Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Await confirmation on this - it’s subject to change.

 

I notice there is currently a speed restriction at West Hoathly through some of the station site and across New Coombe bridge. I assume this is for winter tracklaying and hopefully there's nothing structurally wrong with the bridge itself?

 

10MPH TSR due to track condition from just north of West Hoathly Foot Crossing (ish) to New Coombe Bridge. It’s due to be relaid in January/February during the winter shutdown.

 

Interesting and sad at the same time. I see Dec 27 running has been added being the free day I have on our Christmas trip to do something, but trains only running to West Hoathly??

Assuming this is due to the winter maintenance needs. Too bad, I had really hoped to maybe see some snowy winter steam.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

Despite being black and white in the brochure that it is that line-up

32424, 34059, are listed on the main roster page rather than the O1 and the 5MT

41313 and 72 clearly for definite subject to usual caveats

 

Unfortunately this is correct - there’s two relays that need to happen north of the site of West Hoathly station so the line will be blocked from the 9th November onwards for these to happen. The only other options you have are taxi or get a bus from Lewes to Sheffield Park or Haywards Heath to Horsted Keynes.

 

32424, 34059, 41313 and 72 are the engines we have on our side.

 

a) I'd be more confident predicting that you're unlikely to see any snow on December 27th in the south east of England than I would be of any of the rostered locos will be guaranteed to be in steam…
b) if you're looking for 'no car' access to winter steam, there's always the Watercress, which will be doing lights trains throughout that week. Still unlikely to be any snow though.

Simon

 

I'm not sure if you are heavily on a budget, but you could use the mainline train to Haywards Heath, then get a taxi to Horsted Keynes in 11 minutes, or Sheffield Park in 17 minutes. You can easily get a day in.
Best of Luck!

Sent from my CPH2621 using Tapatalk

 

Thanks, there is always a budget vs reward balancing when we come to the UK with the exchange rate. What might be a £20 cab fare each way becomes $100 and a weeks grocery budget back home!

It appears Metrobus has not confirmed what days over Christmas the 270 is running.

Will need to mull on it as the Bluebell is appearing to be the only reachable place on the 27th when I have a day while my wife is at multiple theatre shows!

At least if it is 41313 running it would be a new to me loco for the effort!

Stephen

 

lol

Always live in hope. Who knows maybe I bring a white Christmas with me from Canada!

As I’ve said keeping eye on transit and what is and isn’t doable. If it winds up being impossible or too much effort relative to the time I can spend at the railway, I’ll wind up doing something in/around London to ride/railfan.

I’d just been eagerly anticipating seeing what was going to be running if anything and counting the seconds till we wrap work for the year and get away for some fun with a Christmas away from all our regular family commitments!

Stephen

 

While a few falling flakes can never be ruled out, I believe the last time I saw a proper white Christmas (inches of snow lying on the ground) in Sussex was ... wait for it ... 1970.

 

Possibly if you are specific about it being Christmas Day. More recently, there are photos doing the rounds of Bluebell locos in deep snow, including Sir Archie - that would have been around 2009-2011 ish I think. But it is no longer common, certainly.

Tom

 

It snowed a few years back during the Santa Specials. That was really lovely, until you get in the car to drive home from Horsted Keynes......

 

20th December 2009



24th December 2010



Nice seeing trains in winter without gazillions of coloured lights on the outside! The first year the roads were too treacherous to drive about, so I parked at Sheffield Park and walked. Bloody cold!

 

In early December 2010 about a foot of snow fell in Sussex. I was due to go on a mainline steam to Bath, but didn't due to the forecast. If I had I would not have made it back home.

 

I was on the Q class that day - 2022.



It was clear most of the day, just as we got back to SP it snowed very heavily.

My drive home was a bit hairy for about 15 miles and after that it was fine!

Tom

 

Or back in those of 1991 where thee first train became a L.E. move to see if it could get there, and the services were T & T to avoid the uncoupling, and I suspect frozen points.

 

Yes, had those memories too. But I think properly deep snow in the SE - the kind that a Canadian might register - in the 21st century has only happened on odd occasions. As well as that early-December week or so, I think we had some more recently in February, at least here in Surrey.

I don't count the kind of light snowfalls that leave the fields with a sort of pepper-and-salt, grizzled appearance ... until it all melts a few hours later.

The cross-country skis are still ready in the garage but it's been ten years since I was last able to use them for a proper excursion from the front door!

 

And should have said thanks for all the lovely photos.

If we ever do get deep snow I'd be tempted to bring the skis to HK or SP and set up a Finse kind of shot, skiing along the platform. Two problems, however, H&S would probably object; and even worse, it would likely be too dangerous to drive down. Sad.