Bluebell Branch line weekend

It might get a bit complicated if platform 2 at SP is closed.

 

There was meant to be alot more HK-KC only trains running, initially I was booked on a set with 178 and 672 at different points in the day between HK and KC but this has since changed in the revisions. Best watch this space!

 

You won't get an official reply from the yahoo! group. You should e-mail the customer service centre!

 

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You don,t appear to be getting anything from the Yahoo group these days Sin, are people getting scared to post ?

Regards
Chris

 

was at SP yesterday, annoyingly i found out 592 was running at a earlier time than i expected, so i was pretty peed off. But the general concesus with regard
to the fairburn tank is that it was a wasted trip and it may not be repaired at all. But that was just what normal staff said. Nothing is set in stone. 178 is very much
in the balance also.

 

There is an update on our Facebook group; www.facebook.com/bluebellrailway
Should know by Thursday if the Fairburn will run or not, keep an eye on FB for updates.

I don't think that they're scared....!!!!!!
Tis a bit boring on there to be honest. The only newsy items are Dave Clark's C&W reports!
The FB page is doing rather well though!

 

Thanks for the update. Would be a real shame and disappointment if the loco isn't repaired at all. Surely some deal can be done with the owner that we do the repairs and in return we get to keep the loco a bit longer so it can run on a few service trains. But there are few new pics on the Bluebell website that show the Fairburn isn't even in the works so it looks like the staff are right and no repair work is going to be done. The arrival of 42085 is a massive coup and it's historical importance must count for something so please let's get the repairs done and see it pull some Bluebell service trains coz I really can't see the owners letting it come back to our railway again.

 

Looks like your prayers have been answered

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/events/2010/branch_line.html#times

 

On the dedicated BL W/E page there is an outline of the sets in use, as you'd expect it'll be Mets (and probably four wheelers) Maunsells, Bulleids and Mk1s

 

And a Goods Train

 

Oooh goody!

 

WTTs expected in SP this afternoon, priced £2.50

 

Any news regarding the Fairburn? I guess the loco is not working but there was suppose to be an announcement today.

 

Richard Salmon has posted this on the Yahoo e-mail group:

The original situation was that we could not disclose the problems
until they had been discussed with the loco's owners. That is common
courtesy. This has now taken place, and I gather there is still a
possibility of the loco running, if repairs can be completed in time
(and I am not entirely certain myself what those repairs entail). If
not the Dukedog will be steamed, so there should be 7 locos in steam
either way, rather than the "up to 6" originally advertised.

I suspect discussions with the owners over extending or repeating the
visit are only appropriate if it does not run, so these questions are
completely premature.

Indeed people should be careful of the tone of their questions, since
discussion in public might upset negotiations in private - I know
from past experience that these things are often quite delicate
matters!

Regards,
Richard


So either way, all is not lost.

 

Stop press announcement on Bluebell web site says that the Fairburn should run tomorrow so let's keep fingers well and truely crossed!

 

Not just fingers but toes, eyes and any other appendages that come to hand. Won't be there until Sunday so hopefully 42085 will be well and truly settled into its stride by then.

 

7 locos in steam this weekend, and one standing by to cover for last minute problems.

42085 has a fire in it this morning, and so far looks OK. Plan is to move it around the station this afternoon to prove it, and so we hope it will be a runner.

178 won’t be finished until mid-afternoon today, so there isn’t time for a proper test run, and therefore the plan is for it to be in steam around Sheffield Park tomorrow, possibly venturing up to Horsted Keynes on Sunday, for use on the Brake Van rides.

Should be a fantastic weekend!
Regards,
Richard

 

Latest news from the Bluebell site is that 178 will not be in service tomorrow as the reverser does not go full-stroke and as a result the valves cannot be set. In addition the trailing axlebox wedges are too tight. The plan is to leave it in the works and allow visitors inside to see it. Hopefully it can all be sorted out in a few days, so will run the following weekend as part of the 1963 timetable.

Meanwhile 42085 is shown blowing off on the pit at Sheffield Park on the "Whats New" page and should hopefully be in service. I hope so myself as I am booked to guard her train on the Sunday (always nice to have a change of motive power!)

 

In good spirits, i feel compelled to apologise about despairing about 42085. It clearly wasnt a waste.

Good luck to all of you who have waited so long to see it and hope you get some good shots.

 

Just got back from this, I had a ride behind both visiting engines and say the P class up close in the workshops. The railway was busy without being overcrowded. Might dust off my wellies and take a few photos out and about tomorrow