Bluebell Railway General Discussion

I see the Bluebell Railway are running a bus tour of closed railway station on Monday 28th July. The tour starts at Sheffield Park station and follow's the old railway line towards Lewes. Anyone booked a seat for this tour? Looks to be a great tour.

http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/2-tour-of-closed-railway-stations/

 

I'll take a look at the weekend and see if there is a loco roster going further ahead than the website one, which stops a week short ...

However, complete speculation: the Mets will be away on their Summer holiday to London, so the second set will likely be the (heavier) Maunsell / pre group bogie set. Given that, and given the current roster, I'd assume 1638 on the "B" service set rather than the C or H. I'd assume 178 on the Pilot duty (178 and 323 seem to be swapping turn and turn about each weekend) and probably 263 on the dining trains. That leaves a loco for the "A" train to be determined; pick one from 847 or 5643. I'd hope 847 but can't currently confirm that.

Tom

 

Won't be going myself, but hope it is popular - similar events in the past have been well supported. There is a definite focus during the "Festival" fortnight to do a few things away from the railway in connection with the surrounding community, rather than concentrating 100% on the railway - an ethos of using the railway as a base to explore the surrounding countryside. Commercially, there seems to be a lot of joint marketing in that direction.

Tom (still feeling replete after celebrating our wedding anniversary on the Sunday lunchtime Golden Arrow!)

 

Thanks for the offer to check for a loco roster for the weekend and your 'speculation', any advance information is welcome !!

 

Still down here at Swanage at the moment, as the move on Monday was cancelled. It was planned that, similarly with how it arrived at Swanage, it would be a diesel hauled mainline move, with Tornado in light steam.

As yet we do not have a confirmed departure date, although Saturday has been mooted.

 

Just to confirm Tornado will be leaving Swanage for Sheffield Park this Saturday.

 

Thanks Rumpole. That's going to make Saturday a pretty interesting day, given a fairly limited time window to get a loco in from outside while running a normal Service 2 day plus extra 6.15pm down service plus evening Golden Arrow! (I might be wrong, but I don't think we have ever had a visitor come in from the mainline on a Service 2 day...)

Tom

 

Sad, and rather pathetic, of David Wilcock to devote two whole pages in this month's Beano to slagging off the Bluebell for the terrible crime of rostering the Prairie on the diner.

 

Wilcock? Being petty? Surely not.

 

Meanwhile, the same magazine has a picture (without apparent disapproval) of a BR Mark 1 painted in Pullman livery and a third chopped away to create a verandah! Maybe the editor isn't on message with the star journalist's views on preservation?

Interestingly, when the subject was raised on the Bluebell Yahoo group, it turned out that many of the readers of that group didn't read the beano so had no idea what the story was about - but quite a few of them had patronised the Golden Arrow, with or without a GWR prairie on the front! Last Sunday I was on the GA as a passenger rather than loco crew, and we had the H class for motive power - more attractive, but still if we are being picky, not a Bulleid pacific with wooden arrows on the side...

Tom

 

Does anyone take Wilcock seriously any more? He's always been a tabloid style of journalist and its hard for old dogs to learn new tricks. As far as the coach goes, its on SR's favourite railway, so they can do no wrong - I think it looks atrocious, though.

 

Ah I'm glad that I am not the only one who thinks that SR has a serious bias towards the GCR.

 

Seems the Mets are off for their little adventure in London:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O16882/2014/07/23/advanced

Just reported as leaving East Grinstead with two class 73s on the front.

Tom

 

Can any one advise what time the Pub in Sheffield park station is open till over the weekend and through the next week please?

And if at all possible does anyone know what the foods like and what's on offer?

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

Foodwise - it does hot food (mostly "pub grub" sort of stuff - fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, pasta bake etc) or else cold pre-prepared sandwiches, or cake and coffee - also a licenced bar. I think hot meals are around £8 each, which I think is pretty reasonable value when compared with a pub. Personally, I think the food is quite good, in any case. Definitely on the "hearty" rather than "haute cuisine" side of things

Opening times - not 100% sure, you are probably best ringing for confirmation. It is always open for a drink or coffee until the last passengers depart, which would be about 6pm on a Sunday (after the return of the 5pm ex-EG) and I think would be open for drinks at least until the first departure of the Golden Arrow on Saturday night; however, I am not sure if they still serve hot meals into the evening. Best to ring the enquiry office for guidance. My sense is that it is quite possible for breakfast and lunchtime meals, but an evening meal is less likely.

Tom

 

I thought he had bit of a point. The Bluebell's one of the few railways capable of authenticity so it should try and maintain standards. The LT Prairie is pretty but what price a coat of green or black given how much use it's getting?

 

Not down to the Bluebell - it's down to the owner, who has decided to paint it red. And the loco is still getting London Underground work, including in the next couple of weeks, for which the red livery is presumably a requirement.

Meanwhile, it is a bit odd for SR to complain about the livery of a prairie, but write approvingly about a 9F in green! In my opinion, of course...

Tom

 

I bet if you asked the diners for feedback there wouldn't be any replies of "the whole dining experience was ruined by the colour of the loco."

 

I went to the Bluebell a few weeks back and looked enviously at the diners on the Golden Arrow.. I doubt you can get a VSOE experience as good outside the VSOE itself.. appearance and the dinner being served.
Golden Arrow is on my wish list of things to do..
As for what was on the front … I can't remember.

Pub at sheffield park is also on my sunday wish list.. very good quality (My waist line proves I eat well.. and there I really do recommend).. especially on a sunday with the weather recently… in fact you might have given me inspiration for something to do this sunday...