Bluebell Vintage Trains Gala 4-6 Nov.

Just updated on the Bluebell website, a Vintage Trains event will now replace the SECR gala that was going to be held but now postponed due to the H class not being ready until the new year. Sadly no visiting locos, but still a good line-up of home based locos.
http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/vintage-trains-weekend/

 

It'll be interesting to see what happens to this one; no visitors and very late in the year and so very prone to the winter weather. November is not an easy month. I think the Bluebell has cocked up on this gala.

Regards

 

I'll probably go to this as I've only been to the line once this year and I want to get some more pictures of 323. Sad about the change of SECR to Vintage Trains but to be honest I don't think the H Class has looked much different than it did during the Giants event last year. There aren't many updates on its progress either.

 

My and Dad and I will go on the Sunday but won't be able to make the Saturday due to photo charter commitments and probably won't take the day off work for the Friday. It really is a shame there are no visiting locos for our Autumn Gala, especially when you look around at other railways Autumn Galas and they've got x,y & z high profile visiting locos in and we can't even get just one in, but then again I guess what monies that would have been put aside to hire in visiting locos is going all towards clearing the tip out. I suppose you can look at this event as just Branch Line w/e but with a different name, however seven home based locos in steam is still impressive and looking forward to seeing the Birdcage Brake. Really hope the organisers are going to pair the E4 with just the 100 Seater and Birdcage Brake carriages as that would make a superb SR olive green combination.

 

Looks like an excellent event to me, the addition of 1638 swings it for me and I'm now planning to travel down from Yorkshire

 

Also tempted, but it's a looong way from Cardiff.....not that it stopped me in March 09....
Presumably Captain Baxter would only work demo freight or perhaps brake van rides?

 

Captain Baxter is not currently fitted with an automatic brake and therefore cannot be used for passenger trains.

Chris

 

For a fortaste of what to expect for our Vintage trains w/e, yesterday the C class was paired with the vintage goods train rather than Baxter and the two P's with the Metropolitan carriages. I've just added to photos to my web gallery so here's the links;

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MwMl714C1fACYG7loPqevw?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z4pxvP_mryDVhFvjYB7VoA?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XsyzfLIXLRjSQcZ0E2jJYA?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0ONjfsEg5XqbLNDe6LAu0w?feat=directlink

Really hope our organisers choose to stick 592 with the wagons again at the November gala as this combination looks just sooo much better than when Baxter is with them.

Cheers

 

Hello,

For some reason when I click on your photo link your photo pop up and then disappear?

 

Ahhh, I see what you mean, I dunno why it's deciding to do that. Here's the link to my 2011 album and if you scroll through the photos you'll find them at the end.
https://picasaweb.google.com/105454327852537837128/Steam2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Hope that works.

Cheers

 

They're really good, high quality photos David, but 323 just looks like a 'Thomas' engine to me. Can't bear it.

There seems to be rash of painting engines in funny schemes at present, not just on the Bluebell, but nationally; all very odd.

Regards

 

I must confess I've been surprised that they've used Baxter so often on these trains. Presumably it's to find a use for it but I'd have thought varying it a bit more often would create more interest. Using the B4 or one of the Ps for example. Or are they trying to avoid eating into the photo charter market, on the assumption Baxter probably isn't in that much demand for said events?

 

Having never been to the Bluebell and the event being near ones birthday it would be a good excuse to visit. My only question is how feasible is public transport to the Bluebell. Would be travelling from London.

Duncan

 

Yes I must admit 323 in Bluebell blue livery isn't my favourite loco and certainly won't be running around trying to phot it as much as other Bluebell locos. But I guess we've got no.178 in an authentic livery so it doesn't matter so much with 323. Also 323 is the Bluebell's flagship loco so in it's corporate/commercial blue livery it's what the general public and childern will most recognise with. If 323 was the sole surviving P class and no others had got preserved then I think there would have been quite an issue about the livery scheme much like there was when the unique Maunsell N class was painted in that atrocious "James the red engine" livery.

I'm really glad that the C class was put on the Goods train as I must admit when Baxter was running with it I just wasn't interested, I know sounds harsh but just being honest. I guess as Chris says it's just something that they can find to give Baxter a use and no doubt is quite economical on fuel costs rather than a bigger loco. Fingers crossed that they'll pair the C with the goods again at the vintage gala or maybe the E4 as that would make an equally good combination to photograph.

 

Either go from Victoria to East Grinstead and take the shuttle bus to Kingscote or go to Haywards Heath and take the 270 bus from there to Horsted Keynes. They also sometimes run buses from Brighton on gala weekends, but not sure if these are running or not.

With regards to David, the other thing to remember about Bluebell is that Stepney isn't in "Thomas" (i.e. yellow) livery at the moment, and so isn't immediately recognisable to the public. Bluebell looks a bit like Thomas (small blue tank engine) and so appeals in that way.

 

Going back in time, I've just added some slide scans I took back in 1998 of the Branch Line w/e and 40th Anniversary event to my web gallery. The link is here https://picasaweb.google.com/105454...ellRailwayFrom1998?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Cheers

 

Not that the summer weather has been that good has it? As for cocking up, do you consider those railways who have galas in February have cocked up? After all they are just as prone to winter weather as November.

 

323 in Bluebell livery is nothing new. Can remember it so painted back in the 70s.

 

If my summer holiday was anything to go by July is quite prone to winter weather...

 

Good, bring back 70s pres! No need for EVERYTHING to be BR black/green!