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Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Jamessquared, Feb 16, 2013.

  1. Hirn

    Hirn Member

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    I feel very aware that overbuilding is possible: the affordable buildings do not have the feel of the originals, and being sizeable can just overwhelm the original effect.

    I entirely agree with James Squared on keeping the views out at Horsted Keynes and West Hoathly. And would very much like to
    support him. After getting through to East Grinstead, which once underway had to be completed against what became a tight deadline,
    there is some time to take a bit of care.

    My own view of development at West Hoathly is that the planning permission could well be good security to borrow against
    but I would be loath to see anything built either side. That said there is a possible site for a shed for some stock alongside the brickworks:
    two sidings there, one covered. Horstead Keynes seems to me to be about as full as it can sensitively be - I have been eagerly awaiting
    the siding down the Ardingley line beyond the signal box becoming empty.

    Is there anyone at the Bluebell with the right eye for such things who can have some input to the long term plan?
    The views from the carriage windows and the stations should be recognised, put in the plan and long term enhanced.
    It has happened on the linesides: the Bluebell and elsewhere are much better for good clearance.
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2018
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  2. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    I still think what you need is to persuade Network Rail to reopen from East Grinstead to Eridge, thus requiring them to divert into a rebuilt high level station. Then you can take over their present station and put some covered accommodation on their sidings north of there. Sorted!


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  3. glen77

    glen77 New Member

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    I'll have some of whatever you're smoking!
     
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  4. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    It’s called lack of sleep due to having a 10 week old baby... hallucinations setting in...


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  5. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

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    You might have lack of sleep but make the most of it they are not babies for long, I love all my children (all 5 of them) all adults now, but when they are babies
    0 to 6 months I always thought that was the best time.
     
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  6. JohnElliott

    JohnElliott New Member

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    The artist's impression reminded me of Norwood Junction -- station buildings separated by one track from three island platforms.
     
  7. JohnElliott

    JohnElliott New Member

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    Obvious solution - combine both! Put the shed at Ardingly or Barcombe and give an extension project somewhere to aim for. :)
     
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  8. Zoomeg

    Zoomeg New Member

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    What ever happened to the idea of building private homes on the site of the former yard at WH? IIRC it was an idea to finance the costs of the extension.

    I personally think running non stop from HK to KC is one of the best bits of the trip along the line. And there is now very little to do at WH; it's also quite inaccessible for much of the village which is served by an adequate bus to EG
     
  9. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    That did cross my mind too, believe it or not, but
    You can bet your life that anything the Bluebell could ever offer for Ardingly roadstone plant would be seen off by developers. -"Olde Station Yarde" a prime development of 3,4&5 bed properties in a...." usual blah waffle for another lot of suburban boxes.
     
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  10. fisher

    fisher New Member

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  11. fisher

    fisher New Member

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    I do agree with Tom's point about retaining the heritage we have. It is worth remembering that Horsted Keynes is a Grade II Listed Building. I would be very surprised if The Mathew Cousins' approach, in such close proximity to the existing station, will receive support from the local planning authority's conservation officer.

    While the debate about future storage accommodation is a good one to have, I hope the railway takes stock in the short term and considers the options carefully. The current Operation Undercover 4 project still has some way to go to be complete. I also hope there is a good look at the remaining stock in an around Horsted Keynes, maybe with some re-positioning of vehicles and tidying up of the west side generally, in parallel with the general refurbishment of the station which is on the cards.

    There are also decisions to be made about what future storage is for. Locomotives, yes, wagons and vans yes and the handful of remaining pre-grouping carriages that will remain outside. However, there is also the issue of access and interpretation. The issue of public access to storage sheds and the cost implications of resolving fire risks are potentially significant. Personally, I would keep Horsted Keynes open and free from further development. The planned station refurbishment, and more attention to how remaining rolling stock is stored in the station in environs, will lift it back to its rightful place as one of the premier, if not the premier, preserved station in the country.

    I would also have another long hard look at Sheffield Park. Some further carriage storage on the Pump House siding sounds like an option. This does not have to be expensive, particularly if some of it was for wagons and vans, and then maybe the long talked of half round house on a reorganised upper car park, BUT over a period of time.

    Finally, the railway needs to take a good look at what it has. Does it need a plated over MK1 BG and if it does, surely it should be well out of site and not in full view of the travelling public. There are other items of stock where decisions are needed. Sometimes less is more, and the movement of stock into the new shed at Horsted Keynes provides a real opportunity for the railway to improve the way it presents its station environments and provide a better experience for it paying customers
     
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  12. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    I didn’t know that Cassandra was monkey at the zoo that eats its own poo to get a reaction out of the crowd.

    It is amazing that the lightly laid tracks of the iow can handle the weight of your ego, or that it fits through the tunnel at ryde.

    Back to the issue in hand - i don’t think that the bluebell is unique in having an issue of needing more storage space, museum space, while at the same time wanting to keep the appeal of sites and locations. I am not sure it is possible to meet all the demands and needs.

    I’ve always liked hk as a station because it is unique. Another station that felt unique but lost some of that is highley, it no longer feels like a rural wayside station because it is so busy, (which of course is great for the railway) but it shows that while you gain with one hand you lose with the other.

    What the bluebell really needs is Sainsbury’s in east grinstead to go tits up and for a fairy godmother to buy the site for the railway.

    I empathise. I think that even if I got a weeks decent sleep I would still feel exhausted.

    It is a shame that you are so tired that it is hard to enjoy it. Maybe being tired means you don’t remember evil nappies at 4am.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2018
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  13. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Somewhat late addendum to this: the LSWR carriage has come off that set and been replaced by the SE&CR 100 seater, which gives a notional net increase of 62 seats.

    Seen here on Sunday (not my photo). The average age of the six vehicles (loco and carriages) in that train is 121 years! Justifies the "day special" head code I put on for the trip :)

    For me, it was a nice round hundred miles of firing at the weekend. Saturday on No. 65 - prep + two trips to East Grinstead; a semi white glove job as we handed over for the afternoon. Prep + two and half trips plus dispose on Sunday on 263; that makes 98 miles for the weekend but I reckon a round hundred when you allow for shunting, run rounds and so on! (And anyway, it sounds better ...) My two favourite engines on the railway in one weekend!

    31945907_10156677570104903_2051861230561263616_n.jpg

    Tom
     
  14. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    More like a fairy oligarch!
    Don't suppose there is an Asda nearby, is there?
     
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  15. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Crawley for your nearest Asda.

    But i’m not sure i’d want an oligarch involved - ‘railway used in money laundering operation’ is not the headline i’d want, plus they tend to get poisoned, arrested etc

    Then again the alternative is Pete Waterman, so maybe an oligarch isn’t such a bad idea.
     
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  16. Mark Thompson

    Mark Thompson Well-Known Member

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    Hahaa! Sounds like a good storyline for Midsomer Murders!
     
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  17. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    I think that is one for the Somerset and Dorset in Midsomer (Norton).
     
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I've created a thread for the Branch Line Gala (18 - 20 May) in the Galas section (https://www.national-preservation.c...lway-branch-line-gala-18-20-may-2018.1148486/), but to recap:

    ===

    Featuring Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company GWR 813, as well as Stirling O1 No. 65, Wainwright H class No. 263, Wainwright P class No. 323 and Maunsell Q class No. 541 from the home fleet.

    Details and ticket prices here: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/branch-line-weekend/ Tickets can be purchased online.

    Timetable here: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Branch-Line-Timetable.pdf

    It looks like the train pattern on the Saturday and Sunday is similar to last years event, i.e. with Horsted Keynes acting as a hub with separate SP - HK and HK - EG services, with considerable shunting and loco changes at HK. Friday sees a three train SP - EG service at 45 minute intervals.

    I don't know what the carriage sets refer to at the moment. But if I were a betting man, I'd take a punt that Set A may well be the four wheelers (and possibly one or the other of the LSWR coach and / or the LNWR Obo; Sets B and C are probably the SR pre-grouping non-corridors and the SR Maunsells (one way round of the other); set D is probably a mixed Bulleid / Mark 1 rake. I'll confirm when I see the relevant STN.

    Tom
     
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  19. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    How far towards Ardingly does the Bluebell currently own, and what scope is there for additional building(s) there?
     
  20. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

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    Thought I read that the Bluebell owned all of the trackbed to Ardingly, but stand to be corrected.
     

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