Bluebell Motive Power

I think having three boilers for two locos is probably preferable!

Though it has to be said, an LCDR R1 is a handsome beast

Tom

 

Well the R1 0-6-0T was a well-loved Hornby Dublo model and coul attract attention for that reason..... and I'm sure there would be a ready hire market atr Folkestone Harbour!

 

They have a fleet of gas producing R1s in the paintshop as we speak. They will be employed in pulling 12 coach trains up and down the Folkestone Harbour branch with the 600,000 visitors a year that ride. All in BR black livery

 

Wrong type of R1, I think.

Anyone fancy an inner-London heritage railway revival scheme based on Holborn viaduct? Plenty of LCDR carriages awaiting restoration ...

Tom

 

Thanks for the info Tom. I know the BB had a spare boiler for the C but didn't realise they had a spare for the H/O1 too. The spare C boiler was used in the last overhail as I understood it's original boiler was not in good condition.

Can't believe it's been in traffic 8 years now!

Matt

 

Those R1s were dual braked too, so we could borrow it!

Frankly I do not know what you are waiting for and call for an immediate livery debate

 

Yes - 31340 was the loco that came withthe model railway layout my parents bought me as a child!

 

I'd vote for lined black. (*)

Tom

(*) LCDR lined black ...

 

Just to confirm Tom's statement, this boiler did indeed come from Stewarts Lane where it had been in use as a stationary plant. It was purchased for a sum of
money as a scrap item!
Its removal was masterminded by Pete Bailey the locomotive foreman at the Lane and a good friend of Bluebell, Pete has sadly now passed on. The move was
done on a Saturday morning as an exercise for the crane gang, it was lifted from its site onto a weltrol, which was then shunted by an ED to our awaiting road
transport, then onto Bluebell by road. Funny that we never saw a bill for all that work other than the road transport! Our understanding at the time was that
it was an R1 boiler, if Tom or anyone else can throw some light on its history it would be very interesting.
Roger.

 

The 33 was positioned by the loco works yesterday, so guessing collection is immanent.

Was great to see the E class running yesterday on station pilot duties.

The U had a petrol pump on the tender with pipes running in and out of the tank. Any idea what it was doing?

 

They are portable fire pumps for dealing with lineside fires - they are on all the tender engines. The tank engines make do with a squirt from the pep pipe via the injector or, in extremis, a bucket of water filled from the injector overflow!

Tom

 

As Charles Parry suggests, the Crompton has indeed now left - photos (from John Sandys) here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/sets/72157646600522965/

The 08 has also departed couple of months ago, so that leaves just the 09 and the C&W shunter as current operational diesels.

Tom

 

Does anyone know where locos Stepney and Sharpthorne are hidden these days? Couldn't see them during today's visit, and would of thought at least Stepney would afford space in the loco shed givern it's recent retirement from light duties?

 

Stepney was in the shed next to Baxter during the Vintage Transport weekend see http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p58125445/h13d8460e#h13d8460e.
The last time I saw Sharptohorne it was at Horsted.

 

Could I ask where Captain Baxter came from? Had it on the Kidderminster shuttle 2 years ago with Furness 20. Thought it was cracking little engine be great to find out a bit more.

 

Try this for Baxter http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/baxter.html

 

Cheers love the build details on the buffers! Fantasticly Victorian!

 

On the subject of Baxter, is there any chance of a return of the demonstration goods trains that she operated a couple of years ago?

 

I know Baxter isn't exactly the Class 4/5 + that the railway needs these days, but I'd love to see him out and about a bit more. Last time I remember him being rostered was the opening weekend last year (and don't think he ran even then)... If you're looking for Stepney, rumour is they've started the new overhaul and scrapped all the life expired parts. You need to look for a pile with a regulator handle, a whistle, one and a half numberplates and the front left buffer, that's Stepney!


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