Bluebell Motive Power

Kent is worse!

Paul H

 

It's because none of us are in a hurry to leave

 

Nah Kent is the BEST

 

My home county. Has the worst road surfaces in the South of England. Also, according to my late Father the road across Romney Marsh was no better than when experienced in the family Wolseley Stellite before the war! (Sorry if this thread is deviating but the truth must out!)

 

Anyone who thinks east to west in Sussex is difficult has evidently never tried travelling north to south across Wiltshire! (Thread well and truly derailed...)

Tom

 

Sorry Tom to deviate from the Blue Bell Thread but i must answear this. the above has obviously not been across the marsh for a few years, whilst it is only two lanes across the marsh the road surface is as good as anywhere else.
Now i do a lot of traveling around England & Wales and i see your location is Hayling Island or to give it its nickname the pondarosa, the roads around your region are not very good ie; Chichester to Midhurst, Havent to Waterlooville, Liphook to Petersfield to name but a few.
As the saying goes people who live in green houses................
Maybe a new thread on Britains roads should be started.

 

The A265 etc across to Tenterden was a disgrace eighteen months ago. Unfilled potholes galore. I had just come back from France and the most minor road in the Cotentin was infinitely better. Hampshire, Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire, whilst not wonderful are never as bad as this. I cannot comment (and wasn't commenting) on the surfacing on the Romney route but on its alignment, unchanged from the era of artillery wheels and starting handles. This is a through route unlike the Hayling Road where much needed improvement works have been stymied by nimbys who are deluded into thinking bad roads prevent nasty people from building houses. They won't.

PH

 

As a means of getting back on topic - the loco roster http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/loco_roster.html for August is now on the website showing 263 back in service from tomorrow. Hopefully things are now looking better.

Steve B

 

It seems the loco crisis has now eased to the extent we can even expect to see vintage engines in traffic for Vintage Transport Weekend. Well, apart from the 9F...

 

Update from Lewis Nodes re:motive power just posted on the Bluebell News e-mail. Main headline is 80151 jumping up the overhaul queue which is good news indeed.

Some very good news to report. No. 592 has been on trial the past two weeks and is expected to commence working trains this weekend, for the first time in almost a year. No. 263 is also back in service following its annual boiler exam and some repair work, and both locos are due to double-head trains next week.

The boiler for No. 847 is likely to be replaced in the frames at the end of next week, which suggests it may be completed during the autumn.

The current strategy for improving our loco fleet is two-pronged: use of contractors for boiler overhauls to speed up the work and recruitment of staff to enhance our in-house boiler overhaul capacity.

The boiler for No. 34059 is due to go away at the end of September for overhaul at Crewe, which is estimated to take up to 18 months. Once No. 847 has been reassembled, the next loco to have its boiler overhaul done in-house will be No. 80151, with work due to commence once No. 541 is completed early next year.
These are the current plans, though of course circumstances may change in the future.

By Lewis Nodes, Director, Locos
& Rolling Stock

 

Back on topic just got my newsletter which says after 541 is done 80151's boiler is to be done in house, 847's boiler is due to be placed back in its frames this week and should be back in the Autumn. 34059's boiler is being sent to away in September and returns 18 months later.

Edit. David beat me to it.

 

A bit early to make a decision on 80151's boiler. A full inspection needs to be carried out first. Given the recent record of Standard 4 4-6-0 and 2-6-4 tank boilers, I think it will end up going to LNWR Crewe.

 

The recent decision to send boilers away has been about workshop capacity, not capability, so I don't see why 80151's boiler shouldn't be done in house - albeit that if there are complicated shapes to form, they may be contracted out for fitting in-house, as has frequently been done before with other boilers.

The other significant news is that the "Keep up the pressure" appeal has reached £15k after one week - donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/KUTP.

Tom

 

I like the look of that roster for Saturday, no lion & wheel or comedy maroon

I assume Stepney's doing the Ardingly brakevan ?.

 

I know Baxter isn't exactly the answer to everybody's prayers for an extra loco, but is there any reason he's not been used much recently? Apart from the Muppets I can only remember him being rostered on the EG opening weekend this year, and even then he didn't run... I know a lot of effort was put in to getting working vac brakes put on, did it just turn out that an 0-4-0 isn't suitable for passenger work?

 

Don't get me wrong Al, I love BR livery and the standards, just rather not see them at a vintage weekend!.

 

I also saw the update from Lewis Nodes, and am pleased that 592 and 263 are now available. If 847 can be completed in the Autumn, it will certainly ease the pressure on the loco situation. Certainly, the last 4 1/2 months for the Bluebell do seem to fit Dickens' famous words "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" - the exhilaration at finally reaching East Grinstead, and the tremendous success of the extension, but at the same time, probably the worst loco crisis since the Bluebell began operation.

 

The updated Bluebell website has an image of L150 on a rake of Victorian coaches. Looks rather incongruous, but it is steam, and rather L150 than the class 33 diesel, or even the 09.
Better things to come if you can get through the immediate future.
We have been through spells like this on the SVR, so can empathise. A vicious circle, staff taken off overhaul work to keep the running fleet operative, etc.

 

Just a reminder that this weekend (August 10/11) is the Vintage Transport Weekend. Normal service 2 timetable, but with displays of traction engines and other vintage vehicles in the field at Horsted Keynes. Locos and rolling stock are mostly Edwardian or Victorian:

09:45 / 12:15 / 14:45 / 17:15 ex SP both days: H class 263 + P class 323 + Mets + 4 wheelers + LNWR Obo (17:15 service is Sat Only)
11:00 / 13:30 / 16:00 ex SP both days: C class 592 + P class 178 + Maunsells + LBSCR Bogie first + SECR 100 seater + SECR Birdcage brake

East Grinstead departure times are one hour after the SP departures.

(The 9F will be doing Golden Arrow duty on Sunday lunchtime). I believe that one of Baxter or Stepney will also be running, possibly doing Ardingly shuttles, but haven't seen the STN yet to confirm.

Details here: http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/vintage-transport/

Tom