Clearance work commences at the Bluebell's Imberhorne Tip

The former is back to being a nice chap and a useful volunteer. The latter as far as I know has vanished!

=P~ =P~ =P~ =P~ =P~ =P~

LOL!

 

So seeing as I now cannot receive my pms' because (I presume) I defended an organisation (Bluebell) that was constantly being slated and unfairly run-down, can anyone explain why? Vet my posts but stop me getting pms? Bizarre..

I would like to know as there are several unread ones which I would like to read.

Thank you

 

News update, including some great pics and and the total is now £495k
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/blueb ... s_new.html

 

According to the website, the total raised has topped £500K

 

Apologies in advance, Chris, I have had a careful search on the other forums, but what is the story behind the item on the Bluebell website about a "4VEP" arriving at East Grinstead? Appears to have some relevance to the Bluebell.

Regards

46118

 

4-VEP 3417 was repainted in BR blue during the run-down off the slam door fleet by South West Trains and named 'Gordon Petite". It was subsequently purchased by them from HSBC Rail and used variously for driver training etc. SWT have now decided that they no longer have a use for it and the Bluebell purchased it for £1.

Due to a clause in a contract between Railtrack and SWT (possibly from when SWT owned one of the ROSCOs) any future sale included a free movement, the cost of which would be bourne by Railtrack and its successors. Therefore with the 4-VEP going to East Grinstead as an advance publicity tool for the Bluebell means that Network Rail have to honour the agreement and provide a main line connection for free.

Regards,

Dan

 

Ah....thanks Dan! So... the Bluebell leave this unit at East Grinstead, and at some point in the future say to NR "we want to claim our free movement..." which happens to be onto the Bluebell at EG, and NR have to put in the pointwork for free? Or have I got that wrong?

Presumably the Bluebell then sell the unit for scrap once it is on their premises, and they have a free NR connection, and a profit on the deal of the scrap value minus the £1 purchase price?

46118

 

I think, though i may be wrong, that the NR/Bluebell will lay the connection and track in the new year, and that's where she will go. Here she will become a visible symbol of the EG extension, presumably with some sort of temporary platform for access.

Whether, in due course, a deal can be done where she can be swopped for something less maintenance intensive, we'll just have to wait and see - i've got my fingers crossed we'll see her on the mainline again.

Chris

 

I hope that 3417 can be preserved after its role at East Grinstead is complete. With any luck there will be people willing to carry out preventative maintenance on it during that period.

Regards,

Dan

 

Perhaps destined for the Ardingly branch?

 

Back on topic, the excavation site has now been closed down after some 10,000-odd tons of material have been removed. The photographs on the Bluebell website show how far back from the bridge the excavation has moved, can anyone say what the total length of the infilled cutting is please? It will make for an interesting calculation.

46118

 

According to http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/map_grad.html it is 22 chains between Imberhorne Lane Bridge and Hill Place Farm Bridge.

22 chains = 484 yards or about 440 metres.

According to http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/personal/jon-bowers/extension/22.html#22 there is potentially about 136,000 cubic metres of waste to remove - at the rate it was being removed during phase 1, it would be possible to remove all of it during 2009 funding permitting! (By which I mean if the average number of lorry loads per day could be sustained when the project resumes, it is less than one year to remove all the spoil). I believe that the project team will, on the basis of the trial, be able to make a more accurate assessment of just how quickly the spoil can be removed and how much it would cost.

So really everything depends on funding - all donations gratefully received! The share offer is still open (though only just); next year there will be a deferred share scheme where you can purchase shares in small monthly installments (not sure if this is for everyone or just BRPS members); or you can donate directly to the trust. See http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/extprog.html for more information and photographs on progress and how to donate.

Tom

 

Thanks Tom, you have saved me the calculation!

Lets hope, as you say, that they can somehow find the money to finish the removal in 2009.

In the meantime presumably any remedial work to the brickwork on Imberhorne Lane bridge is now possible.

Regards

46118

 

I am assuming that the Bluebell will be taknig full advantage of the credit crunch and negotiating down the remainder of the cost of the tip clearance.

 

At one time the Buebell were supposed to be eligible for some sort of Landfill Tax credit for this work, and have a feeling it was worth in excess of £1M. Has that opportunity now gone?

 

Can someone give me an idea of the percentage of material removed so far; please. Unified dimensions would be kinda helpful.

 

It's nice to see the bridge reappear after being hidden for so long.

 

I always used to think in terms of a cubic yard equating to a ton, but given the probable lower density of this material its probably not going to be too bad an estimate to say a cubic metre is about a ton, so on that basis about 7% has been removed. On the other hand, I think it has been said that around 10M of ca. 400M has been cleared, and that is only 2.5%!

 

I recall something about changes in the Landfill Tax Credit scheme - possibly disbanded?

Regards,

Dan

 

Well it wouldn't make much sense for it to qualify -as far as I can tell the waste is just being transferred from one tip to another!