Bluebell Railway General Discussion

An interesting comment within an altogether very interesting post, about the tendency to burn out a strip right across the box on 32424.

It so happens I've just started on the chapter that is for my heritage era main line steam logs, and this morning I was working on this photo I took on the footplate of 34067 (well, I wouldn't take it from my coach seat) before we left Victoria. It was back in 2009.

There seems to be a some sort of partly burnt out strip across the whole box a little way in from the back. I remember noticing it at the time, as the front and back looked to be well built up and very much alight. Pressure was just short of the mark as the overlay photo show. The crew were on the platofrm talking to the Traction Inspector at the time, so I didn't get a chance to ask about it.

A pity that back in the 1960s on my footplate rides I never asked if I could have a go at firing - as I may have learned a bit about how to fire a Bulleid. Incidentally I was alway polite when chatting to the crew about what sort of run they thought the loco would give us timers, mostly when we stood around the loco on the platform before hand. As it was not unknown for a gricer almost demanding a good run to be handed the shovel and told to get up and work for his decent timing log!

Bryan

 

I've just been told that 73082 has gone away from the railway - is that true, and anyone know where it has gone?

 

Due to leave for a few day on Wednesday for something down at Willesden (unsure if its a private event or not). Meant to be back on Saturday night. Though that's probably dependent on the repair to its superheater elements

 

I was told a private event at Old Oak Common, so I would guess something to do with HS2. Camelot is booked to go with Bulleid coach 2526.

 

In their later years when they were on special trips, anyone who showed more than a passing interest in the machinery of PS Ryde or the Humber Ferry steamers was in danger of bneing handed a shovel & told to get on with it

 

I wasn't handed a shovel on PS Ryde, but as a 9-year old who was fascinated by what I saw, I did find myself invited onto the engineers bridge, being told which lever to pull, in answer to the telegraph. Amidst a gently moving backdrop of polished connecting rods, eccentrics and oil pots, I was quietly sold into the world of steam. I was so fortunate to have experienced that, while my dad watched on, probably very pleased (he was an engineer).
It must have been PS Ryde's very last season.