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Flying Scotsman at the Bluebell Railway: 13 - 19 April 2017

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by Jamessquared, Nov 23, 2016.

  1. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    So in spite of forty years of supporting the 34081 cause, I'm not a real railway enthusiast? I'll be going. I take it you won't be wanting a lift.
     
  2. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    I was generalising a bit there are always some with masochistic tendencies! Good luck in the scrum, I assume you are travelling not photting.
     
  3. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think it probably depends on what you want to capture. If you want an evocation of steam 50 years ago, it probably isn't your first choice. If you want to document what will be a significant event in the Bluebell's preservation history, then you have to be there. Some of my favourite photos from the visit of Flying Scotsman to the SVR were where the photographer had pulled back to show the crowds, especially those in the surrounding fields and bridges.

    Tom
     
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  4. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Depends if I'm lucky enough to get a ticket but I'll have a bash at photting at some stage. The latter will depend on the weather of course.
     
  5. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Will Flying Scotsman make it to the Bluebell or will gauging problems cause a major disappointment?
    The latest issue of Steam Railway has a worrying report about gauging issues on the National Network on the line down to East Grinstead. :Nailbiting:
    Also the last mailing I had from SD said that they had to cancel one of their trips involving the Bluebell due to locomotives being banned on the section of line down to East Grinstead.:Nailbiting:
     
  6. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    The SD trip has been postponed rather than cancelled since Network have not yet carried out works to stop the embankment, behind the down platform at Dormans, moving towards the railway ( Note Also Mayflower is not due to be ready for testing until June due to further works required, and will not be available for the Charity Railtours trip postponed from last year.).
     
  7. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thanks for the info. Paul. I did mean to say the SD trip was postponed but it has been a long day today!
    Just also read the news about 61306 on another thread. I am a bit puzzled about what they have found with the B1 seeing as she was supposed to have had a very thorough and expensive overhaul not long before she was sold by the Boden family to the current owner.
     
  8. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think with FS there has been some chatter that a late night movement wrong-road could be possible, i.e. coming down through the up road at Dormans. That could happen for a one-off movement of a single locomotive, but wouldn't necessarily be possible for a charter that was planned to be arriving back at the Bluebell at some reasonable time in the evening when the normal service trains were still running on the East Grinstead line.

    Tom
     
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  9. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    The curve platforms at Lingfield are a potential problem according to the article and 60103 is not very guage friendly. There is a crossover just North of the platforms at Lingfield.
     
  10. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    It also makes it easier to path the Flying Scotsman trains as non-stop in both directions; if you have a fourth train in the mix, almost certainly FS would have to stop for pathing reasons in the down direction. As it is, the two Bluebell service trains cross at HK, but FS doesn't cross anything at HK in either direction.

    From the timetable I have seen for the Thursday, there will be five engines in steam - Flying Scotsman; 73082 and 847 on service trains; and two (count 'em!) pilots at SP. I suspect one of the pilots would be 30541 which could act as an in-steam replacement for 73082 or 847 in case of problems, but that is just a hunch. Two pilots are necessary early morning because of restricted space at SP - in particular , as far as I can see from reading the notes, FS's train is likely to be at least 7 coaches + GN saloon (i.e. 8 in all) and given that there isn't that much clear space between signals, each arrival from FS sees - after the passengers disembark - the train drawn southwards one carriage length and the GN saloon split off and put in the up side dock siding by the pilot while FS runs round, with the GN saloon reattached shortly before departure. I think with the new position of the up starters, seven + loco will fit between the signals; splitting off the GN saloon then keeps the south end foot crossing clear for most of the period the train is in the platform.

    Tom
     
  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    A bit more info about tickets: these are planned to go on sale for Flying Scotsman's trains on 6 February. They will only be available online via an independent seller. Tickets will be for an allocated SP -EG - SP round trip, and will also allow travel on other non-FS hauled services on the day. Flying Scotsman's trains will have seven coaches available for public use, with all tickets a single class. Apart from the dining services, which are already sold out I believe, there will be three round trips per day with FS.

    You can sign up for details here: http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/flying-scotsman/

    Tickets for non-FS trains will likely go on sale at the end of February / early March.

    Platform tickets will be available for SP, HK and Kingscote (but not EG on account of restricted space). These will be available for sale on the day of use only, subject to no overcrowding issues.

    Tom
     
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  12. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    Any idea what time they are due to go on sale. Be nice to have an idea when I can a have a go at getting one at work.
     
  13. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    No, only what it says on the webpage. The only advice I can give is to sign up via http://www.bluebell-railway.com/event/flying-scotsman/, so you will get the news the same time as everyone else. (I can imagine it might be first thing given that ticketing is being handled by a third party, but that is a complete guess on my part).

    Tom
     
  14. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Hopefully there will be some tickets left when I get home from work as we are not allowed to access personal emails at work

    I noticed that the KWVR FS tickets haven't sold out yet so perhaps they are not selling as fast as last year?

    I also noticed that on the NRM website there is no mention of the Bluebell visit at all. All of her other duties are there. I wonder if the Bluebell will be added tomorrow or are they waiting for the gauging to be undertaken?

    Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
     
  15. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    Thanks Tom. I think I'm on the email list so will just have to keep a look out during the day.
     
  16. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Well, it was a bit quiet on the e-mail front today and the Bluebell website hasn't been updated.
    On the Bluebell facebook page someone asked if the tickets would be on sale today and the reply was:
    "They are not yet on sale. When they are it will be announced."

    NR gauging causing problems?
     
  17. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Looking at responses to questions on the Bluebell faceache page it seems that there are problems with the external website (not operated by the Bluebell) set up for the tickets for Scotsman's visit.

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  18. Funnell

    Funnell New Member

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    Doubt it...They're not on sale yet!
     
  19. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    They are not on sale yet due to problems with the website according to the Bluebell on FB. They were due to go on sale yesterday.

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  20. Funnell

    Funnell New Member

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    I'm not quite sure where you're gathering this information on Facebook! Also tickets were not intended to go on sale yesterday.
     

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