Bluebell Northern Extension - so what's occurring then?

A long update from BRPS chairman Roy Watts, along with some different photo angles, is on the Bluebell website:

Bluebell Railway - East Grinstead Extension Progress

And to clarify slightly John Petley's point about a three week shutdown above: When we open on March 23rd, we will have the opening festival for two weeks, followed by another week of running over the whole line. The midweek closure for the next three weeks that John refers to is only between EG and KC (i.e. the extension). That will allow the team to tidy up. During that period, the line will still be open and running every weekday between SP and KC; and at weekends it will be running SP to EG. Then from the beginning of May, daily running will be the whole length of the line.

So if you come any time during the festival; any weekend after March 23rd and any time after the beginning of May, the full line to EG will be open. For three weeks in April after the Easter holiday, weekdays only will see trains turning round at KC.

I'll reference the times (probably in the gala thread) as soon as I know them, but for the opening fortnight, weekends will basically be a four train service starting at 09:30 ex SP and I think about 10:30 ex EG (earlier on the first day); midweek running will be a two train service but also starting about 09:45 ex SP.

Finally, a John Sandys' photo update, which includes some photos of the Kingscote up advanced starter. This is 197 yards north of the north end loop points, and marks the beginning of the "narrow section", as can be seen from the photos.

NEP Photo Update, Thurs, 07/02/13 - a set on Flickr

Edit: to put the location of the narrow section, and the location of the up advanced starter, in context, if you look at this photo, you can just see the builders' yard at Kingscote in the background:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebellrailway/8452932763/in/set-72157632708053673

Tom

 

Thanks Tom. As I started this thread oh... months ago I read this announcement with much pleasure and it feels like the Bluebell have got this absolutely right. A good mix of risk, ambition, expectation and not least, maximising the commercial opportunity.
Announcing the opening so far in advance will ensure full media attention building up to the big day. This will be a national news event when it happens.
Well done.

 

Tom: Do you happen to know if there is likely to be another short "double donation" session, courtesy of your sponsors/benefactors? Contributed when the last one was running, so keeping my "powder dry" in case....

46118

 

There will be, but it won't be raising money for the NEP - it will be for another project.

The plan is to probably run one every year for different projects, probably towards the autumn. Date, amount and project still to be decided, but were I a betting man, I'd have thought one likely option would be the Operation Undercover carriage shed at HK. There is also more general talk that we will try to run more targeted appeals each year, with one big one for infrastructure, one for a loco and one for C&W each year. One guess would be that that might mean Camelot, the Maunsell Restaurant Car and Operation Undercover phase 4, but that is a guess.

Tom

 

From the images taken on Saturday it looks as though there is little waste left to remove from the cutting. Lets hope, given the poor weather forecast for the next few days, that the engineers can make a trackbed surface and get some drainage and ballast down before the cutting floor turns into the modern day equivalent of Stephenson's Chat Moss.

Credit due to the engineering team, volunteers and contractors, for pressing on in what must be unpleasant working conditions.

46118

 

Reading Rail Magazine over the weekend. There is a small article regarding a landslip near East Grinstead station which could put back the opening of the extension. I take this is a very minor landslip and won't stop the opening of extension in March?
Can anyone from the Bluebell clarify how big the landslip is and is the embankment liable to suffer from landslide in the future or has the embankment now stabilised.


Thanks

 

This is just the Imberhorne cutting re-excavation that is well documented. Rail is a good read but its news snippets are sometimes like the bad old days of the Grauniad!

 

Well, whatever incident they are referring to, bearing in mind print deadlines, it must have been weeks ago, and the railway has confirmed much more recently than that that 23 March is a "go-er". So I'd say no truth in the rumour about a delayed opening...

Latest news is that to all intents and purposes, the waste in the cutting has gone, but the trackbed still needs drainage, ballast etc laid over that final stretch before the two ends can be connected.

Tom

 

Can we expect to see mechanical track tampering equipment levelling the line from EG to KC (and beyond) on "training" sessions?

 

"Track Tampering" - does that involve metal theft??? Ray.

 

There will clearly be activity to fettle the new track before the line is fully opened.

Beyond that, it is really a matter for negotiation between the Bluebell Railway and infrastructure providers on the big railway. However, clearly there are opportunities for training (with maintenance benefit to the Bluebell). We have the ability to offer training opportunities in various "interesting" situations (for example, on a viaduct, in a tunnel etc) away from the mainline - indeed, if the right days are selected (especially in the winter), any company using such an opportunity could have a complete posession all day with minimal disruption to our own activities. Add in the fact that we have a mainline connection to enable plant to be bought in and out relatively easily and I am sure we will see such opportunities being taken.

Tom

 

Tom: This activity happened on the SVR at Kidderminster a couple or so years ago. An infrastructure contractor wanted to train operatives in some aspect of laying rail to NR standards, the result being around one-third of a mile of SVR track relaid at no cost to the railway, and an infrastructure co. happy to have found a location away from the real railway which is generally a 24 hr operation.
I think taking this into the future the SVR has an agreement being put together for a training academy which will allow this sort of work to be carried out in safety on the line following the classroom tuition as such.

46118

 

This type of thing happens at the ELR. Network Rail machines vist quite often for testing/training purposes.

 

Just don't get involved with skid training (low rail adhesion)! They put a solution on the railhead and let drivers go downgrade, get into and recover from a skid. That's fine till you want to run your heavy trains up the grade!

 

The Bluebell has seen worse than that in the interests of allowing other people to conduct training exercises:

[YOUTUBE]cJdt9NyRgMo[/YOUTUBE]

Location is just south of Sharpthorn tunnel, and West Hoathly signalbox.

Part 2 here: Decontamination and Repairs to Track [2 of 3] - YouTube
Part 3 here: Decontamination and Repairs to Track [3 of 3] - YouTube

Tom

 

I take it no trains were approaching whilst the patrolman was putting on the Protective suit and gas mask? Stood in the 4ft.

 

I think any train approaching "right line" would have fallen into a big crater before hitting him...

(Actually, I shouldn't joke, as my great grandfather was a railway ganger and was killed by being hit by an engine, at Horsted Keynes. But that is another story...)

Tom

 

Intresting videos Tom, having been up there with my photgraphers PTS the site hasn't changed that much, one less track, no signal or rodding!

E4 no.B473 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

No chance of that given nearly all Southern railway stock requires 3rd rail (excpet the 16 171 units). Any low adhesion training and brake testing is carried out between Dorking-Horsham on Sundays as the line is closed on that day so allowing pretty much unrestricted testing. I did take a Southern 171 up the West Coast mainline for some high speed brake testing but thats another story!

 

The usual John Sandys' photo update:

NEP Photo Update, Tues, 12/02/13 - a set on Flickr

Roy Watts was on Radio Sussex this morning, suggesting that the "golden spike" moment could be as soon as next week.

Finally, the 33 has arrived - photos here: Blog: What's New at the Bluebell Railway?

Tom