Bluebell Railway General Discussion

As a comparison (while i was crewing the class 33 Swordfish at the weekend, the driver and I were discussing mileages)- while some steam locos clocked up over 1 million miles in a career (probably over 20+ years service), Southern Electrostar 377 units have clocked up 1 million miles in little over 10 years. I wonder how this compares to carriage mileages of old?

 

With all the recent failures and diesel workings, does anybody know what the state of play is regarding bluebells steam locos ? I've lost track of whats failed and why with conflicting reports of what the 09/33 is covering for ? etc

 

Current scenario would seem to be that the 9F is in traffic, the H and the C are going to be in traffic in short order, 323 and 55 were in use on the Sunday Arrow so presumably both are fine.

 

I understand that the C was under test yesterday (Tuesday) and that the visiting Prairie L150 is having a leaking tube sorted and is expected to return to traffic soon. The Class 33 has had a minor electrical fault rectified.

 

As far as I know this is how it stands

L.150 - Failed with tube problems
92212 - Available
3 - Available but not for passenger traffic
55 - Available, passenger trains as a last resort
178 - Failed pending stay investigation
323 - Available
263 - Failed pending stay investigation
592 - Due back in service after test runs
1638 - Failed pending stay investigation

 

I'm assuming that all the locos requiring stay investigation are due to the batch of non-spec stays that entered circulation i.e. like those found on Britannia?

 

Didn't Birch Grove fail with similar problems as well ?

 

We've got two active threads about Bluebell stuff: "Bluebell matters" and "Bluebell motive power". As both are now discussing locos, should we merge them together?

Richard

 

I'd suggest moving the last few posts in this thread into the Bluebell motive power thread, but leaving the Bluebell matters thread open. When I set it up, this thread was to act as a holding ground for general Bluebell news, once the NEP project had basically wound down to a close. I think it is still useful to have separate motive power (in the Steam Traction sub-forum) and a general (in the Preservation Centres sub-forum) threads.

Tom

 

Yes but B473 has been withdrawn pending work not just investigation.

 

Not quite. The issue with Birch Grove is due to star cracks in the firebox, and is, as far as I am aware, not related to the stay problems on other locos.

Tom

 

On Bluebell matters unrelated to the motive power, the new water tower at East Grinstead had its scaffolding removed yesterday (photos from John Sandys)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/9313217355/in/set-72157634696049880

 

And from today, what was apparently the last spoil train, redistributing the clay capping around the railway.

Also a reminder that this weekend, the railway is holding a toy and models collectors fayre. Normal timetable and fares apply.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/sets/72157634703383409/

Tom

 

Bluebell Yahoo group reports that L150 has failed again so the Crompton gets another run out.

 

... And now being reported in the same place as not actually having failed! Reading between the lines, sounds like she is having steaming problems, but still serviceable.

Tom

 

Doubleheading with the Crompton says the latest update.

 

Yes, but that doesn't suggest a failure to me - had it been a failure, you wouldn't then leave the engine on and double head. I might be wrong, but sounds to me that for whatever reason, she isn't coping with the load, but is basically nonetheless serviceable.

Tom

 

I was there today. The 9F came up with the first train to HK as usual. It arrived back from EG, and waited. And waited. And waited. The initial message over the station tannoy was that the Prairie had been delayed initially at SP with a fault to a train brake. However, it soon became clear that the train was actually stalled about 300 yards south of HK station. We waited about 40 minutes, before the Prairie finally limped in to HK. The 9F was released, and it appears that the Prairie crew made an attempt to clean the fire. As soon as the 9F was out of section, the 33 was sent uphill to assist. When it arrived, it dumped the Prairie in the yard, and went off to EG with the now-much delayed train. The 9F went through HK going north, and suddenly the Prairie set off going south to SP! I left around 1400, so I didn't see how it turned out, but it was clear that, because of where the train stopped, it caused utter chaos. A member of station staff even had to be sent to try to find out what was going on, as the crew had not contacted the signal box or station.

 

The Bluebell certainly seem to be making good use of the class 33, in fact it's hard to see how they would be managing without it at the moment.

It makes me wonder if now they've seen how useful it is, they'll end up buying on of their own (in the same way the 08 'temporary plant hire' ended up with them buying an 09).

 

Not actually true that the Bluebell has bought an 09 - it is owned by an owning group and is hired out to the railway when needed, just like the 33 is (or 92212, for that matter). The only diesel actually owned by the railway is "Skippy", the C&W works shunter.

Tom