell at the moment but the return trip to Willesden has now been cancelled on RTT (timings below).
Would 34059 be allowed out onto Network Rail? 73082 has ventured out before when it was towed to the WSR.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R68112/2025-06-11/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R00809/2025-06-11/detailed

 

Yes it was but it failed last week. 34059 was approved on Monday as replacement

 

It’s Willesden, the same staff day that 35028 did last year

 

Is it that easy to get approval for a loco to be towed on NR? Why do more railways not do that then? I thought there were all sorts of ultrasonic and other tests that had to be done even to be towed.

 

I don't know the ins and outs but I assume it was all done the other day, I have seen pictures on Monday evening of 34059 being prepared for this move so the tests was probably done then as it was fitted with through-piping and overhead warning stickers on the smoke deflectors so US tests etc was likely carried out then

 

Well, 34059 plus Bulleid carriage 2656 went past the HK web can at about 16:30 this afternoon (15 minutes earlier than the diagram said). It is currently (17:50) visible at East Grinstead south webcam - the internal diagram said take water at EG, so it has either just done that, or is just about to, I haven't been watching closely.

Tom

 

66502 has also bought down the ballast I'm assuming that NR has given to the railway following a previous news story elsewhere a few weeks ago as part of R200. Probably part of said agreement was for a loco as part of the private event.

Win win

 

"Why do more railways not do that then?" The simple answer is cost. I guess that in this instance it is GBRf who have arranged this move and are paying themselves to do it. Hopefully the Bluebell are getting paid for the loan of the loco.

Peter

 

66502 arriving with the wagons:

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

From Facebook.

 

Are the wagons delivering ballast or are they just required as brake force due to 34059 and 2656 being only through air piped?