Bluebell Railway

Just to put all the squabbling going on elsewhere over the railway into perspective, where else can you get a vintage view like this almost every week of the year!

http://crjennings.com/preserved steam bluebell/page 5/bluebell Images 14.html

 

As mentioned on the website, the C class was actually pulling 8 vintage coaches last weekend. The Chesham set, LCDR brake, LBSCR 1st 661 and 7598, and the GNR saloon were in use on the 2nd service train. Unfortunatly this probably accounted for the small lineside fire at the top of Freshfield bank in the afternoon!

 

What I mean is pre grouping running on a weekly basis, not just special ocasions.

 

Some of the railways you mention regularly rely on industrials and Mk 1,s and dont run every week of the year, and admittedly out of sight but the last coach is a Brighton example, the SVR of course goes without saying is an exception, but the point i was trying to make was that the Bluebell is getting a lot of stick but has a lot to offer that many take for granted.

 

The loco may be pre grouping but the stock is post grouping.

 

I guess he must be alluding to the locomotives that do generally get a lot of work comparing to others on the odd railway.
Where have the metropolitan set been apart from Branch Line this year, as far as I know last weekend was there first appearance since!

 

And therefore accuratly recreating the scene as it could have been in 1923 or 1924, with an engine still waiting its turn to enter the works to be repainted with its new Southern Railway livery.

Chris

 

Like your thinking!

 

Knowing what this forum is like maybe you should have said "vintage looking".

However, it's still a well composed shot in great light.

 

The Bulleid coach at the front of the formation wouldn't have been built until after 1937 by which time the SECR loco would have been in SR livery. The green BR MK.1s on the right of the shot wouldn't have been around until the mid 50s by which time 592 would have been in BR black but apart from that it's a perfect early 1920s recreation. Nit picking in the extreme. ;-)
Nice shot though that does demonstrate the wide range of Southern stock from different eras to be found on the Bluebell.

 

Thanks Swiss Toni... Yeah I really ought to no better by now....