Bluebell Railway Giants of Steam 31 October 2015 - 1 November 2015

At East Grinstead one of the two ticket windows is cash only, and this seemed to keep the queues down.

 

Some further photos from the Nighshoot plus some others taken yesterday can be found at http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p41052815

 

If there is not sufficient standard class coaches the railway should do what the Midhants do, and allow all passengers to travel in all coaches with a fare set between the standard and first class rates. The standard class fare was £ 20.00 while the First class fare was £ 28.50. The rover tickets at the Midhants the week before was £ 25.00 and included a timetable ( and has in the past a Gala booklet).

 

I'm not sure how much that would have helped. I didn't see any spare seats in first class on any service before 4 either, and about half the people in front of my when I was buying my ticket were getting first class as an attempt to get a seat. They didn't want to use the Mets which perhaps was a mistake, as I think a lot of people would take having a seat over standing on a prototypically accurate train.

 

A marquee has been used in the picnic area for a summer event to provide additional catering. Other railways have had third parties providing additional catering but I think the Bluebell likes to keep the catering in house.I think any addtional catering needs to been either on one of the platforms or adjacent the C&W works at this time of year.

 

4464 was on a different set today with just the one 1st Class carriage and 73082 was on the Pullman and Obo set.

4464 struggled in the early morning conditions but grew into her stride. Had a couple of short runs behind 925 which looked great on the Southern set.

Didn't get a run behind the home fleet but 847 looked at home on the goods train and 73082 seemed in fine fettle.

Very good day out although I heard a staff member at Horsted say yesterday was busier although the trains were reasonably full.

 

There certainly isn't much wrong with 73082 . Had a cautious run behind her on the first up train of the day owing to the damp railhead, but listening to her climbing away from HK in the afternoon was something to savour. Also had a good run behind 925.

 

Had a good day yesterday, with Bittern sounding good on her final runs and Camelot gleaming in the sunlight. Cheltenham looked good on the Southern set - well done to the Bluebell for organising for it to haul them!

However, I agree, the timetables not being published in advance and being charged for was annoying, and the under capacity trains were, perhaps, something that needs to be addressed for next year (7/8 coach trains - if the locos will manage them??)

Overall though, a thoroughly enjoyable day with far more people in attendance than I have ever seen at the Bluebell. It certainly surprised me when I got to Sheffield Park at 8:40am and the queue for tickets stretched back down the approach road!

 

The platforms at Sheffield Park can only take 6 coaches ( while the other stations can take 7 I think) .There are proposals to extend the plaforms to 7 coaches at Sheffield Park, but to do this the signals will have to be moved. With the non corridor stock the railway has, the platform lengths will be the limiting factor. Hopefully the gala will be extended to 3 days next year, and this might be the easiest way to reduce over crowding.

 

3 days may be the answer but using all weekend locos,today wasn't an option for me as no 30541.

 

I am not suprised since it was only hauling 2 round trips on the Saturday and none today. I am suprised it was not down for more trips considering it only returned to service this year, and last ran in 1993. The Q is limited to 5 mark 1's or the 6 coach southern set.

 

She spent the day in Platform 1 cattle dock at Sheffield Park on light steam. Was a bit disappointed she wasn't running but sure I'll get a run behind her some time.

 

Just back after a long day today "riding cushions" and good to see lots of constructive and positive feedback here.

On the overcrowding point: today seemed better (we got seats on 925's run this morning in the LBSCR first, and on Camelot's afternoon run on the Pullmans); I understand yesterday was pretty rammed.

There are two limiting factors: platform length and number of available carriages. SP platforms are about 5¾ coaches long: it was notable today that almost all of the most northerly carriage was off the platform when Camelot arrived with the Obo / Pullmans / Pup / Mark 1 set, which is about 6½ coaches long. Seven coach trains are operationally difficult as one whole coach is off the platform, slowing loading / unloading, and 8 more or less impossible as the engine of a service waiting to depart SP ends up beyond the starter, which prevents the signals being cleared for an incoming service.

The other issue is the available carriages: I don't think there were too many more in the locker to strengthen the sets. The only significant carriages not in use were the Mets / 4 wheelers / 1520; however, if they had been in service (would give a whole new meaning to A4 + teaks!) and one of the other sets redistributed amongst the remaining three, they would then have been too long for the platforms.

Lots of positives though: The freight arriving this morning out of the fog was very atmospheric (no pun intended!). The timetable seemed pretty robust: we were quite late leaving Kingscote on the first up trip (on account of waiting for Bittern), but we left East Grinstead on time and thereafter everything ran to time as far as I can see - certainly the afternoon trip with Camelot arrived back at SP on time in the early evening. Camelot made a pretty spirited run - we could hear her on the climb up to East Grinstead from about 5 coaches back with the windows closed. The C&W tour was informative as ever, and it was nice that the loco works was opened up to see all the significant work going on. I didn't even make it as far as seeing Project 27 or Beachy Head, but apparently they were both well supported during the day.

Can't wait until the next one - Spring 2016, branch line gala with the Coal Tank, and the strong hope that the LCDR 5 compartment 3rd in the carriage works will be available for traffic by then to add to the four wheelers.

Thanks to everyone who made it happen, and particularly to the MHR and LSL for working overtime to get two very popular visitors to the railway.

Tom

 

I was linesiding for this working and I don't know about speed, but it was certainly one of the best sounds made by a loco c;limbing Freshfield I can ever recall. It was the return of this working which I caught from KC to HK and that seemed quite lively too - and a fantastic noise!Shows what brilliant engines the Schools were. As someone who sometimes uses the Tonbridge-Hastings line to go to London, I find it amazing to think that day in day out, these 4-4-0s used to take 10 or 11 coaches from a standing start at Tonbridge up an incline which is 1 in 47 at its steepest while turning through 90 degrees at the same time. In preservation, they haven't been tested to this degree, but the highlight of my only visit to the NYMR in recent years was definitely a full-length run from Pickering behind 30926 - I shan't forget the sound of Repton on the 1 in 49 any time soon! - even better than 61264 in the opposite direction.I just hope that a few pennies were put into the Maunsell Society's collecting boxes from others who enjoyed Cheltenham in action so that Stowe can be returned to steam before too long.

 

deleted - duplicate post

 

From the footplate, the first run in the up direction with Camelot on Sunday was a bit slippery in places, so sensible handling was the way to go. We had a 5-7 minute delay at EG while C&W renewed the steam heat bag on the South end of OBO. Lots of lineside photographers to sound the wonderful chime whistle at, all good fun!

 

Some photos and videos of the event...

Photos - https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/Bluebellphotosets/Giants-of-Steam-October-2015/

Video - (includes said Sunday morning freigh train in the mist!)

 

The only thought which occurred to me would have been to stick 1520 on the back of the Rambler set with the GN saloon behind that, would at least create 4x6 car sets (or something close to). Obviously the GN saloon wasn't an option this time but in future could be something to do, might look a bit odd but if it's on the back of the train people might not notice!

I think it was just sheer volume of numbers on the Saturday, I bagged a seat at SP on the train behind Camelot on Saturday evening and the number of people walking past once we got to EG toward the mainline station was incredible, never seen crowds like that on the line, last time I saw anything like it was leaving the Brighton football ground a couple of months back. The pub still seemed busy at about 7pm when I left too, glad I took a torch as blimey that overflow car park is dark.

Other thing which was a shame, really disappointing the Q wasn't out on the Sunday at all.

 

My video and a few photos from a fun weekend at the Bluebell! Felt great to be on Bitterns final round trip of her ticket, managed to get front window in both directions somehow! All in all a very enjoyable weekend!



73082 'Camelot' makes her way up the bank towards Imberhorne cutting with her first journey of the gala.


925 'Cheltenham' and 847 await the off from Horstead Keynes with their second trip of the day.


30541 heads away from Horstead Keynes with her last trip of the gala on the Saturday.


4464 'Bittern' arrives at Kingscote on her first trip of her final day in service.


847 stands at Horstead Keynes prior to running light engine back to Sheffield Park after bringing the goods train up.

 

On Saturday 73082 gave us the best climb of the day to the tunnel on the 1030 ex SP, after a very slow start until onto the single line section. I was standing (as I did most of the day) in the corridor on the west side of the train and she looked and sounded quite superb with speed increasing all the way up to the top at MP 13 including through the tunnel where most crews ease their engines. What a great job has been made of the overhaul. Worth going just for that. 4464 was also very
good and 30541 coped manfully with its four coaches. Altogether a great event helped by the sunny and mild weather.