Bluebell Railway 65th Birthday Gala - 8 / 9/ 10 August 2025

For our birthday celebrations we will be hosting a mini gala style event over the weekend.

We will be showcasing our home fleet with multiple sets running on various journeys throughout the weekend. At present the locomotives which are planned to take part will be 72, 65, 32424, 80151, 73082, 34059 and E6040 (all subject to availability.)

There will be 3 sets running between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes and 3 sets running between Horsted Keynes and East Grinstead. In effect Hortsed Keynes will become a Hub Station ensuring that there is a link between our North and our South.

As a grand finale on Sunday there will be a cavalcade of stock running through Horsted Keynes.

Timetable: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bluebell-65-Anniversary-Timetable.pdf

Event page and tickets: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/special/bluebell-railway-65th-anniversary/

Tom

 

It looks like a pretty much full-on event in both loco and carriage terms - every loco and almost every vintage carriage available simultaneously. I think of the currently serviceable vintage stock, only Car 54 is not listed as running.

Tom

 

Very interested in this one! Haven't had a chance to see Beachy Head or the bulleid yet.

 

Good looking event but seems strange to have the star loco (Beachy Head) running with Fenchurch (which I will assume be the pilot) on what is likely to be the most popular day, the Saturday. The last train of the day I suspect being too late for many coming via the National Network or bus.

 

The brackets indicate they will be top and tailing, Fenchurch will lead down to Sheffield Park, Beachy Head leading up to Horsted. Although I agree it is unfortunate not having either of them do a full line run until the end of the day.

 

Bluebell Facebook has said that there will be a 7 loco Cavalcade on Sunday August 10th between 4:20pm and 4:35pm.

 

The services with Pullman coaches (all Set B services) are offering light refreshments for a £15 supplement on most journeys. Car 54 will also be in the Platform 2 Dock at Sheffield Park (south end of Platform 2, between the footbridge and the end of the platform) offering the same light refreshments for £10.

“Now introducing light refreshments & cream teas throughout the event

We are delighted to offer you the opportunity to experience the luxury our 1920’s Pullman cars for a very special price. Each day during our 65th Anniversary Gala we will be serving light refreshments, by a uniformed steward, in Pullman Cars Christine and Fingall.

On trains departing before 11am you can enjoy a bacon roll and your choice of tea or coffee, on all subsequent departures you will be served a choice of a cream tea or a slice of homemade cake again with your choice of tea and coffee, all served to your seat.

Pullman service is available to any passengers holding a travel ticket for a supplement of £15 per person, this includes your refreshments. There is no need to book in advance, please speak to one of our Pullman stewards.

Pullman travel is available on departures from the following stations:

Sheffield Park departing at 8:40 on Friday & Saturday and 9:00 on Sunday
Horstead Keynes departing at 11:15, 1:30 & 3:45 on Friday & Saturday and 11:15 & 1:30 on Sunday
East Grinstead departing at 9:45, 12:05 & 2:20 on Friday & Saturday and 10:00 & 12:05 on Sunday

If you want a treat between journeys or to experience the atmosphere of all our Pullman Cars we will also be serving tea in Car 54 located on Platform 2 at Sheffield Park.

Between 10:00 and 3:30 each day we will be serving a choice of cream tea or homemade cake with tea or coffee for £10 per person. The restoration of Car 54 was completed in 2024 and the carriage has been adapted to allow easy access for passengers in wheelchairs.

We welcome everyone to join us and enjoy in this unique award winning carriage.”

 

For anyone attending on Sunday 10th August, the cavalcade of engines will be in this order (North to South):

32424+73082+34059+65+E6040+80151+72

The engines will start in Platform 3 and will go south-north-south-north, ending just beyond Leamland Bridge at the north end of the station. The cavalcade is expected to last for 15 minutes.

Just a note, the 4:45 and 4:50 from Horsted Keynes will be very busy. There is a Sheffield Park service at 5:05 and an East Grinstead service at 5:20 that will likely be much quieter.

 

Quite surprised to see 65 tucked away in the middle there, not remotely surprised to see Beachy up front but thought the O1 might tuck in behind her

 

I assume the southward stopping point will be the signal by the Ardingly junction and won't be going out to old Bluebell Halt (where a very nice side-on shot could be obtained...)? Looking forward to a weekend in Sussex, and weather is looking promising (though have probably just jinxed that.)

 

The notices say that all the cavalcade movements stay within station limits at Horsted, i.e. as far north as the second up advance starter (beyond Leamland Junction) and as far south as the down advance starter (by New Road Bridge). That way, no need to withdraw a token in either direction, which would be fraught with complexity.

Tom

 

The best spots side on would probably be the paddock next to the station houses and the footpath just north of Leamland Bridge. As Tom says, the cavalcade will be within station limits, so won’t go any further south than New Road Bridge.

 

Looking forward to this one as it's 25 years since my very first trip to a steam gala (can't believe it)! Given that I go to on average 8 galas a year you can work out how many I've been to!

Anyway my first one was the Bluebell 40th Anniversary Gala in 2000. If I remember correctly the line-up that day was 55, 65, 473, 592, 73082, 75027, 92240

Only 65 and 73082 will be appearing 25 years later!

 

E6040 will be replaced by 33108 all weekend due to a failure.

 

Stepney made an escape attempt this afternoon...

 

Would just like to thank all involved with the 65th anniversary event at the Bluebell today.

This was my first visit for 20+ years, my last being for a Thomas weekend when I was a child.

I made the effort to attend from Somerset for the day as a great variety of the home based locos and coaching stock were in use together. I have always been slightly put off making the trek from Somerset to attend the usual Branch Line weekend and Giants of Steam as I wanted to see and travel behind as much of the fleet as possible in one trip. The draw of the event for me was the variety available from within the home based stock, it does show not every event needs loads of visiting engines!

The restoration efforts of the Carriage and Wagon teams in particular are second to none, and I particularly enjoyed travelling in some of the LBSCR coaches and on the wonderful Maunsell set.

I also was suitably impressed with the excellent turnout of the stations and heritage appearance of staff. It was a treat to work the way up the line throughout the different eras.

The timetable appeared to work nicely and it was a great idea to focus operations around Horsted Keynes which had a nice junction station atmosphere.

I very much enjoyed the event and I certainly won't leave it as long before another visit!

 

Some photos from today. A very enjoyable day starting on a Pullman hauled by Archie.

 

This event seems to have got remarkably little attention on this forum, maybe because it wasn't billed as a full scale gala with visiting locos. Nevertheless, the Bluebell is one of those railways that are in the enviable position of being able to put on a good show with just the home fleet. It was an excellent day, weather beautiful, well attended but not packed, with a good range of both enthusiasts and families. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. A few photos from the day.......

 

A great day out today as always at the Bluebell. Horsted Keynes as the centre of the timetable always works well and provides some additional interest. Kept to timetable as well more or less. Thanks to the organisers.

 

I’d agree with the other posts, full credit to the organisers and volunteers for putting on an excellent event. 65 years of experience clearly pays off!
An excellent round trip with Beachy Head to finish off the day and I also thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience both breakfast and a cream tea on the Pullman set. Clearly I only did the cream tea run in order to travel in both cars! (Thats my excuse and I am sticking to it…..)