60163 to the Bluebell with Steam Dreams - Tuesday 10th September

Here is Tornado on the rather circular route back, Filmed at Dorking Deepdene and at Virginia Water. Rather a good soundtrack I feel.

There was planned to be a good going away shot from the top of the North Downs, but although I had an enjoyable morning hike, the video was rubbish so ended up on the cutting room floor.

 

Amazing to see Tornado on the Bluebell. Worth the long drive even if the sun unfortunately popped behind a cloud shortly before it turned up at both the locations where I saw it. 10 minutes before it appeared. It was rather appropriate (Was it deliberate?) that the "Blue Belle" headboard was attached to an engine which was... blue! (albeit a somewhat different shade of blue from Caley 123 when it worked down to Haywards Heath in 1963.)

 

Incredible to see this happen. When I was last in the UK in 1993, Bluebell had just finished New Coombe Bridge, the first really major engineering job on the extension. I rode my bicycle through the passing loop at Kingscote when there was only one platform, no signal box and no track, indeed the track stopped at the north end of New Coombe Bridge. Imberhorne cutting wasn't remotely a cutting, and few who drove across the road bridge at Imberhorne Lane would have known that it was a bridge at all. At the same time the A1 project had been proposed, but nothing had been built, and nobody had painted anything in BR Experimental Blue since the 1950s.

Now in 2013 we have Bluebell fully connected to the National Network, via track from New Coombe Bridge, through fully restored Kingscote, up and through the dug out cutting at Imberhorne to thenewStation at East Grinstead. Then today we had a basically brand new express steam loco come down the branch to East Grinsteadand then cross onto Bluebell metals and South to Sheffield Park and its many new facilties before returning to Horsted Keynes and berthing alongside the station buildings on Platforms 1 and 2 that didn't exists when I was last on the railway.

Well done to all involved over the last 20 years who have contributed to todays event.

Daniel

 

'South East Today' covered the trip, start watching at 21.00:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b039r2l9/South_East_Today_10_09_2013/

Foxy

 

My video from Crowhurst, West Hoathly, Sheffield Park, Horsted Keynes, Dormans and Reigate! (Isn't it great when they run on your doorstep!). Amazing achievement by all concerned, post above sums it up nicely actually! Photos to follow.

 

Just managed to spot myself out of focus in the background about 1 min.19 secs in and a bit clearer at 1 min 37 secs.

Here is the news article with just the Bluebell section http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24035714

Not seen any pictures or videos from the usual Bluebell locations such as approaching Sharpthorne Tunnel from the foot crossing, the footpath north of Horsted or the fields just to the South of Horsted. Also considering the amount of people queuing up at the North end of Sheffield Park there's not many videoes of 60163 arriving.

Unless I'm not looking hard enough.

 

Photos from my video locations...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/sets/72157632784810904/

 

Seems iPlayer has taken the programme off. Now not available to watch.

 

Check the link in my last post. The clip there is working or is for me.

 

Yes, your clip for the tour part is ok. The original iplayer for the whole programme has gone though.

 

I think those evening news programmes only last 24 hours on i-player, not 7 days like most other programmes. I guess the BBC figure with news programmes that if you haven't watched within 24 hours, you are very unlikely to want to do so later.

Tom

 

Had a great day on Tuesday. A little disappointed at Victoria to find Premium Standard at the rear of the formation again. Luckily 60163 made a fair bit of noise and she could be heard over the Class 66 ticking over on the rear.
It was great to be on this historic train. The Bluebell Railway has certainly progressed a lot since we last visited some years ago. Lots of work has been going on around the railway and not just on the extension. Very impressive developments at Sheffield Park. The Atlantic Beachy Head is coming along very well in her own shed.
Also had an excellent lunch of Fish and chips in the station restaurant after getting off the charter. The restaurant must have done very well as most passengers not travelling in the dining sections of the charter headed into the restaurant shortly after we went in.
Impressive performance from 60163 and her crew on the return journey from South Croydon. Superb climb through the Surrey Hills, particularly on the 1 in 80 section after Dorking. Highlight was the awesome acceleration right through the centre of Guildford station. Our last ML run with Tornado? Hopefully not but it was a good one if it was.
Only low points were the poor coaching stock (no tannoy and dodgy lights again!) and the brake problem just before we got to Victoria. As a result of this we missed a train connection and got home just before midnight.

 

My video from Tuesday's Cathedrals Express/Blue Belle excursion from London to East Grinstead and the Bluebell Railway:


By the way, I met the gentleman who owned the Blue Belle headboard - he was taking it back to his home in Yorkshire the next day. I had the pleasure of sharing my table seat on the train to Clapham Junction with the headboard... my word did we have some looks!

James at SVN

 

Great video. I had no idea the headboard was privately owned. I swear once a while ago there was a Blue Belle headboard in the museum before it was redeveloped. Unless I'm mistaken.